PSP agents are accused of assaulting several people, “most immigrants”, on New Year's Eve, in Beja, indictment was made by one of the alleged victims., a Portuguese who has already filed a complaint with several entities, including public prosecutors. The PSP's Comando de Beja denies the “recourse to a more repressive intervention”.
in the complaint, to which Lusa had access today, Nuno Matos, who introduced her and is one of the alleged victims, account that, in the early hours of last day 01, search from 01:00, “there was a police charge against some people” who were celebrating the entrance of the new year in Praça da República”, traditional venue for various celebrations in the city of Beja.
"There were about a dozen people, dispersed in small groups", and, "Abruptly", “Four PSP vehicles” arrived, from which “about two dozen agents, to screams and insults", equipped with “cassettes, distributing batons indiscriminately, without directing any words before”, claims Nuno Matos, of 58 year old, in the complaint.
Nuno Matos reports that he walked away "quietly from the place", but it was “assaulted on the back, with a baton in the left hand", such as “other people present, with shoving and unjustified violence".
"Most of the people" who were in the square were "immigrants", who "were surrounded, attacked and persecuted, without having had any reaction other than fleeing or trying to protect themselves", he argues.
According to the complainant, "there was no situation of resistance to authority, no threat, not even exaggerated behavior in celebrations. There was only one disproportionate and inappropriate show of force".
"Indeed, not eu, nor were other people present closer even identified", Frisian, reporting that one of those present videotaped what happened, "in the sense of collecting possible relevant evidence, having been illegitimately coerced by agents not to do so".
in the complaint, Nuno Matos considers that “it was an evident act of exaggerated use of force and abuse of authority by police officers in the circumstances, with hints of xenophobia".
Speaking to Lusa today, Nuno Matos said that, that dawn, around the 01:00, went to Praça da República to greet friends and acquaintances who could be there.
Asked by Lusa about whether some of the people would be violating rules decreed for New Years Eve, namely the prohibition of gatherings of more than 10 people and consumption of alcoholic beverages on public roads, Nuno Matos said: "It's possible".
"There were bottles there, there were cups. I had a cup in my hand, I wasn't drinking, but I had already drunk. But, even though the question may be that, what made me angry was that there was not even an attempt to talk to people", Frisian.
After the alleged aggression that he says he was the target, reveals that he sustained injuries to his left hand and went to the hospital emergency room, where was watched.
Stating that he is "unable to use his hand" and "prevented from working", Nuno says that he wants to "claim compensation or be compensated in an appropriate manner".
After "two days thinking about it", says, for being "outraged", went to the Police Station in Beja, on Tuesday, to report the situation and show videos of it, but he was told that there was no record of “no unusual occurrences” that night..
That same day, ended up submitting electronic complaints to the Public Prosecutor's Office, to the General Inspectorate of Internal Administration and the Ombudsman against PSP.
Lusa contacted the PSP's Beja District Command today, which sent clarifications on the matter to a communiqué to be issued.
Communiqué from the District Command of the PSP of Beja- "POLICE INTERVENTION ON NEW YEAR'S NIGHT"
The District Command Beja PSP (CD Beja), following the police intervention carried out in Beja (meanwhile advertised on digital social networks and media), on New Year's Eve (01JAN2022), on one of the city's public streets, and related to non-legally authorized celebrations., and organized that took place there, clarifies the following:
The PSP was alerted to the existence of a fire at the site;
arrival at the place, the PSP verified the veracity of the existence of a bonfire, that constitutes an illegal practice, lacking authorization from the competent authorities, and with it, various groups of people (of number greater than 10) to consume alcoholic beverages on public roads (actions prohibited under the Council of Ministers Resolution 181-A/2021);
In view of the verified offenses, weighted the number of people involved (approximately, 50) and the police contingent that went to the place, the PSP chose to limit itself to putting an end to the aforementioned offenses, without any other procedure, promoting the dispersion of the various groups of people present at the site, using dialogue, proactively and pedagogically. There was never a need to resort to a more repressive intervention, despite the record of some moments of greater tension and exaltation, throughout the dialogue maintained with the people involved, apparently drunk, in general;
It should be noted that this police did not take note of any intervention in which they were involved., specifically, migrants;
The police report reported here, by its nature and published images, triggered an investigation process, which will follow its normal procedures, in accordance with the internal regulations of the PSP.
