Benefit “Acampadas” - Solidarity with Portuguese housing protesters

Come for food & drinks, screenings, conversations, and more, to support Portuguese housing protesters.

After years of austerity and neoliberal policies that increased social inequality, raised housing prices without wage proportionality and motivated financial speculation - the housing crisis is a phenomenon common to all Europe.

Portugal, a country in the peripheries of Europe, is facing a particular severe housing crisis with prices raising 90% since 2019. In cities like Lisbon and Porto – that face severe touristification and real state speculation – the average rent for a two-bedroom house is 1500€, while the minimum wage is 900€ and the average net salary is 1200€. Since the new right-wing government, supported by the far-right party Chega, has taken office, the prices have risen 17% every year, 3x the European average. Recently, the PM Luís Montenegro and his government have proposed a new bill (“Lei do Arrendamento”) that would give more leverage for landlords to raise prices and facilitate evictions.

Facing this context, and inspired by the Spanish housing protesters and the “Acampada na Puerta del Sol”, Portuguese protesters, of all ages and backgrounds, have been occupying the public space since October, in Porto (Praça D. João I) and Lisbon (Praça do Rossio). Key demands include the withdrawal of the proposal—put forward by the Government and the far-right party—to amend rent laws; the establishment of rent caps; an end to evictions of people who have no alternative housing; measures to curb the acquisition of homes by real estate investment funds; and increased investment in public housing.

In recent weeks, the encampments have been met with police brutality using physical violence, dogs, baton charges, pepper spray, tasers, and rubber bullets. Hundreds of people have been injured, arrested, and tortured in police custody. In all police charges, the encampments' infrastructure is either confiscated or destroyed. Both the “Acampadas” are in dire need of help to keep legal protection for charged citizens, to maintain a sound media structure, to keep feeding hundreds of people every day, to have basic medical care available, and so many other needs born out of weeks and weeks of struggle and organizing.

Although the “Acampadas” face State repression, they have been largely supported by the Portuguese public, which is also shifting the social and neoliberal media claims that had colonized the mass media. The “Acampadas” are creating a historical moment where “poder popular” (people’s power) is showing that people have had enough of this right-wing and far-right politics and are taking their destinies in their own hands.
In the spirit of transnational solidarity, we urge you to participate in this benefit for the Portuguese “Acampadas”, so that they can keep on going with their struggle and eventually have their demands met!