A protest held on Sunday in Lisbon’s Rossio square, organised by the Acampada de Lisboa movement, developed from a peaceful gathering into a night of tension involving police fines, vehicle horns and several firecrackers.
The event had been called after a new police operation against attempts by the movement to spend the night in the square with tents. Organisers said 30 people had been injured, 10 hospitalised and six detained during the previous night’s events. Protesters repeated demands for changes to the government’s housing policy and criticised Prime Minister Luís Montenegro, Interior Minister Luís Neves and President António José Seguro.
The afternoon programme included a popular assembly, an open-mic session, a communal canteen and a concert. Hundreds attended the performance by the Acampada & Primavera de Coros Orchestra, which ended with a solemn rendition of “Grândola Vila Morena”. The crowd then resumed protest chants and sang “Bella Ciao”.
Tensions rose at around 9 p.m., when police stopped two cars near the Teatro D. Maria II and fined their drivers €60 for using their horns without an imminent danger, an offence covered by Article 22 of Portugal’s Highway Code. Drivers had been sounding their horns in solidarity with the protest throughout the gathering.
The fines prompted many protesters to confront the police. Some surrounded two vans belonging to the PSP’s Rapid Intervention Team, while others briefly stood in front of or pushed one of the vehicles. Members of the Acampada intervened to remove people from its path and prevent the situation from escalating further.
The atmosphere temporarily became celebratory as passing drivers continued to sound their horns. Two firecrackers then exploded near the theatre, prompting organisers to ask people to leave the road and return to the centre of the square. A third explosion later took place near the Metro entrances on Rua do Amparo.
After the third firecracker, a man was chased by several protesters and entered a nearby McDonald’s. The restaurant’s management closed the entrance and lowered its shutters, leaving the man inside while a crowd gathered outside. Some members of the Acampada accused him of trying to provoke a police intervention and suggested he could be an infiltrator, although the movement’s video of the incident did not establish his involvement.
A PSP source described the man as a 41-year-old manager who denied throwing the firecracker. According to the source, he said he had fled after being accused of being an undercover police officer and had sought refuge in the restaurant out of fear of reprisals.
Four police officers and a member of the Acampada eventually entered the restaurant. Lawyer Joana Marques Brás, who was inside by chance, said she had helped facilitate the officers’ safe entry so they could identify the person and end the confusion.
The standoff continued for several hours as journalists and protesters waited outside. A growing police presence formed near Restauradores, raising concerns that officers might intervene. Organisers then urged those remaining near the restaurant to leave, warning that the situation could lead to further injuries.
By midnight, fewer than 200 people remained in Rossio. Around half an hour later, the square was almost empty and the McDonald’s reopened.
Sources: Observador.