Police Clear Housing Protest Camps in Lisbon and Porto After Marches

Portuguese police dismantled a protest camp in Lisbon’s Rossio Square early Sunday, dispersing demonstrators with shields and batons after thousands marched against proposed rental legislation. Protesters say the bill would make evictions easier and remove rent caps on new leases; police had warned the campers to leave, while critics said the square was peaceful and questioned the use of force. The operation followed criticized police clearances the previous week and came amid a deepening housing crisis, with home prices and rents on new leases nearly doubling since 2017. Police also dismantled a smaller encampment in Porto, as housing protests spread across Portugal and other parts of Europe.