Portuguese cities rally over housing and living costs

Protests over housing costs and the rising cost of living are taking place Saturday in several Portuguese cities, including Lisbon, Porto, and Coimbra, organized by the CGTP union and housing movements. The CGTP-led demonstrations, under the slogan "More salary, better pensions and public services," began at 10:30 a.m. in Porto and Coimbra, with a Lisbon march scheduled for 2:30 p.m. CGTP leader Tiago Oliveira said the protests aim to give voice to those struggling with "brutal increases" in housing, fuel, and food prices. In Porto, the protest ends at Praça D. João I, where housing activists plan to set up camp again at 7 p.m. after a police crackdown Thursday injured 39 people. Additional actions are planned in Funchal and Faro, with the movement demanding rent caps, an end to evictions, and more public housing.