Portuguese police clear housing protest camps in Lisbon and Porto, arresting 13

Portuguese riot police cleared protest camps in Lisbon’s Rossio Square and in Porto on November 1 as part of ongoing housing demonstrations. Officers arrested thirteen people who refused orders to disperse. Activists said more than thirty protesters were injured. Thirteen officers were also reported injured during the operations.

The camps formed as part of a series of actions against rising housing costs and shortages of affordable accommodation in Portugal’s two largest cities. Demonstrators had occupied public squares for several days, erecting tents and temporary structures. Authorities cited public order and the need to restore normal use of the squares. The clearances followed similar police actions in other European cities facing cost-of-living protests.

In Lisbon, officers moved into Rossio Square in the city centre. In Porto, a parallel operation took place at the main protest site. Police used standard riot-control equipment. No fatalities were reported. The injured protesters received treatment at local hospitals or from volunteer medics. The arrested individuals face charges related to refusal to obey dispersal orders. Further legal proceedings are expected in the coming days.

Portugal has experienced sharp increases in housing prices and rents over the past decade, driven by tourism, foreign investment and limited new construction. Young people and lower-income residents have been particularly affected. Earlier protests this year drew thousands and included both peaceful marches and smaller occupations. The November 1 clearances mark an escalation in the official response to the occupation tactic.

Organisers described the camps as a visible demand for policy changes on rent controls, public housing construction and restrictions on short-term tourist rentals. Government officials have pointed to existing programmes for affordable housing and have argued that prolonged occupations disrupt commerce and public transport. The gap between the two positions has produced repeated confrontations.

The events in Portugal form part of a broader pattern of European unrest over living costs. Parallel demonstrations have occurred in France, Germany and other countries in recent weeks. In each case, daytime marches have been large and mostly orderly, while smaller groups remaining after dark or occupying public space have drawn police intervention. The Portuguese clearances add specific numbers of arrests and injuries to that regional picture.

Local authorities in Lisbon and Porto have said the squares will return to normal use. Protest organisers have indicated that further actions are planned. Whether the clearances reduce the scale of future occupations or increase public sympathy for the housing demands will depend on subsequent events and on any policy announcements from the government.