The president of Chega today classified the anti-racism demonstration attended by left-wing parties as illegitimate because it was "against police and magistrates", and accused the Government of having "given in to pressure".
André Ventura was speaking upon arrival at the gathering promoted by Chega in Praça da Figueira, in Lisbon, called "For authority and against impunity" -- which brought together a few hundred people - and called after the announcement of a demonstration this afternoon against racism and xenophobia following the police operation on December 19 in Martim Moniz.
"I don't want to provoke anyone, but I'm sure of this: there are many demonstrations, in one direction or another, perhaps today's demonstration is the most illegitimate that has ever taken place here in Martim Moniz, because it is truly against the police, truly for the criminals", he said.
Ventura added that, in addition to being against the police, the demonstration is also against the judges "who ordered the action that took place in Martim Moniz", stressing that it was not only the police who carried out that action.
The Chega leader extended his criticism of the Government and the Prime Minister, Luís Montenegro, for a few weeks after the police operation, having stated that he did not like seeing the image of immigrants cornered against the wall.
"I should have had the courage - and I could have even been here - I should have had the courage to say: when you start alongside the security forces, you go all the way. Because what the Portuguese need today are politicians who go all the way, who are not afraid, who do not give in to pressure", he considered, accusing the other political forces of having given in to this pressure.