Portugal Housing Crisis: Protesters Reoccupy Squares After Police Evictions

Thousands of demonstrators have returned to central squares in Lisbon and Porto, Portugal, to protest an escalating housing crisis, just hours after police dismantled their protest camps and arrested 55 individuals. The activists are demanding the centre-right government retract a bill that facilitates evictions and removes rent caps on new leases, which has already passed its initial parliamentary vote.

In Lisbon, protesters aimed to re-establish their sit-in at Rossio Square on Tuesday, while in Porto, demonstrators returned to Dom Joao I Square. Organizers reported that over 1,000 people gathered in each location. The camps had been occupied since Saturday in Lisbon, with approximately 200 tents pitched, and for about ten days in Porto.

A sign at Rossio Square read, “Evicted by the State – Evicted by the climate – End to the evictions.”

Debora Miranda, a 41-year-old communications consultant, joined the Lisbon protest to voice the struggles of generations facing soaring living costs. “If people don’t feel at home, in every sense of the word, they can’t move forward with their lives…enough is enough,” she stated.

These housing protests in Portugal echo similar demonstrations in neighbouring Spain and coincide with broader unrest over rising living costs across Europe, including France, Belgium, and Italy.

Coordinated police operations in both Lisbon and Porto began shortly before 6 a.m. after warnings that the camps were illegal. While demonstrators in Porto complied and dismantled their tents, activists in Lisbon described the police action at Rossio Square as “very aggressive.” However, Public Security Police superintendent Sergio Soares characterized the eviction as “calm, proportionate and appropriate, with no police charge.” The 55 individuals detained were later released pending a court appearance scheduled for Wednesday in Lisbon.

Portugal is currently experiencing one of Europe's most severe housing affordability crises. Purchase prices have more than doubled since 2017, and rents for new leases have nearly doubled. Jorge Paixao, a 19-year-old history student, referred to it as “a societal crisis,” emphasizing his generation's need for “the ability to live with dignity, start families and rejuvenate Portugal.” The crisis is particularly acute in major cities, exacerbated by opposition to excessive tourism and the influx of remote workers, often referred to as