Porto: Housing Rights Protest Ends in Clashes

A protest organized by the Housing Movement in Porto ended in clashes with security forces at Praça D. João I. According to the movement, a disabled protester and several others were injured during the police intervention, which was called to remove tents that had been set up in the square.

Firefighters confirmed that they attended to several victims on site. The PSP reported that one of its officers was also injured during the disturbances, although no details about the circumstances of the injuries were provided.

Local sources, including Observador and RTP, reported that the situation escalated when police began to act to disperse the protesters, insisting on the removal of the tents installed in the area.

A total of 37 injuries was cited by the Housing Movement, which condemned the police violence and highlighted the intensity of the clashes. This account coincides with reports from other media, which mentioned that the injured were treated on site and that some required hospitalization.

The Porto City Council and the PSP criticized the actions of the protesters, stating that the intervention was carried out proportionately to the situation at hand. The National Director of the PSP described the action as appropriate to the context of what occurred in the early morning.

In response to the events, the Housing Movement has already called for a new rally, continuing the fight for the right to housing in the city. The previous mobilization attracted hundreds of participants advocating for a more effective approach to housing issues.