AIMA closed, a “crowd” appeared, PSP was called

“They are very friendly but it is very difficult to get help and then we get here and the door is closed.” There was no disorder.

A PSP It was this Wednesday call to the Agency for Integration, Migration and Asylum Service Center (AIMA) no Porto due to a “gathering of around 60 people” caused by the closure of that service, Lusa confirmed on site.

As reported to Lusa, at 10:40 am, one of the people waiting to be served, the access door to the building where that AIMA counter operates “remained closed” more than an hour after opening time, which “caused a crowd to gather” on the sidewalk.

“The people were calm, but didn’t understand why the door was closed. We just wanted an explanation and there was no one here,” said António Carú, a Brazilian citizen who came “on purpose” from Lisbon to be served at that counter.
For that user, “it’s boring because it costs money and there’s always something, you can never do everything at once”.

Kyrol Melnik, a Ukrainian citizen, also complained about the “lack of organization” of service: “They are very friendly but it is very difficult to get service and then we get here and the door is closed”, he said.

To Lusa, at the scene, the PSP explained that it was called “because there was a gathering of people, as there were many and the sidewalk is narrow, they were occupying the public roadthat was the only reason we were called.”

“We have had no reports of any confusionskirmish, or any problem”, he stated.

At 10:30 a notice was posted on the building’s access door stating that, “for reasons of force majeure”, the service was closed.

“For me, I’m Brazilian, everything is fine, but most people here don’t understand because it’s only in Portuguese”, says Antônio Gadú.

Source from the Metropolitan Command of the PSP of Porto confirmed to Lusa that they were called to the scene due to gathering, at the door of the facilities, “more people than normal”, but “no record of disorder”.

“We don’t know what led to the closure. And the information we have is that the facilities are expected to open soon”said the same source.

At 11:00 there were already less than 10 people in the place.

The Lusa agency contacted AIMA via email and is awaiting a response.