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SOS Racismo calls for measures to combat xenophobic violence against migrants

Asks the police and justice system to act with “speed and rigor”

SOS Racismo on Thursday called on political decision-makers to take a “clear and responsible” position to prevent and combat xenophobic violence, and on the police and justice system to act with “speed and rigor” against those who attack migrant citizens.

In a statement released today, the association expresses “growing concern about the normalization of anti-immigration speeches in the public space, with the increasingly frequent presence of violent far-right groups in demonstrations and other actions and their consequent disrespect for the fundamental values ​​of democracy”.

“In particular, we denounce the violence of Nazi groups such as the so-called 1143 Group or Habeas Corpus, which, with the passivity of the competent authorities, have persecuted and threatened several people, both in private and at public events,” he adds.

The SOS Racism association's stance comes after attacks on migrant citizens in Porto in the early hours of the 10th, namely two foreigners who were attacked with a bladed weapon, one of whom ended up being admitted to intensive care with “serious chest injuries”.

According to the statement, the suspect, a 26-year-old man, has already been detained by the Judicial Police, accused of attempted qualified homicide, discrimination, incitement to hatred and robbery.

“Although several political leaders have stated that episodes of violence of this nature are isolated cases, we can no longer accept this falsely pacifying perspective,” lamented SOS Racismo, reiterating its “vehement repudiation of this sequence of racist attacks against migrants.”

According to the anti-racism association, in recent days, the “Nazi group 1143 has threatened several people in the city of Guimarães, in consecutive violent actions in preparation for yet another demonstration aimed at spreading messages of hate”.

Noting that other episodes of this kind will continue to occur, SOS Racismo called for “a clear and responsible stance by political decision-makers, urging the implementation of effective measures to prevent and combat all acts of racist and xenophobic violence”.

At the same time, it stands in solidarity with the victims and “expects that the police and judicial entities act with due speed and rigor”.

“It is essential to ensure that Portugal is a safe country for all people who choose to make it their home. The utilitarian view of migrants, which is often used as electoral rhetoric, must be accompanied by concrete actions that promote effective inclusion and ensure the necessary conditions for full and dignified citizenship in a socially and culturally diverse country,” they stress.