A member of the theater company A Barraca was assaulted on Tuesday night by a far-right group in Lisbon as he was entering the free-entry play “Amor é fogo que arde sem se ver,” a tribute to Camões, stated Maria do Céu Guerra, the company’s director.
The Teatro D. Maria II, as an artistic institution, condemns all forms of violence and attempts to constrain cultural rights in response to increasing threats to freedom of expression. It maintains a committed stance to defend creative freedom and cultural participation as fundamental values of a democratic society, as read on the official page of the national theater.
ACTA – The Algarve Theater Company also expressed support, issuing solidarity with A Barraca Teatro, particularly with actor Adérito Lopes, who was brutally attacked in a cowardly act of neo-Nazi violence.
“It is urgent to halt the spread of hatred and end extremist narratives that threaten freedom, art, and human dignity,” urged the Algarve Theater Company.
Similarly, the Portuguese Federation of Theater condemned “the act of violence against the actors of A Barraca Teatro,” expressing solidarity.
The professional school Instituto para o Desenvolvimento Social (IDS), where the actor Adérito Lopes serves as the coordinator of the Actor/Actress course, posted on Instagram condemning the vile assault committed against its professor.
“Our lecturer, a victim of a group of criminals motivated by hatred and violence, shares the universal values that brought him to join IDS almost a decade ago, knowing that at this House, the defense of humanist values such as education, freedom, peace, justice, and respect for others, is integral to our mission as a School.”
Maria do Céu Guerra told Lusa that the assault happened around 8:00 PM on Tuesday, as the actors were arriving at Cinearte in Largo de Santos.
At the entrance, they encountered “a group of neo-Nazis with placards and flyers,” displaying xenophobic phrases, initially provoking one of the actresses.
“Meanwhile, other actors were arriving. Two were provoked, and a third was violently attacked, sustaining an eye injury and a deep cut on his face,” said the 82-year-old actress and director, noting the actor required hospital treatment.
The Minister of Culture, Youth, and Sport, Margarida Balseiro Lopes, condemned the attack, labeling it “an assault on freedom of expression, the right to creation, and democratic values.”
“Culture is a place of freedom, never fear. I condemn the cowardly aggression targeting the actors of A Barraca,” wrote the minister regarding the Tuesday night attack in Lisbon that resulted in an actor from A Barraca being hospitalized for facial injuries.
Margarida Balseiro Lopes emphasized: “This attack is an assault on freedom of expression, the right to creation, and the democratic values that define us as a nation. Culture does not intimidate, does not retreat, and does not accept hatred disguised as political discourse.”
“We must ensure that artists, technicians, and audiences can fully participate in cultural life, with safety, respect, and dignity,” reinforced the minister, extending her solidarity to the injured actor and the entire company, particularly to artistic director Maria do Céu Guerra, “whose role in Portuguese culture is invaluable.”
The police source told Lusa that based on the descriptions of the potential suspect provided by the victim and a friend, several inquiries were conducted in the streets around Largo de Santos, which led to locating a 20-year-old man suspected of being the perpetrator.
[Updated at 16:47]
