Portugal cost-of-living protesters pour back into camps cleared by police

By Al Jazeera Staff and Reuters. Published On 21 Oct 202621 Oct 2026.

Key points

• Debora Miranda, 41, a communications consultant, informed Reuters she joined the Rossio Square protest to represent generations struggling with soaring costs.
• Public Security Police superintendent Sergio Soares remarked to journalists that the eviction had been "calm, proportionate and appropriate, with no police charge".
• The 55 detainees were afterwards issued pending a court appearance in Lisbon on Wednesday.
• Jorge Paixao, 19, a history student, called it "a societal crisis", saying his generation needed "the ability to live with dignity, start families and rejuvenate Portugal".
• The camps mirrored housing protests in neighbouring Spain, and coincided with unrest over rising living costs in countries such as France, Belgium and Italy.

Thousands of protesters have returned to two central squares in Portugal for demonstrations against an intensifying housing crisis, hours after police cleared their camps in the capital, Lisbon, and the city of Porto, arresting 55 individuals.

Activists have demanded the centre-right administration withdraw a bill that makes evictions easier and ends rent caps on new leases. It passed a first parliamentary reading.

While those in Porto were returning to the northern city's Dom Joao I Square, the demonstrators in Lisbon sought to rebuild their sit-in camp at Rossio Square on Tuesday.

Organisers remarked more than 1, 000 residents had gathered at each square. Activists have occupied Lisbon's Rossio Square since Saturday, pitching around 200 tents, and Porto's Dom Joao I Square for around 10 days.

Debora Miranda, 41, a communications consultant, informed Reuters she joined the Rossio Square protest to represent generations struggling with soaring costs. "If people don't feel at home, in every sense of the word, they can't move forward with their lives.enough is enough."

In practice, the camps mirrored housing protests in neighbouring Spain, and coincided with unrest over rising living costs in countries such as France, Belgium and Italy.

After warning protesters that the camps were illegal, police introduced coordinated operations in both cities, shortly before 6am. Demonstrators in Porto followed orders and dismantled their own tents. Officers cleared Lisbon's Rossio Square in what Carla Valadao, a spokesperson for the camp, described as "very aggressive".

For context, the 55 detainees were afterwards issued pending a court appearance in Lisbon on Wednesday. One of Europe's worst housing crises.

Portugal is grappling with one of Europe's worst housing affordability crises as purchase rates have more than doubled since 2017 and rents for new leases have almost doubled.

Notably, the squeeze is most acute in the major cities, where there has additionally been opposition to excessive tourism and an influx of so-called digital nomads, residents who travel while working remotely.

Taken together, the developments around portugal cost-of-living protesters pour back into camps cleared by police point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.