07 Dec 2020 | 11:26 AM UTC
Portugal: Workers to protest COVID-19 restrictions in Lisbon Dec. 10
Union to lead protest in Lisbon, Portugal, from 1100 Dec. 10. Increased security, localized disruptions likely.
Event
Workers affiliated with the Federation of Trade Unions for Agriculture, Food, Beverages, Hospitality and Tourism of Portugal (Fesaht) will protest in Lisbon Dec. 10. Organizers are calling on the government to support workers who have lost their jobs as a result of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) restrictions. Participants will gather outside the Ministry of Labor in Praca de Londres around 1100; several hundred people will likely attend.
Authorities will almost certainly deploy additional security forces to monitor the gatherings. Large crowds and associated security measures could prompt localized traffic disruptions. Current COVID-19 restrictions in Portugal severely restrict public gatherings; police will likely single out individuals deemed to be breaching these restrictions. Although the demonstrations will probably remain peaceful, isolated skirmishes cannot be ruled out.
Advice
Avoid the demonstration as a routine security precaution and to mitigate associated disruptions. Heed instructions from security services and leave the area at the first sign of a confrontation. Check for disruptions and allow extra time for travel in the affected area Dec. 10.
