Portugal's interior minister, Luís Neves, said on Sunday that a small minority of demonstrators is jeopardising respect for the law, after a night of confrontations between police and protesters in Lisbon and Porto, according to RTP. The disturbances followed warnings from police that they would not allow an open-ended standoff, and tensions once again produced scenes of violence.
RTP reports that Neves also spoke with Prime Minister Luís Montenegro about the situation. The minister said his position remains at the prime minister's disposal at all times.
Why it matters
The clashes have pushed policing tactics and political accountability into the centre of public debate. Opposition parties, protest organisers and the president are all now demanding explanations, and the fallout reaches from the streets of two major cities to the interior ministry and the prime minister's office.
According to RTP, the president of the republic has requested information "in all detail" about what happened overnight. The opposition Socialist Party (PS) will summon Neves to parliament on an urgent basis to explain the police operations, RTP reports.
Injuries, detentions and competing accounts
The night's toll was substantial. RTP reports that 13 police officers were injured during the encampments and that at least 13 people were detained. Organisers in Lisbon said at least six people were hurt, three of whom were reported to be in hospital. The Lisbon encampment later announced a gathering against police violence and put the number of people hospitalised at ten.
The PSP said demonstrators at Rossio threw bottles and pyrotechnic items, according to RTP. A police union said a plainclothes officer was "forced" to draw a firearm as a deterrent when protesters approached him. Seven protesters detained by the PSP in Porto were later released, with claims of "disproportionate force" raised in response.
The CDS party said the demonstrators "had several opportunities to avoid what happened," RTP reports. A lawyer for the protesters said they will pursue criminal complaints against the minister and the director of the PSP. Separately, a camera operator for CMTV was reported to have been struck with a baton by the PSP in Porto.
The Porto encampment has called a new gathering at Praça D. João I. Neves had said before a planned demonstration at Rossio on Saturday that he hoped it would take place "with full order."
What to watch next is the parliamentary hearing, where Neves will be pressed to account for the operations, and whether the president's request for a detailed account produces further public statements from the government.
