Lisbon tent camp protests Portugal housing crisis

Protesters in Lisbon set up an overnight tent camp on Rossio Square over the weekend to demonstrate against Portugal's housing crisis, demanding government action as rising rents make housing unaffordable. Participants, including students and workers, remained on the square throughout the night despite fears of police intervention and forced eviction, vowing to continue their campaign. They cite rapidly increasing rental costs as the core issue. Ivan Silva, a 49-year-old laborer earning about 1,000 euros monthly, said he rented a 20-square-meter apartment for 180 euros in 2015, but now that amount would barely cover a mattress.