The Environment Minister splashed himself with green paint at a CNN conference in Portugal. “This will be the last gas winter,” young women shouted.

Environment Minister Duarte Cordeiro was attacked with green paint on Tuesday by three young climate change activists in Lisbon during a CNN conference on the energy transition that included Galp and EDP.

A few minutes into the conference, when the environment minister took the floor, three young women took to the stage and threw green paint at Duarte Cordeiro’s clothes while shouting slogans protesting against the government.

“The government has proven it doesn’t care about climate change by holding conferences with EDP and GALP”, “This will be the last gas winter”, “We don’t let them sell out our future” and “GALP and EDP don’t want to know about a just transition”, – these are some of the phrases that the young women shouted.

However, the activists were taken out of the room, and the conference was interrupted so that the minister could change clothes and clean the room.

Duarte Cordeiro, invited to speak about the goals and government policies of the energy transition, returned to the room a few minutes later and the conference resumed with him declaring that “these forms of demonstrations do not work” and contribute to climate change. cause “loss of social support”.

“I am not complaining about those who take to the streets to demand the protection of their planet and their future. […] “I complain about certain forms of demonstration that are intolerant and aimed at silencing others through intolerance,” the environment minister said, stressing that the government believes companies should “involve companies in the transition process.” [energética]”.

The protest was announced by the student group “Primavera das Ocupas – Fim ao Fóssil” on social media, and protest spokeswoman Matilde Ventura accused the CNN-promoted conference of being a “facade to clean up the image of companies in Portugal.” who benefit from the climate crisis and the cost of living.”

“By his presence, the minister has proven that he prefers to collude with the criminals who are leading us to ruin rather than ensure that we, the young people born into the climate crisis, have a future,” he added, vowing to “continue.” keep the government quiet”, with a “wave of actions” on November 13 that included occupying schools and “disrupting the normal functioning of institutions.”