A young man, 25, was arrested by the Polícia de Segurança Pública (PSP) on Monday evening in Beato, Lisbon, for driving without a license, assault, and cultural identity offenses.
The individual was stopped around 6:30 PM while driving, as he was already known by officers for previous offenses of driving without a license. At that moment, he accelerated and fled.
During the escape, he switched places with the passenger, who was legally allowed to drive and was in the seat next to him.
However, he was caught a few meters later, having moved to the passenger seat, and he refused to show a driver’s license, adopting an “intimidatory” posture, according to the police report.
Realizing he was about to be arrested, he turned to the back seat and picked up his young child, using him as a shield to avoid being handcuffed.
Despite this, the arrest took place. The child was left in the care of the other adult, while the father, already detained, was taken to the PSP station.
At the station, “the suspect continued with non-cooperative behavior, uttering defamatory phrases against the officers,” which included racist insults, leading to charges of “cultural identity offenses.”
The detained young man was constituted as a defendant and released. He will now have to appear at the Campus da Justiça for trial in minor criminal court.
Driving without a license is illegal, whether because the license was never obtained, was forgotten, or expired. Any of these situations can lead to hefty traffic fines.
Only with a driving license are drivers qualified to safely operate a vehicle. During the training process, drivers’ theoretical and practical skills are assessed, preparing them to handle emergency maneuvers, drive in adverse weather conditions, and know the rules of the road imposed by law.
