Portugal housing protesters return to Lisbon and Porto camps after 55 arrests

Police clear camps in Lisbon and Porto

Shortly before 6am on Tuesday, 20 October, police launched coordinated operations in Lisbon and Porto after warning protesters that their camps were illegal. In Lisbon, officers cleared the Rossio Square camp, where activists had pitched around 200 tents since Saturday, 17 October. Police data cited by Expresso put the Lisbon detentions at 55 and the number of slightly injured at two. In Porto, demonstrators took down their own tents at Dom João I Square after police threatened to intervene, and that operation ended without arrests. Authorities seized 228 camping structures in total. Local television footage showed clashes after officers cleared Rossio, where protesters had formed a human chain.

Government warns of a firm response

Interior Minister Luís Neves declared the camps over and said anyone expecting copycat violence in Portugal would face firm force from security services. He called the right to protest legitimate, but urged organisers not to let extremists infiltrate their movement, warning that extremist or criminal conduct would be suppressed. Public Security Police (PSP) spokesman Sergio Soares described the Lisbon eviction as "calm, proportionate and appropriate, with no police charge". Camp spokesperson Carla Valadao called the operation "very aggressive". The 55 detainees were released pending a court appearance in Lisbon on Wednesday, 21 October.

Protesters vote to return

Thousands gathered again on Tuesday evening in Lisbon, Porto, Coimbra, Braga and Faro, according to Notícias ao Minuto. Organisers said more than 1,000 people gathered at each of the two main squares, while police did not give a crowd estimate. At a popular assembly that began at 19:00, participants voted by show of hands at 20:38 to pitch tents again at Rossio from Wednesday. The proposals that drew the most applause called for caps on rents and an Iberian strike. Singers Ana Moura, Nenny and Tim performed in Lisbon, while Clã and Capicua performed in Porto. Protest spokesperson Priscila Valadão addressed the crowd directly.

Something is wrong. A crowd like that does not appear out of nothing. There is real dissatisfaction, and it has to be dealt with.

What the protests are about

Activists want the centre-right government to withdraw a bill that makes evictions easier and ends rent caps on new leases, a bill that has passed its first parliamentary reading. Purchase prices have more than doubled since 2017, and rents on new leases have nearly doubled over the same period. Debora Miranda, 41, a communications consultant, said she joined the Rossio protest to represent generations struggling with soaring costs. The Porto movement began on 10 October with about 1,500 people at Dom João I Square. On 15 October it denounced a violent police charge at dawn that injured 39 participants, two of them seriously, and one police officer.

Next steps

Organisers plan to re-pitch the Rossio tents from Wednesday, 21 October. Porto demonstrators said they would return on Saturday, 24 October, after what they called rest days. The 55 detainees face their court appearance in Lisbon on Wednesday, 21 October. Expresso reported that the Porto movement has decided to suspend its communication with the press.