Manuel Fernando Araújo / Lusa
Police hold protest plenary. More police at Lisbon airport is a problem for the rest of the city.
The Police Professionals Union Association (ASPP/PSP) this morning holds a protest plenary at Lisbon airport due to the Government’s lack of response in resolving the problems of police officers at air borders.
The plenary, which takes place between 07:00 and 11:00 at the Control and Border Station, also aims, as the president of ASPP, Paulo Santos, told Lusa, to criticize the Government for not complying with the agreement signed in July 2024, which has already led the union to abandon negotiations with the Government.
This plenary, which could cause constraints at the airport, it comes after the ASSP held another one in November and warned of the continuation of protests in the absence of concrete responses from the Government in resolving the problems of police officers at the air borders.
From the November plenary, a document emerged on the situation regarding passenger control at airport borders, a competence that the PSP inherited two years ago from the Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF), which the ASPP sent to the Government, the national management of the PSP, the General Inspectorate of Internal Administration and political parties.
In this document, ASPP denounces the “great revolt” by police officers at Lisbon airport, who refute criticism that they are responsible for waiting times and accuse “inexplicable meddling and pressure” from political power.
Where do the police come from?
Waiting times at Lisbon airport have been increasing in recent days, with the Minister of Internal Administration announcing on Wednesday a reinforcement of 80 PSP police officers for the next 15 days with the aim of ensuring the regular functioning of border control and security during the peak period.
Paulo Santos questioned under what conditions these police officers will be placed at Lisbon airport, adding that there is not enough space or boxessince the problem at Lisbon airport is one of “space management”.
Furthermore, he left a question: Where do the 80 police officers come from? who will reinforce the airport?
“These police officers are coming from somewhere, aren’t they? To reinforce the airport, we are withdrawing from other locationss. And I’m talking specifically about the police stations. What I know is that this reinforcement comes from the Lisbon Metropolitan Area”.
The president of ASPP/PSP warned that Increasing the number of police at the airport is synonymous with undermining security in other areas of the capital.
Paulo Santos also considers that the ANA is “conditioning” the PSP, the Government. “We ask if this is normal: a private company giving instructions, conditioning public security.”
Police try to join
The police officers who are controlling passengers at Lisbon airport today want to leave their jobs to participate in the plenarybut they are being threatened disciplinary processes, a union source told Lusa.
The threat from PSP leaders is motivating a wave of protest by the police inside the airport, added Paulo Santos.
