Portuguese people have come to the field against police violence. Thousands of people gathered in the central streets of Lisbon on Saturday (October 26) to protest. They were carrying various placards and chanting slogans against the police. British news agency Reuters reported this news.
Protests also spread to areas outside the capital. Rights group 'Vida Justa' calls for protests.
Police shot and killed 43-year-old chef Odair Moniz in suburban Amadora last Monday. From then on, Portugal became hot.
Protesters chanted 'Justice for Odair'. They carried posters and placards saying 'Stop killing us' and 'If the killer is the police, who will I go to?'
“Police violence is common in our area,” said Fabio Lima, 36, from the protest.
He further said, 'Those who are supposed to give us peace and security are making us anxious and afraid. I feel safer without the police in my neighborhood!'
Gabriela Ferreira, 42, said: 'There are people in the police force who are openly racist and who may be affiliated with fascist or far-right politics.'
Last year the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination expressed concern about excessive police use of force in Portugal, particularly against people of African descent.
