More than 100 people gathered on Saturday evening in front of the Bonfim parish council in Porto to protest against racism and xenophobia after an organized group carried out attacks on immigrants living in the city.
“We’ve got a significant group of people here, including a lot of immigrants, which doesn’t always happen. This is a sign that they feel protected with us,” Joana Cabral from SOS Racismo told Lusa.
According to the activist, “between 100 and 200 people” were peacefully present at the site, who even sang the song “Grândola Vila Morena” on April 25.
The location of the demonstration was chosen because it was “an area where acts of violence have occurred” against immigrants, he explained.
According to Joana Cabral, other associations defending immigrants have joined SOS Racismo in the action, which aims to “defend the rights of immigrants who, unfortunately, at the moment have no other way to see the protection of their rights.”
The activist also said she does not accept “the idea of exploiting the link between crime and immigration” and that “this pretext is used to legitimize militias.”
Speaking about acts of violence committed against immigrants, he said that “they must be investigated by the police and justice.”
Lusa contacted the capital’s PSP command in Porto, which said there were “no reports of abnormal situations” at the demonstration until 11:20 p.m.
Early on Friday morning, around 1 a.m., PSP was alerted to an attack at Campo 24 de Agosto in Porto by a group of four or five people who fled before agents arrived, a police spokesman said. , indicating that two of the attackers were being treated at the São João hospital.
About 10 minutes later in Rua do Bonfim, 10 immigrants were attacked in the house where they were staying by a group of 10 men armed with sticks and presumably firearms, which the PSP had not yet been able to destroy. I confirm, said the same source.
According to the spokesman, at 3 a.m. on Rua Fernandez Tomas, another immigrant was also attacked by other suspects, one of whom used a firearm.
Following these attacks, six men were identified and one was arrested for possession of an illegal weapon, taken to court and remanded in pre-trial detention.
Given the suspicion of a hate crime, the case was referred to the judicial police.
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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