Miguel A. Lopes / Lusa
ndré Ventura during his visit to Praça Martim Moniz and Rua do Benformoso
André Ventura was, this Monday, at Martim Moniz, in Lisbon, where he heard residents asking for more security, but also praise for the immigrant community.
The leader of Chega was speaking to the press moments before visiting Rua do Benformoso, in the Martim Moniz area, in Lisbon, which was recently the scene of an event that generated controversy and several public criticisms from political forces and immigrant associations.
When asked what message he wanted to send with this visit, Ventura replied: “It’s the message that politicians should have sent already: the message that they are behind side of the police and not align with this true genocide that is being carried out against the police in Portugal, this political genocide, which is the attempt to behead all police officers, saying that they are all racist, any police action is exaggerated, any police action is not justified”.
If over the weekend more than a hundred people walked along Rua do Benformoso to distribute red carnations, a symbol of the revolution that established democracy in the country, this time Chega’s delegation, made up of several deputies, appeared armed with white roseswhich Ventura characterized as “symbol of law and order”.
“You are welcome and we are happy, but…”
Right at the beginning of their walk, the delegation was approached by some immigrants who wanted to offer André Ventura red roses, flowers that the Chega leader refused, before exchanging a few words with Rana Taslim Uddinleader of the Bangladeshi community in Lisbon.
“For us everyone is welcome here, and we are happyI brought you flowers”, said the community leader to the president of Chega. We respect all communities, which What we demand is that you follow the rules“, said Ventura.
“And I’m also sorry to say it like this, I don’t think you’ll take me the wrong way: I congratulate you for being here, and not you for me being here, because the land is still ours”, he added.
For the first time, a political leader has the courage to tell immigrant representatives that this land still belongs to us and that they have to respect that!
— André Ventura (@AndreCVentura)
To sweeten the visit, a Bangladeshi trader tried to offer Ventura traditional sweets from that country, but the deputy refused.
The walk continued, always supervised by party security and a strong police contingent from the PSP Rapid Intervention Team, who followed behind the delegation.
Residents feel unsafe
Ventura didn’t take long to find a resident: “I’ve been really bad since that this community came here”, he stated. However, the same resident stated that “there are many [imigrantes] who are politeand there are many who speak very well” to you.
“The problem I have lately is wanting to go into the house and they are at my doorstep. groups at the door standing in the street. That’s what I think is bad. They don’t let the person into the house. (…) That’s the only problem because, to tell the truth, I’ve never had a problem with anyone”, he added.
Ventura said that “the nationality” of citizens was not at issue, but rather “the groups complying with the same rules”.
ahead, Antonio Barrosoresident of Rua do Benformoso for 55 years, told Ventura that sometimes some taxi drivers refuse to take you home for having already been robbed in that location, and reported an attempted robbery of which he was the victim.
Today we visited Rua do Benformoso, where several residents and shopkeepers complain about the increase in insecurity. Without boycotts and without blue pencil, CHEGA shows what good Portuguese people suffer.
— André Ventura (@AndreCVentura)
“The problem is not immigrants”
When asked whether his complaints were directed at the immigrant community, Antonio Barroso replied: “I’m not here identifying them. I know what’s going on but immigrant community is usually peacefulI don’t have any major problems.”
“Many of those who are out there selling are actually my friends,” he said, before asking for a reinforced police presence in the area.
In front of the media apparatus, several residents filmed and took photos of Ventura, who also heard criticism from those who passed by and shouted “April 25th always” – with the delegation returning shouts of “Democracy” and “Enough”.
A resident, who did not want to speak to the deputy, exclaimed: “They say bad things about immigrants on television and then come here to greet them. I live in this neighborhood, the problem is not immigrants“.
In the end, Ventura said he left the neighborhood with the “feeling that there is a need for much more police” in this place and that it is necessary to “recommend a massive police presence to the Government”.
