Montenegro praises police response to Portugal housing protests

The Prime Minister said the security forces had acted proportionately, arguing that “the PSP has been particularly careful and competent” in restoring order.

Montenegro praised the Public Security Police (PSP) at the start of the general debate on the proposed 2027 State Budget in the Portuguese Parliament. Before addressing the contents of the budget, the Prime Minister chose to refer to “the issue dominating the news”, namely the housing crisis, the demonstrations and police actions.

“The Public Security Police (PSP) has been particularly careful and competent in restoring normality whenever there have been excesses and disregard for the law and the rights of other citizens,” he said.

Public recognition

Montenegro publicly thanked the PSP for taking measures he described as educational, professional and balanced, and appropriate to the circumstances in Lisbon and Porto.

“Firstly, at no point has the right to assemble and demonstrate in accordance with the law been restricted in Portugal. In Portugal, people are free to express political opinions, put forward their views and criticise the actions or omissions of the political authorities,” he said.

However, Montenegro added that “this right, and the way in which it is exercised, must comply with the law and strike a fair balance with other rights, such as freedom of movement, public order, security, tranquillity and even public health”.

“It is only when this balance is not respected that the security forces must act and intervene on behalf of us all,” he said.

Police intervention

On 25 October, the PSP dispersed protesters in Lisbon and Porto who were demonstrating in support of the right to housing, using batons and police dogs. The intervention followed more than two hours of tension and repeated orders for people to leave the square and remove the tents they had set up.

The protesters refused to disperse, arguing that the right to demonstrate is constitutionally protected. Injuries and arrests for disobeying police orders were reported.