Several dozen residents of parish of Santa Maria Maior, in Lisbonparticipated this Thursday in a public session to complain about the increase in insecurity in this area of the historic center of the capital and to ask for more policing.
Robberies of vehicles and shops, drug use in broad daylight and physical assaults were some of the situations reported by dozens of people who gathered at the Hotel Mundial, in Martim Moniz, to participate in a public information session, promoted by the Parish Council of Santa Maria Maior, which includes the neighborhoods of Alfama, Baixa, Chiado, Castelo, and Mouraria.
Also present at this meeting were members of the Lisbon Municipal Police and the chief of staff of councillor Ângelo Ferreira, responsible for the Security department.
At the opening of the session, the president of the Parish Council of Santa Maria Maior, Miguel Coelho (PS), stated that the the situation in the area has become “unsustainable” and that the local authority felt the need to “give voice” to residents’ complaints.
“This is not against anyone. This is not a problem of ethnicities, of religions. It is a problem for everyone. This session is for asking for help. We do not want to turn this into an ideological war”, he stressed, refusing any association with immigration issues.
After presentation of a video with some images depicting situations of crime and violenceMiguel Coelho gave the floor to several residents who corroborated the mayor’s concerns.
“I’ve been robbed twice and we had to set alarms. I contacted the authorities and they say there is nothing they can do. My daughter is young and she gets scared. The insecurity is unbearable,” complained Maria João, who has lived in Mouraria for 24 years.
Another resident complained about the drug use “in broad daylight” and the syringes that “are scattered everywhere”.
“When I was little I walked down the street alone and today I have to walk everywhere with my children”, lamented André Sousa.
Luísa Reis, who lives in Mouraria since he was born, he said he has been “very afraid of going out”, complaining about noise, robberies and prostitution.
“Consumers and consumption have increased in recent times. I believe that the residents of this neighborhood feel alone,” said Filipa Bolotinha, president of the Renovar a Mouraria association.
Suggestions and an appeal to the Chamber and the Government
At the end of the speeches, the president of the Santa Maria Maior Parish Council took the floor again to make some proposals to the Lisbon City Council and the Government, with a view to mitigating the problems of insecurity.
The installation of a video surveillance network, the end of licensing 0, the change in the opening hours of commercial establishments, the prohibition of the sale of alcohol on the street after 9 pm and the categorization of Santa Maria Maior as a critical zone were some of the proposals listed by the mayor.
“Security cannot be treated as a statistic, but as a reality. Santa Maria Maior does not have the competences, which is why we are making this appeal to the Lisbon City Council and the Government”, he pointed out.
On Wednesday, in a written response sent to the Lusa news agency, Lisbon City Council said that “only 25 of the 200 elements” requested by the municipality to reinforce the Municipal Police were made availableinsisting on the need to increase the number of agents on the city streets, including the PSP.
“The CML (Lisbon City Council) has insisted, since the first day (of the current mandate, which began on October 18, 2021), on the need for the Lisbon Municipal Police to be reinforced with more officers – with only 25 of the 200 officers requested having arrived so far – and also for there to be more PSP (Public Security Police) officers on the city’s streets”, the municipality reported.
Source: rr.sapo.pt
