Lisbon and Porto Housing Protest Detainees Face Court After Police Crackdown

Twenty-seven people detained in Lisbon and six in Porto following police crackdowns on housing protests are appearing in court Monday, facing charges of disobedience. The detentions occurred after police cleared a protest camp in Rossio Square. Former Interior Minister Eduardo Cabrita said the PSP police force risks being instrumentalized in the public debate, arguing the focus has shifted from housing problems to public order. He called the police action disproportionate and suggested the government may have influenced the operation. Protesters have scheduled a vigil at the Lisbon court and a rally outside parliament for Tuesday. Public figures have signed an open letter urging President António José Seguro to speak out on the situation.