Portuguese police arrest 13, dozens injured in housing protest

Portuguese riot police using batons and dogs stormed protest camps in Lisbon's Rossio Square and Porto's Dom Joao I Square at approximately 4:30 am on Sunday. The operation, which was conducted in response to the country's housing crisis, resulted in the arrest of 13 people. According to police statements, six individuals were arrested in Lisbon and seven in Porto for refusing orders to disperse.

Police reported that 13 officers were injured during the clashes, with eight requiring hospital treatment. In Porto, authorities stated that three plain-clothes officers were assaulted after being spotted by a group, leading one officer to display a firearm as a deterrent. While police noted that some protesters threw bottles and paint at officers, the police statement maintained the operation was carried out with respect for citizens' rights.

The activist group Acampada Lisboa reported that more than 30 protesters were injured, including 10 who required hospital treatment. During the confrontation, some protesters shouted that the situation "smells like a dictatorship." Acampada Lisboa has called for a new rally in the capital for Sunday afternoon.

Brief written by urgent.news from Punch Nigeria, New Straits Times, Free Malaysia Today — 3 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.