The young man who attacked actor Adérito Lopes on Tuesday at the entrance of the A Barraca theater in Lisbon justified the violent act as a response “to an offense,” requested to be named a defendant in the case, and denied belonging to any neo-Nazi group, despite having attended two lunches, one on June 10 and another two years ago.
In an interview with the newspaper Público, the aggressor accused the actor of calling him a “son of a *****” and expressed “regret” for acting on “impulse” and “stupidity.”
He recounted having lunch at the Túnel bar in Santos, next to the theater, with individuals convicted for the racially motivated death of Alcindo Monteiro 30 years ago, but insists he is not part of the neo-Nazi group Blood and Honour. He was merely brought to the event by a friend he met “during night outings” and “football games” five years ago.
Before lunch, he was near the Monument to the Overseas Combatants in Belém, where Sheikh David Munir was subjected to racist insults and a group performed the Nazi salute, but he denies being at the monument or with more people besides his friend.
“I do not identify with the far-right, I am not a neo-Nazi,” the young man stated, admitting that he fears “reprisals” and thus prefers not to disclose his name to the newspaper.
The actor attacked by a far-right group was discharged from the hospital early in the morning. Adérito Lopes sustained facial lacerations and required stitches.
Notícias ao Minuto | 10:57 – 11/06/2025
Ricardo Sá Fernandes, one of Adérito Lopes’ lawyers, also told Público that “it is completely false” that the actor insulted the aggressor, asserting that “it was a completely gratuitous aggression.”
It should be noted that on Tuesday, Portugal Day, actor Adérito Lopes from the A Barraca theater company was attacked by a far-right group in Lisbon as he was entering the free-admission performance “Love is fire that burns without being seen,” a tribute to Camões.
Speaking to the Lusa agency, the company’s director, actress and director Maria do Céu Guerra, stated that the attack occurred around 8:00 p.m. when the actors were arriving at Cinearte in Largo de Santos and encountered “a group of neo-Nazis with signs, programs” featuring various xenophobic messages, which began provoking one of the actresses.
On Wednesday, the Public Prosecutor’s Office confirmed to Lusa the initiation of an inquiry to investigate the assault against the actor.
On Thursday, Adérito Lopes, alongside former Minister of Education João Costa, signed an opinion piece in the weekly Expresso titled “We will not live in the fear they want to impose on us.”
The actor, victim of a violent assault by a far-right group, says he trusts in the justice system to resolve the case and states he suffered “a cruel and brutal act of violence.” Adérito Lopes broke his silence through a statement accessed by Notícias ao Minuto.
Catarina Carvalho Ferreira | 10:43 – 12/06/2025
On June 10, when “we savored the fearless words of Lídia Jorge and the clear warning from the President of the Republic,” it was also the day when “one of the authors of this text was barbarically attacked by a neo-Nazi,” write Adérito Lopes and João Costa in the joint article.
And they conclude: “They want us to be afraid. But we are not.”.
