Thousands Rally Outside Parliament in Lisbon Over Housing Crisis and Alleged Police Violence

Thousands of demonstrators gathered outside Portugal's parliament in Lisbon on Tuesday evening. The rally protested against the housing crisis and alleged police violence during recent clearances of protest camps.

Protesters held keys, cardboard houses and red carnations in the air. They sang “É a nossa morada” (“This is where we live”) and chanted against fascism, while banners called for housing rights and condemned the treatment of activists. Singer Marisa Liz joined the gathering.

The demonstration followed police operations to clear protest camps in Lisbon and Porto. During those operations officers used batons and made dozens of arrests.

The two sides gave different injury figures. Activists claimed 60 people were injured, while police reported seven minor injuries.

President António José Seguro criticised the violence and urged dialogue, saying he would await the results of investigations. Police defended their actions as proportionate.

The demonstrators want the government to abandon plans to make evictions easier and to drop plans to lift rent caps on new rental agreements.