With the motion to suspend the campaign, presented by the only BE councilor, the council condemns the "mega-operation" carried out on November 8 in Martim Moniz, which involved the Lisbon Metropolitan Command of the PSP, in partnership with ASAE, the Tax and Customs Authority (AT) and other entities.
Lisbon City Council decided this Wednesday, with opposition from PSD/CDS-PP, to urge the Government to suspend the "Portugal Sempre Seguro" campaign, within the scope of which there was a police operation in Martim Moniz, condemning the attempt to associate crime with immigration.
The motion to suspend the "Portugal Sempre Seguro" campaign was presented by the sole BE councillor, Beatriz Gomes Dias, at the private meeting of the municipal executive and was made possible with the votes against from the PSD/CDS-PP leadership and the votes in favour from the others, namely PS, Cidadãos Por Lisboa (elected by the PS/Livre coalition), PCP, Livre and BE.
With this motion by the Left Bloc, the chamber condemns the "mega-operation" carried out on November 8 in Martim Moniz , which involved the Lisbon Metropolitan Command of the Public Security Police (PSP), in partnership with the Food and Economic Safety Authority (ASAE), Tax and Customs Authority (AT), Authority for Working Conditions (ACT) and Social Security Institute (ISS), within the scope of the "Portugal Always Safe" campaign.
"It was with astonishment that we witnessed, once again, the speeches that try to make the association between migration and crime. [...] After the end of this operation we are left without understanding what were the causes that motivated the triggering of this concerted action by the inspection bodies and the security forces", reads the text of the motion.
On November 8, the Minister of the Presidency, António Leitão Amaro (PSD), said that the Government had given instructions to the security forces to reinforce surveillance against illegal immigration and human trafficking, indicating that the operation that took place in Martim Moniz is one of several that are scheduled.
"In recent months it has become clear that the Government's policy does not seek solutions to the problems that affect the safety and well-being of migrants, namely, the existing delays in regularizing their situation in Portugal, as well as the arbitrary revocation without any alternative of articles 88 and 89 of the law on foreigners, which provided for regularization through the labor route through expressions of interest", pointed out the BE councilor.
In this sense, Beatriz Gomes Dias said that the "mega-operation" in Martim Moniz intended to "feed a false discourse about the perception of security in some areas of the country and the city".
"The Annual Internal Security Report shows that there is no increase in crimes committed by migrants, on the contrary, the report points to an increase in violence against migrants", highlighted the BE.
Therefore, he argued, "it is urgent to combat the ideas that have spread false narratives and hate speech against migrants, ideas that dehumanize, criminalize and promote simplistic understandings that deliberately distort scientific evidence and studies."
Referring to the Government's statements that these "Portugal Sempre Seguro" operations will continue regularly, the BE council proposed the suspension of this campaign.
Therefore, he argued, "it is urgent to combat the ideas that have spread false narratives and hate speech against migrants, ideas that dehumanize, criminalize and promote simplistic understandings that deliberately distort scientific evidence and studies."
Referring to the Government's statements that these "Portugal Sempre Seguro" operations will continue regularly, the BE council proposed the suspension of this campaign.
Currently, the executive of the Lisbon City Council, which is made up of 17 members, includes seven elected from the "Novos Tempos" coalition -- who are the only ones with assigned portfolios and who govern without an absolute majority --, three from the PS, three from Cidadãos Por Lisboa (elected by the PS/Livre coalition), two from the PCP, one from Livre and one from BE.