Around 60 tents had been erected at Lisbon’s Rossio Square before 1 a.m. Wednesday, as demonstrators returned to the site for an overnight protest over housing. The gathering followed an assembly that ended late Tuesday and drew one of the larger crowds seen during the past three weeks of protests, according to the report.
Police presence was limited during both the assembly and the tent setup. Protest spokesperson Lou Loução said only two officers and a police vehicle were visible, and that organizers had not been contacted about clearing the square by 1:30 a.m. She said the overnight stay was intended as a symbolic protest and followed a court decision that, in the organizers’ view, supported their right to camp there. The decision also requires noise to be kept down between midnight and 6:30 a.m. to protect nearby residents’ right to quiet.
The return to the square came after Prime Minister Luís Montenegro addressed the country at 8 p.m. He said the government had been working on housing affordability from the outset, invited opposition parties to discuss possible solutions and urged protesters not to bring violent protest tactics from other countries to Lisbon and Porto.
Members of the Left Bloc helped set up tents, including MP Fabian Figueiredo and former party coordinator Mariana Mortágua, both of whom said they planned to stay overnight. Several Livre MPs were also present but said they would not camp there. Loução welcomed politicians’ involvement, while saying their presence did not prevent police action or make protesters feel safer.
A meeting earlier Tuesday between Lisbon City Hall, protest representatives and local traders ended without agreement on how to accommodate both the encampment and the traditional Christmas market. The city proposed moving the protest to Largo de São Domingos, Martim Moniz Square or Restauradores. Protest organizers rejected those options and said the encampment would remain at Rossio, urging the municipality to consider relocating the market instead.
The market’s setup, scheduled for Tuesday, did not take place. The only Christmas decoration visible in the square was a small tree beside one of the tents.
Sources: Observador.