Since the 21st, the Lisbon Metropolitan Area has seen over 140 incidents of “disorder and arson,” resulting in seven injuries and damage to fifty vehicles. The PSP has already arrested 23 suspects in connection with these events.
In a statement, the PSP (Public Security Police) reported that a total of 147 incidents of “disorder and arson” have been recorded across 12 municipalities in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area since October 21st. These municipalities include Almada, Amadora, Barreiro, Cascais, Lisbon, Loures, Odivelas, Oeiras, Seixal, Setúbal, Sintra, and Vila Franca de Xira. Additionally, a fire at a recycling point occurred in the city of Leiria.
The most recent incident was recorded this morning in the Lisbon parish of Benfica, where 10 vehicles were set on fire. A 44-year-old man was arrested “in flagrante delicto” on suspicion of arson, the PSP confirmed. Officers worked alongside the Fire Department, using fire extinguishers to combat the blaze. Various materials, suspected of being used to start the fires, were seized from the detainee.
Since the death of 43-year-old Cape Verdean citizen Odair Moniz, who was shot by a PSP officer in Amadora on October 21st, the PSP has seen a surge in disturbances and fires across the Lisbon Metropolitan Area. The PSP reiterated that many of the incidents involved the destruction of urban furniture, particularly rubbish bins. In addition to the 23 arrests made, 23 more individuals were identified, and seven people were injured during the unrest, including two police officers who were stoned and five civilians who were stabbed or burned. One of the victims was a bus driver from Loures, who suffered serious injuries when his bus was set on fire.
The violence has also extended to vehicles, with 39 cars and eight motorcycles set on fire. Six buses were damaged, with four set alight and two stoned. In addition, five PSP vehicles were damaged through gunshots, fire, and stones, and pyrotechnic devices were thrown at a police station.
In response, the PSP reiterated its commitment to maintaining public order and security throughout the country, particularly in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area. The police force condemned the acts of violence and destruction carried out by criminal groups, stressing that these actions do not represent the wider Portuguese population, who desire peace and tranquillity.
The PSP also promised to continue working with other security forces to ensure that those responsible for the crimes are brought to justice. In the statement, the police once again called for calm and peace.
The unrest follows the controversial death of Odair Moniz, who was shot by a PSP officer in the early hours of October 21 in the Cova da Moura neighborhood of Amadora. According to the PSP, Moniz fled in a car after spotting a police vehicle, eventually losing his way and being pursued in Cova da Moura. The police said Moniz resisted arrest and attempted to attack officers with a bladed weapon. However, the SOS Racismo association and the Vida Justa movement have disputed this account, calling for a “serious and impartial” investigation into the incident, citing concerns about a “culture of impunity” within the police.
Both the General Inspectorate of Internal Administration and the PSP have opened investigations into the matter, and the officer who shot Moniz has been formally named a defendant.
