Lisbon has been gripped by mass riots by far-left activists and migrant communities this week following the death of Odair Moniz, a Cape Verdean immigrant with a criminal record, who was shot by a Public Security Police (PSP) officer in the early hours of Monday.
The incident has sparked a series of riots in multiple neighborhoods, with tensions escalating between demonstrators and law enforcement.
The 43-year-old man was shot in the city of Amadora after seeing a police vehicle and crashed into several vehicles. The police said he resisted arrest and tried to attack officers with a knife, leading to the fatal shooting.
The Judicial Police have launched an investigation into both Moniz’s death and the violent protests that have followed. The officer involved has been named a defendant, and his service weapon has been confiscated.
Protests erupted soon after news of Moniz’s death spread, with the Zambujal neighborhood at the epicenter. These protests quickly escalated into riots, with groups setting fire to two buses, several vehicles, and other public property. The violence has led to several injuries, including two passengers who were stabbed and two police officers who were hospitalized due to injuries from stones thrown during clashes. Three individuals have been arrested in connection with the unrest.
In response to the escalating situation, the General Inspection of the Portuguese Internal Administration has opened an urgent investigation. The PSP has also initiated an internal review, while the two officers involved in the incident have been placed on administrative duties and are receiving psychological support.
“Our society, despite the social, economic, and cultural problems and inequalities that still afflict it, is a generally peaceful society and wants to remain so,” Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said in a statement on Wednesday.
André Ventura, the leader of the right-wing CHEGA party, has defended the police officer involved, arguing that the officer was performing his duty and that the investigation should not automatically presume wrongdoing on the part of law enforcement.
Ventura has criticized the government for focusing on this case while, according to him, ignoring broader issues of violence against police officers.
“The police are the bad guys and the criminals deserve all the attention and recognition,” he said, an accusation aimed at the government.
As the riots continued into Thursday, the situation became more severe, with a bus driver suffering serious burns after being attacked with Molotov cocktails. Fires and further violence have been reported across different parts of the Portuguese capital.
The investigation into Moniz’s death is still ongoing while authorities work to restore order in the capital as unrest continues to spread.
