It probably the first case of its kind, the GNR is to prosecute a woman who was so enraged at police behaviour that she posted a complaint on Facebook.
Having been given a ticket for parking illegally, the driver Susana Botequila Soares returned to the spot minutes later to see that the GNR vehicle had been parked in the same place and left unattended as the two GNR agents had pottered off and were enjoying coffee and cake at a nearby cafe.
The Facebook posting had around 15,000 viewings within hours but was spotted by the GNR which, instead of posting an apology to the woman, decided to apply to prosecute her, thus guaranteeing further publicity from local and national media.
Faro GNR Command has thrown PR caution to the wind by lodging a criminal complaint with the Public Ministry and the woman may end up being convicted for expressing her opinion; the words ‘corrupt’ and ‘corruption’ used in the Facebook posting will not help her case.
Major Marco Cruz from Faro GNR said of the woman’s actions “It was a damaging comment for the officers involved and also for the institution. The words used effectively compromise the very values and principles of the GNR.”
The woman was parked on a yellow line in Fuseta reserved for loading and unloading and was issued a €30 fine which she paid.
When she returned to the spot two minutes later the woman saw an empty GNR car parked in the same place on the marked yellow zone. She then spotted the same two agents that had booked her enjoying a light breakfast in a nearby cafe.
Upset and angry, the woman took some photos in order to ‘show the corruption in this country’ saying the GNR should be setting an example to others, not flouting the laws for which she had just been fined.
The Olhão Livre website also published an account of these events, adding, “unfortunately, these situations of abuse of power by GNR and PSP agents are increasingly frequent, so there is nothing better than exercising the right of active citizenship in reporting these abuses of power whenever they happen.
"The authorities should set a law-abiding example, and according to the photos and the account of woman, they did not and abused the law.”
By applying to prosecute the woman, Faro GNR Command has ensured this event will receive even wider publicity when a sensible objective would have been to apologise to the woman and/or explain that the GNR can park wherever they want.
The fact the two agents were on a cafe break makes the GNR case look weak and by having the posting suspended from Facebook should ensure the story will be re-posted and picked up by other social media.
This story has every chance of rivalling the 'Bingo arrests' of 2013 when 28 tourists were fined for illegal gambling.
UPDATE
The GNR command denied on Wednesday that the GNR agents were having coffee at all, stating that the men were trying to identify the driver of a goods vehicle which was parked in a disabled space.
This move means the GNR are accusing Sra of lying, or of being mistaken, which, if it comes to court, will be her word against the words of two upright officers representing everything correct and dutiful about the institution of the GNR.
Something so simple to resolve has now become a national story, soon it will become international, and even if the GNR agents are lying the state machine is likely anyway to win in court.
The latest move by the GNR is tactically clever and may end up destroying the reputation of a citizen whose anger at seeing the GNR vehicle parked in the very spot where she had just been fined, may soon pitch her against the full resources of the government in a court case that will make the state an ass, and the woman a heroine.
The original Facebook posting is here: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=1614298902128218&id=100006443714682
No doubt breaking all sorts of by-laws, the offensing vehicle is posted abouve and the parking ticket is reproduced below.
