Housing activists seek a strike coordinated with Spain as protests against proposed rental law changes spread across Portugal.
Housing rights groups in Portugal are pushing for a nationwide general strike coordinated with Spain as protests against proposed rental law changes intensify, with a police crackdown on a protest encampment resulting in more than 30 arrests, according to organizers.
RELATED: Portuguese Police Violently Evict Housing Rights Camps in Lisbon and Oporto
Reports on the number of arrests vary. Official accounts put the figure between 11 and 31, while organizers say more than 30 people were detained. The police operation against members of the encampment drew criticism from several sectors.
Housing rights organizations mobilized in Lisbon and Porto on Sunday to build support for a general strike. The proposal has also been discussed at public assemblies and demonstrations held daily across Portugal for more than a week.
Ver esta publicación en Instagram
Una publicación compartida por teleSUR English (@telesurenglish)
“There are thousands of people mobilized, and I think that makes calling a general strike in Portugal increasingly necessary,” João Veloso, a spokesperson for the Lisbon Encampment, told the press. He expressed confidence that the growing demonstrations could pressure the government to withdraw its proposed rental law reforms.
The initiative is being discussed alongside a general strike announced in Spain for Wednesday, Nov. 11. Trade unions and social organizations in Spain are calling for measures to address the housing crisis and improve working conditions.
Protests spread beyond major cities
Demonstrations have extended beyond Lisbon and Porto to Coimbra and Faro. At nightly public assemblies, participants have discussed whether to set up tents again or spend nights in sleeping bags to sustain the protests.
The unrest stems from the conservative government’s proposed changes to rental laws. The legislation would accelerate eviction proceedings, eliminate the minimum three-year term for certain automatic lease renewals, allow landlords to demand up to three months’ rent in advance instead of the current two-month limit, and remove the cap of two months’ rent on security deposits.
From teleSUR English via This RSS Feed.