As a result of the terrorist attacks in Paris last Friday which left 129 people dead, Portugal’s public Safety Police are increasing surveillance at critical points in Lisbon.
One of the key routes into the capital also has heightened surveillance, the 25th of April bridge, as do those monuments with the highest concentration of tourists.
Hugo Abreu, the Deputy Commissioner of the Lisbon Metropolitan Command, said that his forces are strengthening surveillance in "all critical points" of the capital including the downtown area and the Mosteiro do Jerónimos, Torre de Belém and the Centro Cultural de Belém.
Abreu made it clear that instructions have been given to street patrols to be "more attentive and vigilant," but the number of officers on the beat has not been altered.
After the Friday attacks in Paris, the police stepped up security at embassies in Lisbon as well as at Oporto, Lisbon and Faro airports.
Hugo Abreu said that in the case of embassies, there his forces were wearing anti-ballistic vests and carrying high-power weapons.
At least 129 people, including two Portuguese, were killed in several simultaneous attacks on Friday night in Paris, claimed by the extremist group Islamic State, which targeted a concert hall, bars, restaurants and the Stade de France.
Comments
750 elderly have 'disappeared' in the last 3 years. Maybe more as the GNR do not keep up to date figures. Alzheimers or some other kind of dementia. Or just forgetfulness. And the blame is placed entirely on the failure of the police to 'search' properly. And by implication their continued refusal to involve the general public so allowing tens of thousands more eyes to be on the look out.
Ask yourself - how many more decades before we start getting Crimewatch type TV programmes in Portugal ? No wonder the Portuguese were so mystified at the McCann appeals for information on their own missing young child 8 years ago. Totally alien to them.
http://www.jn.pt/PaginaInicial/Justica/interior.aspx?content_id=4896447
Then we will see his face, know his height, weight Whatever is needed to ID him on the Lisbon Subway and report him to Interpol / Europol.
In Portugal the tradition of policing is that 'We don't need to know - so will not be told'
One example from close friends is if you have a burglary followed by arson. The same event by the same perpetrators - one the son of a local important businessman chased off when driving away with some goods. The fire specialism PJ will be adamant that anything not directly related to the fire is to be 'investigated' by the, in this case, GNR. Shrugging their shoulders, knowing that the GNR had closed their enquiry the following day. Long ago.
And then we twig. A few years ago the Commander of the GNR surprisingly, to a foreigner, telling his troops not to hand suspected arsonists to the PJ. Process them through the local Public Prosecutor so as to get a "local solution".
So, with these intentional boundaries between police forces - what use will Portugal be to the global fight against terror ?
I'm sure the police will feel very secure in those fortified places, and stay away from the dangerous bars and nightclubs.
Safety first!