Thousands return to Portuguese squares after police clear housing protests

Summarised from 4 outlets · 5 reports · Updated 21 Oct, 18:45 · Archive

Police cleared protest camps in Lisbon and Porto, arresting 55 people, but thousands of demonstrators returned to demand action on Portugal's worsening housing crisis.

Police in Portugal cleared protest camps in Lisbon's Rossio Square and Porto's Dom Joao I Square on Tuesday morning, after warning demonstrators that the camps were illegal. Officers seized 228 camping structures during coordinated operations launched shortly before 6 a.m. A total of 55 people were arrested and later released pending a court appearance. In Porto, protesters dismantled their own tents after police threatened to intervene. In Lisbon, officers cleared the square as demonstrators formed a human chain, with clashes subsequently breaking out.

Accounts of the operation differed. Carla Valadao, a spokesperson for the Lisbon camp, described it as 'very aggressive'. However, Public Security Police superintendent Sergio Soares disputed that account, saying the eviction had been 'calm, proportionate and appropriate, with no police charge'.

Despite the clearance, thousands of people gathered in both cities on Tuesday evening. Organisers said more than 1,000 people had gathered at each location. In Lisbon, demonstrators voted by show of hands to re-establish their tent camp on Wednesday. Activists had originally occupied Rossio Square since Saturday, pitching around 200 tents, and had occupied Porto's Dom Joao I Square for about 10 days.

The protests are directed at government housing policy. Demonstrators are calling for the centre-right government to withdraw a bill that makes evictions easier and ends rent caps on new leases, which passed a first parliamentary reading. The prime minister says the changes will build trust between landlords and renters, but critics say they leave tenants more exposed.

Portugal is struggling with one of Europe's worst housing affordability crises. Property purchase prices have more than doubled since 2017, and rents for new leases have nearly doubled over the same period. The problem is particularly severe in major cities such as Lisbon and Porto. One 49-year-old handyman said he rented a 20-square-metre flat for €180 in 2015, but that amount would not now cover even a mattress. Another protester, 41-year-old communications consultant Debora Miranda, said 'if people don't feel at home, in every sense of the word, they can't move forward with their lives…enough is enough'.

How it is being reported

• Portugal police clear demonstrators from protest camps against cost of housingPortuguese demonstrators have been protesting against the cost of housing in the country. They are opposed to recent measures announced by the government and are calling for a new gathering in the coming days, despite police clearing protest camps.France 24 · 21 Oct, 13:31
• ‘A house cannot be a privilege’: Thousands rally in Lisbon over housing crisisThousands protested in Lisbon’s Rossio square over housing costs after police removed a camp, and voted to return the next day to camp out again.Euronews · 21 Oct, 09:45
• Portugal cost-of-living protesters pour back into camps cleared by policePolice arrested 55 people while clearing protest camps in Lisbon and Porto.Al Jazeera · 21 Oct, 03:19
• Portugal housing protests continue after police clear campsDemonstrators vow to continue their campaign to call for affordable housing in Portugal after police cleared tent camps and arrested at least 55 people.DW News · 21 Oct, 00:11
• Tents fill Lisbon square as protesters highlight Portugal’s housing crisisProtesters camped overnight in central Lisbon over the weekend to denounce Portugal’s housing crisis, as soaring rents leave many struggling to afford accommodation.Euronews · 19 Oct, 14:38

In this story: Portugal · Lisbon · Porto · Carla Valadao · Sergio Soares · Debora Miranda

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem