Vida Justa Changes Protest Location to Avoid Confrontation with Chega Amidst Rising Tensions

Vida Justa Adjusts Protest Plans

The Vida Justa movement announced on Friday its decision to change the final destination of its protest, scheduled for this Saturday afternoon in Lisbon, to avoid clashes with Chega, led by André Ventura. The movement criticized authorities for their "irresponsibility" in allowing two protests to converge on the same location.

Family members of Odair Moniz, local associations from the Bairro do Zambujal, and other social movements have organized the demonstration titled "Justice for Odair Moniz / No Justice, No Peace". Shortly after, Chega announced its own rally in support of the police. Although both protests had different routes, they were initially set to end at the Assembly of the Republic.

In a statement, Vida Justa condemned the authorities' decision, claiming it was illegal and irresponsible, given that their protest was organized first. They expressed concern that Chega aims to incite incidents, stating, "We are aware that Chega, which argues that Portugal would be better off if the police killed more people, is interested in creating incidents, but our protest is peaceful and responsible.”

The protest will now march from Marquês de Pombal to Praça dos Restauradores at 3 PM on Saturday, October 26. Meanwhile, Chega will maintain its route, departing from Praça do Município towards the Assembly of the Republic.

This morning, the Minister of Internal Administration announced that the government will keep security operatives on the ground, although details on their locations and numbers remain unspecified. Margarida Blasco, present at a conference on airport security, expressed her support for the security forces, stating, "I want to express my solidarity and appreciation for all those on the ground, particularly the men and women of the PSP."

Tensions have been escalating in the Bairro do Zambujal following the death of Odair Moniz, who was shot by a PSP officer under circumstances still under investigation. Recent unrest has spread to other neighborhoods in the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, resulting in bus and car burnings and other vandalism. Over a dozen people have been detained, with serious injuries reported among civilians and police officers.