At the São João Novo Court in Porto, the testimony of a nurse marked the resumption of the trial, providing a detailed account of the “general chaos” witnessed, various assaults, and being insulted by one of the defendants, Vítor ‘Catão’.
As in previous sessions, multiple witnesses requested to testify in the absence of the defendants. Consequently, the defendants exited the courtroom to allow the court to question a nurse who has been serving the ‘dragões’ for nearly 30 years, in both roller hockey and football, and was assigned to collaborate with a doctor at the AG.
The nurse attended to “about 12 people,” members he did not know or associate with the Super Dragões fan club. He did not identify any defendant as responsible for inflammatory remarks, requests for members to remain silent, or assaults, and noted that many individuals appeared “very anxious, very nervous.”
Before the AG was relocated to the Dragão Arena from the stadium’s auditorium, which proved too small for such a large crowd, he was insulted by ‘Catão’ for “being dressed in green,” attire he claimed was worn coincidentally.
The nurse disclosed that he did not submit a medical report for this or any AG where he provided services to the ‘dragões’, stating he only did so during games “when incidents occurred.”
Another witness, a member present at the meeting who was struck by a water bottle, reported insults and threats from the defendants, recalling that Fernando Madureira was “directing the queue” to gain access and stated he felt “fear” both before entering and inside the auditorium.
The eighth session of the trial commenced with the testimony of several PSP officers who conducted searches at the homes of the defendants. Two officers described confiscating a weapon, a 6.35 mm caliber, with two bullets, from the defendant Hugo Loureiro, ‘Fanfas’, found in the car trunk at his indication.
In his home, they additionally located clothing they believed the defendant wore on the night of the AG, as well as “stickers featuring the face of the current FC Porto president, André Villas-Boas.”
The officers reported finding nothing during the home searches of defendants José Pedro Pereira and Vítor Oliveira ‘Aleixo’, his son.
The 12 defendants of Operation Pretoriano, including former Super Dragões leader Fernando Madureira, began facing charges for 31 crimes at the São João Novo Court in Porto on March 17, amid a heavy police presence in the area.
The charges include 19 counts of aggravated coercion and threats, seven of physical assault during a sporting event, one of public incitement to a crime, another for throwing objects or liquid products, and three of attacking freedom of information, all related to an FC Porto AG in November 2023.
Among the dozen defendants, Fernando Madureira is the only one in preventive detention, the most severe pre-trial measure, while the others were released at different stages.
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