The Council of Europe's Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) on Wednesday (18) called on Portuguese authorities to adopt a firmer approach in combating hate crime and speech directed at immigrants and ethnic and sexual minorities.
In a report dedicated to Portugal, ECRI calls on the country to “improve the way security forces deal with hate crimes”. The organization, made up of 46 member states and headquartered in Strasbourg, warns of a significant increase in cases of hate speech, especially against immigrants, Roma people, LGBTQI+ and black people.
The Commission also highlights that “cases of racist violence motivated by hate, sometimes involving neo-Nazi groups, have been reported”.
The report comes in a context of growth of the far-right in the country, with the Chega party establishing itself as the main opposition force after the legislative elections in March.
On the eve of the publication of the document, the Judicial Police announced the arrest of six individuals linked to a far-right group, suspected of involvement in “terrorist activities, discrimination and incitement to hatred and violence”. According to the media, one of those arrested is a police officer and the group was allegedly planning an attack on Parliament.