Portugal housing protests return after police clear Lisbon tent camp
Thousands rallied in Lisbon and other Portuguese cities over housing costs and living expenses, with protesters returning to Rossio square after police cleared their camp. DW reported 55 arrests, all later released pending a court appearance; demonstrators oppose government plans to ease rent-rise caps and make evictions easier.
Bottom line — Protesters voted to rebuild the Rossio camp, while Portugal’s government says its housing measures will build trust between landlords and renters.
Go deeper 8
-
The CGTP union said “many tens of thousands” joined Saturday’s march; police gave no crowd estimate, Reuters reported.
-
AFP reported that activists pitched dozens of tents in Lisbon on Saturday, with hundreds gathering in Rossio square that night.
-
DW said protesters had occupied Rossio since Saturday with around 200 tents; authorities seized 228 camping structures during Tuesday’s clearance.
-
DW reported that organizers counted more than 1,000 people at each of the main protests in Lisbon and Porto on Tuesday evening.
-
Property prices in Portugal more than doubled since 2017, while rents for new leases nearly doubled, according to Reuters and DW.
-
AFP cited official data showing housing prices rose 124% from 2015 to 2024, roughly twice the EU average.
-
The proposed legislation has passed its first parliamentary reading, DW reported.
-
Police described Tuesday’s Lisbon eviction as calm and proportionate; a camp spokesperson called it very aggressive, according to DW.