An event held at Lisbon’s Martim Moniz square saw demonstrators vocally opposing a far-right initiative, chanting slogans such as “Fascists, racists, your time is up, immigrants stay, and you go away.” This protest was met by a few isolated supporters of the right-wing action who proclaimed, “Portugal is for the Portuguese.”
A counter-protesting group, exceeding a hundred individuals, responded collectively, “We are all antifascists,” in opposition to the far-right assembly.
A significant police presence was observed in Martim Moniz, with officers from the PSP restricting access to much of the square. Although moments of tension arose between far-right affiliates and the predominant antifascist demonstrators, police intervention was not required.
These activities in Martim Moniz coincided with the traditional April 25th parade on the nearby Avenida da Liberdade.
In a statement, Bruna Alves, one of the protestors against the far-right, explained her spontaneous decision to visit the Martim Moniz Square. Bruna Alves, originally from Guimarães and currently on holiday in Lisbon, expressed her intent to advocate against far-right violence and support a humanitarian approach that recognizes human rights for all, not just for Portuguese citizens.
By 3:30 PM, no organized far-right group had materialized, though occasional individuals appeared at Martim Moniz.
The Ergue-te party and Habeas Corpus movement, backed by the far-right group 1143, announced a barbecue gathering at Martim Moniz from 3 PM on Friday, coinciding with the April 25th holiday commemorating the Carnation Revolution.
The PSP voiced opposition to this event, a stance shared by the Lisbon City Council, which adhered to the PSP’s guidance and did not authorize the far-right activities planned for Martim Moniz.
Despite the PSP’s negative stance and the city council’s lack of authorization, Rui Fonseca e Castro, the leader of Ergue-te, insisted in a video shared on social media that the event would proceed on Friday at Martim Moniz. He characterized the gathering as a celebration of Portuguese culture, family, civility, and brotherhood.
In a publicly shared video by the Ergue-te party, formerly the National Renovator Party (PNR), and circulated by far-right groups such as 1143, Fonseca e Castro emphasized that the intended event falls within the scope of a political campaign for the May 18 legislative elections and thus “cannot be prohibited.”
In relation to this, the Ergue-te leader noted that the party sought advice from the National Election Commission (CNE), which, he claimed, permitted the event’s planned execution.
However, on Thursday, an official source at the CNE stated they had not received any request for an opinion from Ergue-te regarding the April 25th demonstration at Martim Moniz.
Regarding whether a demonstration organized by a political party can be prohibited or its route altered, it was clarified that the CNE does not have jurisdiction over the timing, location, and manner of such exercises of rights.
