Riots in Lisbon: Marcelo says that “political fighting is legitimate” and waits “about two or three days” for the situation to calm down and visits neighborhoods
The President of the Republic today considered the political confrontation over security issues legitimate, following the death of a citizen shot by the PSP, and stated that it was premature to visit the neighborhoods affected by disturbances.
Asked about the increase in intensity of parliamentary debates in recent days, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said that he “never speaks about what is happening in parliament” and “prefers to look at what is happening in society.
“I don’t want to get into this political fight, which is legitimate, political protagonists have the right to say this is negative, this is positive, I think this, I think that. I speak out in one sense, I speak out in another sense. It’s democracy”, added the President of the Republic in statements to journalists on the sidelines of a visit to the Design Museum, in Lisbon.
Regarding whether he will visit neighborhoods in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area that have been the target of disturbances, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa argued that it is “premature” to make these visits, noting that the security forces “do not advise this to be done at this time”.
He also added that he thought about making a visit to the affected municipalities “tonight or one of the next few days”, but that at the moment the “prime minister is in the north” and that “primacy was given to the Government”.
“It’s worth waiting two or three days for next week”, he considered.
Regarding the demonstrations scheduled for Saturday – one demanding justice for the death of Odair Moniz and another scheduled by Chega in defense of the police – which will end in the Assembly of the Republic, Marcelo stated that “democracy has these phenomena” and that “it is not the first since we have them in Portuguese society”.
“There will be rules to follow, there will be those who impose these rules and there will be civil behavior”, he stressed.
Without ever directly mentioning the death of Odair Moniz, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa once again called for pacification, considering the “stabilization” of the series of “phenomena of violence” that have marked the last few days as a priority at this time.
The President recalled that “those who live their daily lives” do not want to see their “car set on fire” and should not be confronted with a “degree of violence that they do not want”.
The head of state also highlighted today’s meeting between the government and the mayors of the Lisbon metropolitan area, which he said means that “there is an agreement between mayors and the State regarding the importance of acting in this situation”.
This action, he argued, must involve strengthening the security forces so that the readiness of action is guaranteed and there is also a “perception of readiness” on the part of citizens.
Marcelo believes that “some lessons were learned that are important for the future” on the part of the mayors and the government and that this meeting was also important for people to “look to next week and the next and find reasons to believe in safety, in public order, in tranquility and not violence.
