We no longer present the movement of Yellow Vests, born in France and multiple claims. The distinctive sign of the protesters and the wearing of the safety vest, a mandatory accessory in cars all over Europe. The movement is internationalized recently and it arrives in Portugal this Friday, December 21, 2018. Their name: Coletes Amarelos. Even if apparently Portugal is a quiet country, the PSP (Public Security Police) has canceled all the leave and rest of these officers and expects a very large number of protesters, and even speaks of chaos with calls to block the 25 Abril Bridge. How is the Yellow Vests demonstration in Portugal ? How is the police preparing for these gatherings that are difficult to apprehend ? LisBob, the expatriate's assistant in Portugal, tells you all about the arrival of the Yellow Vests in Portugal.
Yellow Vests are moving to Portugal
The 25th of April Bridge blocked by the Portuguese Yellow Vests?
The PSP is planning "significant-sized events in many cities across the country" organized by the "Yellow Vests Movement in Portugal", supported by the National Party for the Renewal of the Law (PNR).
According to Diario Das Noticias, the official spokesman for the PSP has scheduled meetings with the organizers of the rallies to "make sure everything goes well, with dialogue and responsibility". However, the police leadership asked the commandos to suspend the rest and leave of the entire police for Friday, December 21, the date of the demonstration.
"We are going to organize big demonstrations all over the country and we will use the rules of common sense," said the spokesman, Mayor Alexandre Coimbra. He adds that the concern is the unpredictable size of the event and not with any information of possible confrontations. Nevertheless, we must also foresee them. "
Alexandre Coimbra, confirms that the rest and holidays of the staff of the PSP have been suspended for "common sense", because of the marking of the demonstrations inspired by the movement of the "yellow vests" in France, where demonstrations against the cost of the high living standards and demanding a reduction in taxes and gas prices, led to violent clashes between protesters and police in central Paris.
The Portuguese police do not know how to predict the magnitude of the demonstration on Friday, December 21st.
90% of the police force mobilised
The National Directorate of the PSP guarantees the replacement and compensation of rest and suspended holidays, after the Association of Police Professionals (ASPP / PSP) has warned that the replacement of vacancies is not expressly mentioned in the suspension decision.
In its operational directive, the PSP stresses that its staff must pay special attention to the safety of people and property, but also ensure that all citizens can exercise all their rights of demonstration. This is one of the first times since the Carnation Revolution that so many police officers will be called to oversee an event that is so far unpredictable. The scenes of clashes between demonstrators and police force that we saw in France or Belgium could well be reproduced in Portugal. One of the most disturbing calls is the one for the blocking of the 25th of April bridge between Lisbon and Almada.
