The Minister of Internal Administration defended the police conduct regarding recent incidents, rejecting claims of political interference or a need for a shift in police strategy despite public criticism.
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Former Minister of Internal Administration Eduardo Cabrita stated that the police force risks being instrumentalized and suggested that the government's rhetoric has contributed to the current climate of tension surrounding housing protests.
The ongoing parliamentary debate on the State Budget for 2027 is currently dominated by political clashes over recent housing protests and police conduct. While opposition parties are pressuring the government to drop planned changes to the rental law, the government maintains its position, and the final status of these legislative reforms remains undecided as political negotiations continue.
Seventy-eight international and Portuguese organizations have signed an open letter demanding a rigorous, independent investigation into the police intervention that occurred on 15 October at Praça D. João I in Porto. The signatories, led by Academia Cidadã, are requesting the disclosure of the legal grounds and orders behind the operation, which resulted in injuries during the dispersal of housing protesters. The General Inspectorate of Internal Administration (IGAI) has already opened an administrative process to evaluate the police procedures.