Many gather to protest against the killing of Odair Moniz by police forces
Credit:X:@africansinnews
The scale of violence is rising in Lisbon as it is shaken by protests and unrest following the killing of Odair Moniz by PSP police.
After another day of intense rioting and uproar in the capital city on Saturday, the situation has reached the attention of international media with tourists being warned about visiting Portugal or staying in Lisbon.
Arson across Lisbon as protestors decry the killing of Odair Moniz
Violence of this nature is uncommon in Portugal; it is especially shocking given the small size of the country. Lisbon has faced five consecutive nights of unrest, and despite deploying a stronger police form in the area, the disturbances have continued. Last night, 13 lightweight vehicles and five motorbikes were in flames. Buildings were also damaged and seven rubbish bins and a sofa were also set alight, blocking public highways. Those involved in the arson attacks were arrested, but this has not served as a deterrent and further disorder looks likely to resume.
Two protests to go head-to-head in Lisbon in outcry against police forces
Last night’s incidents were restricted to Barreiro, Cascais, Lisbon, Loures and Vila Franca de Xira. However, the main concentration of violence could be witnessed in the single parish of Benfica. Today, further tension is expected as two protests are set to coincide at 3pm. One protest is against police brutality, backed by civic, left wing group Vida Justa with the second being a counter-protest, organised by ring-wing political party, CHEGA, in a show of solidarity for the police force. Both protests had previously vowed to counteract one another in the march from Praça do Município to parliament.
The violent reaction stems from the shooting of 43-year-old Odair Moreno Moniz on October 21 2024. Native of Cape Verde and resident in Portugal for the past 20 years, Moniz lived in Amadora, where he ran a café and lived with his wife and three children. According to CNN Portugal, Moniz had a history of drug trafficking and violent crime, including armed robbery. He had already been imprisoned and on October 21 was involved in a police chase with two officers. After his car skidded and crashed into other vehicles, he apparently fled and it was at this point when one of the shots fired at Moniz left him fatally injured.
Wave of uncertainty and fear across Lisbon as tourists warned of risk
The subsequent disturbances and outcry in Portugal has left a wave of uncertainty and fear in the region. Tourist operators have admitted that despite being confined to outer regions of Lisbon, this does not mean that tourists, or those planning to travel to Lisbon, will feel unsettled. Hélder Martins, president of AHETA, the Algarve association of hoteliers and touristic resorts, told Correio da Manhã: “Any upset to public order has an impact on tourism.” He commented on how due to Portugal’s small size, “when something happens in Lisbon, or any other part of the country, tourist markets see it as Portugal as a whole,” which “could cause a poor image and be a large problem for tourism.”
Stories of the unrest have circulated as far as the US, where risk to public safety continues to be pertinent. The PSP (Portugal’s national civic police force), have guaranteed that they will do their utmost to maintain control and safeguard members of the public as well as public property. In a statement by the PSP, it recalled: “The police will promote the constant visibility and mobility of the police resources deployed for this security operation in order to prevent and avoid situations, where public order is altered.” It added that it “will not tolerate acts of disorder and destruction carried out by criminal groups”, which “are part of a minority and do not represent the rest of the population.”
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