Minister asks the PSP to act with calm

PEDRO VILELA MARQUES
On the eve of the March Indignação, which runs today in Lisbon, the Minister of Internal Affairs presented a set of "technical standards" to regulate the action of the security forces at public events.

The document argues that the police should "avoid any action or police practices that regardless of good intent, are seen as interference or conditioning the exercise of this right [to demonstrate]."

These "Technical Standards for Business of Security Forces in the Field of Exercise of the Right of Meeting and Demonstration" emerge one day after the unions have accused the PSP to visit schools in the country to monitor the teachers involved in the march today.

This timing suggests that the minister is concerned about the image that the social assistance among police unions have created recently. The very Rui Pereira ordered the opening of an investigation by the Inspectorate General of the Interior (IGAI), the purpose of the deployment of police to schools on Thursday. With this initiative, the minister acknowledges that there may have been irregularities in the activities of the PSP.

Manuel Alegre yesterday defended the intervention of the President, if the Government does not explain where "the way the police to schools" on the eve of the demonstration. The chairman of the Policy Commission of the PSD Concelhia of Vila do Conde joined its voice to that of Alegre.

Pedro Marques Brás accuses the police of Vila do Conde to control several schools with the participation of teachers in the march today. The heads of schools devalued, saying that were treated only "logistical issues".

In other political, both the PS as the CDS / PP supported the intervention of the police.

On the side of the Socialists, Vitalino Canas argued that the PSP is "simply to fulfil their duties" to ensure the security, to request information on the number of teachers who will participate in the protest.

At this point, the PS has the support of centrists, that the voice of its secretary general, Joao Almeida, considered normal for the PSP obtain information on the number of teachers who go to the protest, arguing that the safety of the people who will participate has to be assured.

To the left of the PS, the voices were naturally more critical. Jeronimo de Sousa, said that the National Directorate of the PSP "does not act on own account", leaving subentendida a criticism to an intervention of the government.

The CFP will even ask for the presence of the Minister of Internal Affairs in Parliament. Already the leader of the Left Block, Francisco Louçã, ranked from "worrying" that the PSP is trying to find out the number of teachers who will participate in the March of Indignação. The CGTP has also requested a meeting in the ministry to discuss the events of Thursday-Friday. On the fringes of the controversy, about 70 thousand teachers ultimaram during the day yesterday, the preparations for a real invasion of Lisbon. |