Thousands protest housing crisis in Portugal after police clear activist camps in Lisbon and Porto

Police clear activist camps at dawn

Before dawn on Tuesday, 20 October, police moved to take down activist tents in Lisbon and Porto, removing 228 in total. Portuguese authorities reported 55 arrests and two injuries during the operation in Lisbon. Police described the use of force as justified and limited, because some protesters refused to leave despite orders from the authorities. The interior ministry praised the professionalism of its officers and said it had prioritised dialogue up to the last moment.

Escalation in Porto and Lisbon

Earlier in October, police forcibly cleared a camp at Praça Dom João I in Porto, injuring dozens of people, some of them seriously. Despite a ban imposed by the city's mayor, protesters pitched tents again on the same square during the weekend of 17 and 18 October. In Lisbon, hundreds of people occupied Rossio square in the heart of the tourist district, and dozens of tents were still standing there as of 21 October.

On the evening of Tuesday, 20 October, thousands of people rallied in Lisbon and Porto. At Rossio, activists voted by show of hands to camp on the square again so they could continue their protest, while banners rejected the sale of the capital.

Rents and the political response

Rents and property prices in Portugal have more than doubled since 2017, rising 124% over the last decade, twice the EU average. A recent liberalisation of the rental market, carried out by the centre-right government led by Prime Minister Luís Montenegro, has made rent increases and evictions easier. President António José Seguro has called for broad agreement among the parties on long-term measures to tackle the housing crisis.

Unions and tenant groups are demanding rent caps, a suspension of evictions where no alternative housing is offered, and a ban on property purchases by speculative investors. The CGTP, Portugal's largest trade union confederation, called the weekend rallies, which drew tens of thousands of people across the country. Leaders of the Socialist Party and the Left Bloc joined them, and the rallies were overwhelmingly peaceful.

Spanish influence and next steps

Some activists are inspired by camps in Spain, such as the one at Madrid's Puerta del Sol, and want to coordinate their efforts across the Iberian Peninsula. A social media post by the outlet Sprinter Press, dated 20 October, said protesters are calling for a general strike on 11 November 2026 against a reform intended to speed up evictions over late rent payments.