Portugal housing protests continue after police clear camps

Protesters in Portugal vow to continue their campaign for affordable housing after police cleared camps and arrested 55 people.

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Demonstrators in Portugal have vowed to continue their campaign for affordable housing after police cleared tent camps and arrested at least 55 people. The protests, which took place in Lisbon, Porto, and other Portuguese cities, were in response to Portugal's deepening housing crisis, which has made buying or renting a home increasingly unaffordable.

According to DW News, thousands of people rallied in Lisbon and Porto on Tuesday evening, hours after police dismantled protest camps and arrested a total of 55 demonstrators. Organizers said more than 1,000 people gathered in each of the two main protest locations, although police did not provide crowd estimates.

In Lisbon's central Rossio square, demonstrators voted by a show of hands to re-establish their tent camp on Wednesday. Police launched coordinated operations in Lisbon and Porto shortly before 6 a.m. (0500 GMT) on Tuesday, after warning protesters that their camps were illegal. Activists had occupied Lisbon's Rossio square since Saturday, setting up around 200 tents.

In Porto, protesters had camped in Dom Joao I square for about 10 days. Authorities seized 228 camping structures during the operation. In Porto, demonstrators dismantled their tents themselves after police threatened to intervene. In Lisbon, officers cleared the square as protesters formed a human chain. Clashes subsequently broke out, according to footage broadcast by local television stations.

Carla Valadao, a spokesperson for the Lisbon camp, described the operation 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." All 55 people arrested were later released pending a court appearance in Lisbon on Wednesday.

Portugal is struggling with one of Europe's worst housing affordability crises. The protests are a call to action for the government to address the issue and provide affordable housing options for its citizens.