The Loures municipal council has demolished 25 precarious buildings in the Bairro do Talude Militar as part of a policy to combat illegal land occupation. Thirty-six residents became homeless as a result, including families that had constructed their homes in the area and were left without immediate housing solutions. This afternoon, these individuals sought alternatives from the housing department of the Loures council in Sacavém.
In a written statement, the Loures council confirmed that the operation affected 25 constructions, noting that five were unoccupied, while the remaining 20 were inhabited by 37 adults and nine children. After assembling in front of the council building, the displaced individuals moved to the Sacavém Culture House, where the housing services are located. They were offered temporary financial support for rent and deposit, but CDU councilor Kedy Santos indicated that the proposal was widely rejected because the free market housing was unaffordable, making the solution unviable.
“The Loures council could have built more houses using the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR),” argued Santos, who is also an activist with the Vida Justa movement. He criticized the council for evicting people from self-constructed homes and social housing, some of whom face unresolved family situations or debt, and are now left homeless.
The municipal representative estimated that within two to three weeks, 25 families were evicted from Quinta do Mocho, adding to the 36 people at Talude Militar and “two or three” families from Bairro do Condenado. Santos emphasized the urgency to pressure the council to halt these actions until viable solutions are found, highlighting housing as a governmental issue.
Santos further stated that the displaced from Talude Militar, mainly originating from São Tomé and Príncipe, would persist in their protests within the neighborhood and at the Municipal Assembly, continuing their public demonstrations.
Santos accused the police of assaulting residents during the operation at Talude Militar. He alleged that the Loures council is harshly evicting these people without seeking municipal solutions. Without neighbors’ support, he warned, many would have nowhere to stay, leaving numerous children unsheltered and psychologically traumatized. Elderly individuals, panicked by the events, required medical attention.
Additionally, a fire broke out in the Talude in the afternoon, exacerbating the vulnerability of already struggling residents. The Lisbon Metropolitan Command of the National Authority for Emergency and Civil Protection reported that the fire, which started at 5:30 PM in the Catujal area, engaged 37 operatives and 10 vehicles and was under control without threatening homes.
Regarding the intervention at Bairro do Talude Militar, the Loures council emphasized the need to curtail the increase of illegal self-constructions, often exploiting vulnerable immigrants. The council reiterated its commitment to a “zero-tolerance” policy against unauthorized developments that jeopardize public safety and health.
