Six identified as ‘racist attacks’ in Porto condemned // Left and far-right vote together to scrap many road tolls
Portuguese news in English on Tuesday, May 7, 2024.
Six identified as ‘racist attacks’ in Porto condemned
Six Portuguese men have been identified and one detained in relation to a series of assaults on immigrants in downtown Porto, Diário de Notícias reports. President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, Prime Minister Luís Montenegro and other key politicians condemned the “racist attacks” on Friday night.
A police spokesperson said a group of five men attacked two immigrants about 1am in Campo 24 de Agosto. About 1.10am, 10 immigrants were attacked by 10 men armed with sticks and one firearm at a home nearby, police alleged. Another immigrant was attacked about two hours later, also in downtown Porto, and police stopped one suspect. About 5am, they intercepted the car used in the initial attack and identified another five suspects, with an extendable baton, they said. Several of the victims were treated in hospital and police are now investigating possible hate crimes.
Anti-racism group SOS Racismo claimed an organised group had formed a militia and attacked immigrants in the city with batons, sticks and knives over the course of multiple days. About 100 people gathered on Saturday night in the area the attacks took place to protest racism and xenophobia.
Authorities believe the detained 26-year-old and the other five identified are believed to belong to the nationalist neo-Nazi group 1143, Público reports. The group held a rally called “Less immigration, more housing” in Porto last month. Public prosecutors have opened three investigations into the incidents, Diário de Notícias reports.
Basketball cup final marred by racism
Racism also marred the final of basketball’s Hugo dos Santos cup between Porto and Benfica, Observador reports. The game was interrupted at the start of the third quarter when angry words were exchanged between Porto fans and Benfica players in a stoush that was only resolved when police intervened. It wasn’t until the end of the game that Benfica player Ivan Almada said two people told his teammate Betinho to “go back where you came from”, using the more offensive Portuguese word for Black. Almeida, who’d previously accused Porto fans of racism, said it was time this sort of thing was eradicated from the game, a sentiment echoed by the team’s coach.
Left and far-right vote together to scrap many road tolls
The main opposition party has had a big parliamentary win with a vote to scrap tolls on a range of highways in the Algarve and Alentejo, Diário de Notícias reports. The far-right Chega joined with all the parties on the left to broadly approve the Socialist Party-sponsored (PS) proposal in the Assembly of the Republic last week. The change would scrap tolls on highways that were originally free and where there are “no alternatives that can be used with safety or quality”. The affected routes are the A4 (Transmontana and Marão Tunnel), A13, A13-1 (Pinhal Interior), A22 (Algarve), A23 (Beira Interior), A24 (Interior North), A25 (Beira Litoral and Beira Alta) and the A28 (Minho, from Esposende-Antas and Neiva-Darque). PS predicted it would cost €157 million a year while the Social Democratic (PSD) government, which accused PS of “profound budget irresponsibility”, said the figure would be €180 million, blowing out to €1.8 billion by the end of the existing toll contracts. PS’s territorial cohesion minister had distanced the then-government from the idea just a few months ago but PS went to the election with the proposal. The bill now goes to the Economics, Public Works and Housing Parliamentary Commission.
In brief
São Tomé and Príncipe to ask Portugal for colonial reparations. Representatives from Mozambique, Cape Verde and Brazil have also reacted to the president’s comments about reparations. (Reuters, in English)
Is Portugal’s youth really falling for the far right? Data suggests Chega’s surge among young people is driven by discontent with the present, rather than nostalgia for the authoritarian past. (Politico, in English)
Four arrested on suspicion of enslaving man for 17 years. Police alleged the 54-year-old with a learning disability suffered physical and psychological abuse, labour exploitation and was “rented” to third parties for agricultural work. (Reuters, in English)
Portugal goes from EU ‘example to source of concern’ on migration, minister says. Beyond the AIMA delays — now more than 400,000 — the country is lagging on implementing new border-control systems required by the EU by next year. (Diário de Notícias)
Lisbon restaurants have two months to ditch disposible plastic cups. Venues risk fines of up to €15,000 if they continue to serve takeaway drinks in single-use plastic cups from July. (Lusa)
Just 60 of 2000 new Lisbon bus shelters have wait-time screens. Work has been going for weeks to replace the shelters. The council says the contract only covers 60 screens but expanding that number is “under evaluation”.
On a lighter note (for Sportinguistas)
Sporting won its second league title in four years, sending thousands of fans to Marquês de Pombal to celebrate. The win was wrapped up on Sunday night when Benfica lost to Famalicão, leaving Os Leões with an unassailable lead at the top of the table. Ruben Amorim is the club’s first manager in 70 years to win a second title, and just the fourth of all time, Público reports.
For those that don’t care about football, the Time Out Market has opened in Porto, Público reports. After eight years and plenty of controversy, the 2000m2 space has opened in the south wing of São Bento station with 14 restaurants, two bars and 690 seats across two floors and the outside area.