Police intervention in housing protest in Porto: Tents set up in the square were removed

Protests against high rents and the increasing cost of living in Portugal have entered a new phase in Porto. The tents of the demonstrators who had been camping in Praça D. João I square in the city center since the weekend were removed by the police on Monday morning, October 12. While the protesters announced that they did not show physical resistance to the intervention, they announced that they would continue their actions against the housing problem.

The protest, which started at the weekend, ended with intervention on Monday morning

The camp in Porto was established following cost of living protests held in different Portuguese cities on Saturday, October 10.

Acting with the slogan "Não consegues pagar renda? Traz tenda" (Can't pay the rent? Bring your tent), the demonstrators continued to stay in Praça D. João I square to draw attention to high housing prices.

According to information provided by RTP and Lusa, the municipal police incident occurred at approximately 06.30 on Monday morning. The removal of the tents started at approximately 08:00.

As the demonstrators began to pack up their tents, police teams intervened in the removal of materials from the area.

João Silveira, one of the representatives of the movement, said that the demonstrators did not show physical resistance, but there was tension during the transportation of some materials to the police vehicles.

Protesters reacted to the municipality's decision

According to the demonstrators, the police said the intervention did not depend on the content of the protest. He stated that it is not about the use of public space.

Despite this, movement representatives criticized the attitude of Porto Municipality.

João Silveira emphasized that the action was peaceful and stated that the protests would not end.

The municipality's powers regarding the use of public space and the citizens' right to peaceful demonstration constitute two separate legal dimensions of the issue. Removing the tents alone does not mean that the protest is banned.

Continuation of the movement that started in four cities

The demonstrations on October 10 were organized by the “Não dá mais para viver assim” (Can't live like this anymore) platform.

In addition to Porto, protests were also held in Lisbon, Braga and Aveiro.

According to Lusa, approximately 1,500 people attended the Saturday demonstration in Porto.

The demands of the demonstrators are not limited to rents. In addition to housing prices, the increase in fuel oil, basic needs and the general cost of living are also on the agenda of the protests.

Housing costs in Portugal create significant economic pressure for employees, students, young adults and newly settled foreigners, especially in big cities. Protesters argue that housing should be accessible regardless of income level.

A new meeting is planned for Wednesday

Movement representatives stated that they are planning to hold a meeting with wide participation in the same square on Wednesday, October 14. explained.

It is envisaged that political parties, associations, non-governmental organizations and citizens interested in the housing issue will be invited to the meeting.

At this stage, no new rent regulation or government decision has been announced in response to the demands of the protesters.

The intervention in Porto does not mark the end of the protests that started over the weekend, but rather a period in which the movement is looking for new forms of action.

Resources

- RTP / Lusa — Polícia retira tendas de manifestantes acampados desde sábado no Porto, 12 October 2026

- RTP — Manifestantes acampam no Porto com apelos para baixar o valor das rendas, 11 October 2026