Portugal’s streets fill with voices for Palestine

By Samantha Gilstrap

Life News Today

LISBON, Portugal (Oct. 7, 2025) — Thousands of people gathered in Lisbon’s city center Saturday to protest civilian casualties in Gaza and call for an immediate ceasefire. Demonstrators carrying Palestinian flags filled the streets surrounding the Parliament building, chanting slogans demanding an end to airstrikes and restrictions on humanitarian aid.

Participants marched from Rossio Square toward São Bento, home to Portugal’s Parliament. Many held signs in Portuguese and English reading “Stop the war,” “Ceasefire now,” and “Human rights for all.” Along the route, volunteers distributed leaflets urging the government to press for stronger diplomatic action within the European Union. The protest, organized by the Portuguese Committee for Peace in the Middle East and supported by student and labor groups, began in the late afternoon and continued into the evening. Police estimated attendance in the tens of thousands. Officers said the event remained peaceful and no arrests were reported.

Miguel Viana Antunes, a spokesperson for the Portuguese Committee for Peace, said the demonstration reflected growing public concern. “People in Portugal want their leaders to speak clearly against the loss of civilian life,” he said. “This is not about politics but about human dignity.”

The protest followed similar rallies across Europe, including in Madrid, Paris, and Berlin, as governments faced calls to support de-escalation efforts. In Lisbon, organizers said the gathering was intended to maintain public pressure as reports of civilian casualties in Gaza continued to rise. Portugal’s government has condemned attacks on civilians and called for humanitarian access to the Gaza Strip. Prime Minister Mariana Vieira da Silva said earlier this week that Portugal supports an “immediate and lasting ceasefire” coordinated through the United Nations. The Foreign Ministry reaffirmed the country’s support for a two-state solution and urged the protection of civilians on both sides.

Protesters represented a range of groups, including human-rights organizations, university associations, and migrant communities. Students from Lisbon and Porto said they joined to express frustration over what they view as a slow international response. Families attended with children carrying paper doves and peace symbols.

Portugal’s security forces maintained a visible but restrained presence during the march, closing nearby streets to traffic and monitoring intersections near the Parliament building. By nightfall, police reported that the crowd had dispersed without incident. City Hall said cleanup crews were scheduled overnight, and public transport resumed normal service Sunday morning. Organizers said attendance exceeded expectations and credited the cooperation of city officials and security services. “The goal is to keep public attention on civilian suffering and the need for negotiation,” Antunes said.

Public gatherings over Gaza have become more frequent in Portugal since early October, with smaller vigils held in Coimbra and Braga. Organizers said they plan additional events if violence escalates or diplomatic talks stall. For Lisbon residents, Saturday’s gathering was one of the largest public demonstrations since earlier protests over climate and labor reforms. The Portuguese Red Cross and several local NGOs set up information booths offering ways for citizens to donate medical supplies or volunteer for relief organizations working in Gaza.

Analysts note that while Portugal’s protests have remained largely peaceful, they reflect a wider shift in European public opinion toward stronger humanitarian advocacy. In recent months, demonstrations across the continent have urged governments to review arms sales, increase aid funding, and support investigations into alleged war-crimes violations. Portugal’s government has maintained a diplomatic stance consistent with EU policy but faces growing calls from opposition parties and advocacy groups to take a more active role in humanitarian mediation. The Parliament is expected to debate a resolution next week reaffirming support for a ceasefire and additional aid to Gaza.

Across Europe, similar marches were planned in Brussels, Rome, and London as tensions over the conflict continued. The Lisbon protest was one of several coordinated efforts by civil-society groups that aim to pressure European governments toward renewed diplomacy.