Agents of chaos – with police complacency – and an Israeli flag.
Interesting. Just witnessed moments ago (near 23:00 hrs, local time), what seems to be a symptomatic episode via the RTP news (Portugal's equivalent to Italy's RAI, France's France Télévisions, Great Britain's BBC, etc). It was footage of the winding down of the protest in Lisbon. (Protests in Porto, and orher cities too, but this was of the one in Lisbon).
A man draped in an Israeli flag came from behind the police, and began to provoke & pester people as they were setting up for the night to rest (an overnight vigil, being part of the demonstration), at the city's iconic Rossio Square.
Oddly (or perhaps not), the police were quite complacent with the rable rousing conduct of the angry pro-Israel man as he began to disturb the peace and try picking fights. After a bit, though with reserve and as if treating one of their own, they helped him away from those he was pestering.
Not only is it revealing that a man draped in his Israeli flag go there to bother people that are in a protest that has zero to do with his theme (judging by his flag). The protest as all here know and is announced, unequivocally, and has been known since it was summoned, is about housing - People protesting for something that is actually written into the Constitution and is one of its well known, memorable articles. (I'll leave it in a short note, at the end)
Mainstream news people talk as if they are supremely ignorant of the Constitution and norms. But this is a common thing in much of our global West, it seems. Regardless, they do highlight how the authorities react (too violently, as is easily viewed) when it's dealing with who they're supposed to serve (the People) and guard, and so complacent with a highly aggressive Israeli-flag drapped man that purposefully went to encounter the people of the scheduled protest.
At the bottom of this post is a link to the news source I had watched. At the end of the link's article is the episode I speak of.
*Note:
Article 65 of the Constitution of the Portuguese Republic (CRP) enshrines the right to housing, under the heading “Housing and urban planning”.
Paragraph 1 of this article establishes the fundamental principle:
“Everyone shall have the right, for him or herself and for his/her family, to adequate housing, in conditions of hygiene and comfort, and one which preserves personal intimacy plus family privacy.”
This right is included in Chapter II (“Social rights and duties”) of Title III of the CRP.
— lack of housing.*
Enshrined in our Constitution, also, something well known and exercised, is our right to hold demonstrations and protests. They are normal. Protests are a guaranteed Constitutional Right in Portugal: no permission being needed, there only being an obligation to give notice to authorities at least 48 hrs prior to the event plus a map of where it is programmed to go / or to be held.
This is so they can make preparations and do their duty of safeguarding the public as they protest (blocking any necessary streets, avenues and squares from traffic, etc) as well as safeguarding traffic, those that are driving being kept safe from harming protesters, and vice/versa, etc. But it seems there is a will to cause chaos.
Agents of chaos – with police complacency – and an Israeli flag.
https://www.rtp.pt/noticias/pais/manifestantes-decidiram-pernoitar-no-rossio-esta-quarta-feira-apesar-dos-alertas-da-psp_e1773164
