Protesters in Lisbon decided Monday night to remove their tents from the Rossio square as they prepare to move their housing rights demonstrations to other locations, including the site of the Web Summit.
The “Acampada” movement is vacating the square following a legal setback. A Lisbon Administrative Court suspended a ruling that had authorized one protester to maintain a tent in the square. According to RTP, the court granted an injunction to the Public Ministry, which removes the authorization for the activist to keep a tent mounted in the Rossio.
Courts debate protest hours
A 1974 regulation setting a 00:30 time limit for demonstrations sits at the center of the legal dispute. The Public Ministry has requested that the Constitutional Court evaluate the constitutionality of this rule, Observador reported.
That 00:30 restriction was previously considered unconstitutional by a judge at the Lisbon Administrative Court, but the decision is currently suspended. SIC Notícias noted that the final determination now rests with the Constitutional Court.
The Ministry of Internal Administration (MAI) will comply with the administrative court’s terms. SIC Notícias reported that the MAI does not expect the 00:30 limit to be ignored while the higher court reviews the matter. The MAI had previously argued the judicial decision regarding the activist was limited to her specific, individual case and did not apply to other protesters.
Renata Cambra, the activist at the center of the case, had contested the order to leave the square and sought to annul the municipal dispatch. Her authorization to camp in the Rossio until November 24 is currently suspended because the court granted a suspensive effect to the Public Ministry’s appeal, according to lawyer Leonor Caldeira.
Christmas markets clash with protests
The Lisbon City Council (CML) and local business owners are pressuring for the removal of the tents. Notícias ao Minuto stated that the PSP issued a report declaring the protest camp and the Christmas market incompatible in the same location.
Mayor Carlos Moedas has intensified threats to use the Municipal Police to forcibly remove the tents. He argues the protest movement, rather than the traditional Christmas market, should seek an alternative location. In a recent dispatch, the Mayor ordered the camp to leave the square, and Renata Cambra reported that Municipal Police had gone to Praça D. Pedro IV to remove tents.
Business representatives estimate losses of approximately 30 percent due to the constraints caused by the protest, Renascença reported. Owners fear the area could face an economic and social crisis that might lead to the closure of commercial establishments.
The Union of Associations of Commerce and Services of Lisbon is advocating for the immediate removal of the tents to protect a “golden” billing period, Renascença reported.
During a meeting with Carlos Moedas, Jorge Nuno Sá, vice-president of the Union, stated the city council recognizes the legitimacy of the merchants’ concerns. He argued the solution requires removing the tents to allow for the free movement of people and a return to normal activity.
Protesters spread across the city
The movement intends to spread its activities across the city rather than disbanding.
Representatives of affinity groups, consisting of five to 15 people, voted on the direction of the movement during a plenary session. The movement also plans to participate in a march from Praça do Camões to the Rossio.
The movement’s upcoming schedule includes:
- Tuesday: A concentration in Alto de Pina, Dnoticias reported. The movement also planned a popular assembly at the Galerias Geraldo da Silva on this day.
- Wednesday, November 11: A protest near the Web Summit event in Parque das Nações, Mais Ribatejo reported. A popular assembly was also scheduled for this day at the São Bento Station.
- Saturday, November 14: A joint demonstration with the Plataforma Casa para Viver, Expresso reported.
- November 21: A manifestation organized by the CGTP-IN regarding wages and the cost of living, Expresso reported.
Protesters demand the reversal of the new rental law. They also seek restrictions on real estate funds acquiring housing and the establishment of rental caps that are considered truly accessible.
Porto protesters seek dialogue
The protest camp in Praça D. João I remains active in Porto. Unlike the Lisbon group, Porto protesters have agreed to meet with municipal officials to discuss how to accommodate the camp alongside a planned Christmas ice rink, Dnoticias reported. The meeting, scheduled for Tuesday, November 10, will involve Porto Mayor Pedro Duarte and other members of the municipal cabinet.
Protesters want to review municipal proposals before making further decisions regarding the space, João Silvério, a spokesperson for the Porto movement, told Lusa. He questioned the change in location for the ice rink. He noted that in previous years it was held at Largo Amor de Perdição near the Jardim da Cordoaria and suggested the move might represent a bit of political persecution.
Wider housing protests began in Porto on October 10 to demand the reversal of new rental laws and limits on housing acquisitions by real estate funds, RTP reported. The actions of the PSP to disperse camps and remove tents in both Lisbon and Porto have resulted in dozens of arrests and dozens of injuries.