The Police Portuguese Thirteen people have been arrested and identified 18 others for their involvement in the strong riots that have occurred in several areas of the region of Lisbon in the last 24 hours. This occurs after the death of a Cape Verde man at the hands of the Police in the Cova da Moura neighborhood, in Amadora.
The incidents have been recorded in the municipalities of Almada, Amadora, Barreiro, Lisboa, Loures, Oeiras, Seixal and Sintra, all of them in the metropolitan area of ​​the Portuguese capital, which experienced its third consecutive morning of riotswith dozens of vehicles and street furniture set on fire.
The mayor of Lisbon, Carlos Moedas, has recognized that the last few hours have generated a increased feeling of insecurity and has regretted that over the years the Portuguese capital has seen its number of police officers reduced. “The city in 2010 had more police officers than in 2024 and that cannot be,” protested Moedas, who stressed that it is “essential” for the agents to be close to the communities. “we need more police“he claimed.
“In a democratic society and in a rule of law there should be zero tolerance with violence. These behaviors that are occurring in Lisbon cannot continue to occur,” shared the first mayor, leader of the Social Democratic Party. The mayor has held this position since 2021.
Investigation
This Monday morning, Odair Moniz, 43 years old, died under gunfire of an agent, after, according to the police version, he ignored warnings to stop at a checkpoint and fled, colliding with several vehicles. Although at first the Police maintained that the victim attacked them with a knife, finally the agent who fired the shots acknowledged during the interrogation that this was not the case, but that he did threaten them, he reported. RTP (Radio and Television of Portugal).
Portugal’s attorney general, Amadeu Guerra, has promised that the investigation into Muniz’s death will go as fast as possibleas well as those related to the disturbances that have occurred these days. “We are going to give instructions so that there is speed but, obviously, we depend on the forensics, on the analysis of the images. All means are useful for the Prosecutor’s Office form an opinion on the subject,” he assured.
