A 22-year-old who was electrocuted after climbing onto the top of a train at Rossio Station in Lisbon is in critical condition, confirmed by a source from the Public Security Police (PSP) to Notícias ao Minuto.
The victim was transported to São José Hospital after receiving medical attention at the scene.
The same source noted that at around 3:00 PM, a “social protest action was promoted by citizens in their personal capacity” at Martim Moniz Square in Lisbon.
“Subsequently, a solidarity march with the GLOBAL SUMUD FLOTILLA took place, from Martim Moniz to Rossio – Praça D. Pedro IV. Unexpectedly, some protesters moved into the interior of the Rossio CP station,” the source indicated.
The security force reported that the Rapid Intervention Teams from the Lisbon Metropolitan Command and the Intervention Corps at the Special Police Unit accompanied and monitored “the social protest action from the beginning,” in addition to intervening “inside Rossio Station to remove the protesters who entered the area, thus preventing railway circulation and resolving this incident.”
However, the same police source emphasized that the PSP “continues to monitor some protesters still present at Praça D. Pedro IV in Rossio.”
It should be noted that, according to Lusa agency, one protester was thrown to the ground by a PSP officer to prevent him from forcing entry into the train terminals before the arrival of 14 members of the Rapid Intervention Brigade.
One of the protest organizers clarified to RTP that the situation “had nothing to do” with the march that took place on Saturday. Instead, at the end of the protest, some demonstrators sat organically on the station floor.
Over three thousand people participated in the protest supporting the flotilla
More than three thousand people attended the protest supporting the activists of the Global Sumud Flotilla who were detained by Israeli forces last Wednesday.
“Five hundred people were expected to participate, and three thousand people showed up now at the end of the protest. I am certain that number was largely exceeded,” said an officer to Lusa, after the march arrived at Rossio at 4:55 PM.
Joana Mortágua, a leader of the Bloco de Esquerda and sister of detainee Mariana Mortágua since October 1, was among the personalities present at the gathering. Joana Mortágua declined to make comments, but reiterated that the latest news she has about the Portuguese detainees in Israel dates back to last Friday.
Yesterday, Mariana Mortágua sent a note to her family, detailing that she was in a cell with 12 other people, “without food or water for 48 hours.”
“We don’t even know if Mariana is aware of how many hours she has been in custody. We don’t know if they let her sleep or not. Israel is not known for respecting human rights in prisons, we can’t assume anything. […] We know that Israel assured the Portuguese Government that they would treat people with dignity, and there is no dignity,” Joana Mortágua stated to SIC Notícias.
Members of the Bloco de Esquerda disclosed the latest information provided by the consul to the family of the party leader, who was part of the flotilla and detained by Israel in international waters.
An official government source assured that the four Portuguese detained in Israel are “in good health despite the difficult conditions.” However, “various complaints” prompted an “immediate protest” by the Portuguese ambassador in Israel.
Helena Paiva, who visited the activists, “was able to confirm that they were all in good health despite the harsh conditions upon arrival at the port of Ashdod and in the detention center,” said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MNE), in a statement sent to Lusa.
“They were not subjected to physical violence, despite various complaints – complaints that led to an immediate protest by the Portuguese ambassador in Israel,” the Palácio das Necessidades added.
Bloco de Esquerda coordinator Mariana Mortágua, actress Sofia Aparício, and activists Miguel Duarte and Diogo Chaves are among the more than 450 participants of the humanitarian mission detained by Israeli forces, who intercepted around 50 boats that were part of the flotilla between Wednesday and Thursday.
