Strong police presence across the country due to protests scheduled for Friday. But almost an hour after the planned start the mobilization there were few demonstators. In Braga alone there were some blockades however, “with people kicking and throwing “bottles at vehicles”
The north entrances to Braga, at the roundabout of the Infias, are blocked by more than fifty yellow vests since 06:00, with some altercations already registered with motorists who tried to pass, but these were not serious.
According to Lusa news agency, more than 50 yellow vests kicked and threw bottles at vehicles that tried to break through the blockade.
Despite the blocking, there is a “on-track safety route” for the passage of emergency vehicles.
In Lisbon, PSP spokesman Alexandre Coimbra told Lusa about 06:30 that “everything was still calm”. So far there are no complications in the places where the demonstrations were planned.
At the 25 de Abril bridge, there is a strong presence of the PSP, but no yellow vests on the spot.
In the Marques de Pombal, in Lisbon, there are about 30 people. The police are now moving traffic through the side streets.
Near the toll of the A8, protesters passed by, honking and displaying their yellow vests
In the Francos Node, in Porto, the yellow vests tried to blockade a roundabout but the standstill lasted only a few minutes and the 50 or so “yellow vests” were moved on by police peacefully.
The elements of this event have a French flag and are standing on the crosswalk, causing some traffic in this area. Some of BES’s victims are also being joined by this movement, showing their discontent with corruption.
The protests of the “yellow vests” in Portugal were called by various groups through social networks, inspired by the recent protest movements in France.
One of the groups, Movimiento Coletes Amarelos Portugal, in a manifesto released on Wednesday , proposes a reduction of taxes on electricity, with an incidence on audiovisual and carbon dioxide emission rates, a reduction of VAT and IRC for micro and small companies, as well as the end of the tax on petroleum products and halving VAT on fuels.
Not tolerating any act of violence or vandalism, this movement, which is called “peaceful and non-partisan”, also defends the fight against corruption.
The list of demonstrations of the “yellow vests” in the area of activity of the PSP included 25 protests in 17 places of the main cities of the country.