Thousands of people have joined protests in Portugal calling for greater action to combat climate change.
The Lisbon protest held on Saturday and organised under the motto “Unite against climate failure”, was just one of a number of actions organised by Portuguese activists to coincide with the COP27 conference being held in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.
Portuguese magazine Público have held numerous interviews with participants, with students forming a key part of the protest movement. Among their different campaigning methods has been the practice of occupying university and college buildings, for example the Antonio Arroio Art school. Leonor Chico, a 17 year-old student told Público that “we have to act, we have no other option” and stressed that “faced with inaction of our government, we have to act immediately”.
On Saturday, the march reached the Lyceum Camões where it was due to join up with an occupation taking place there. But a more radical moment occurred when about 30 protesters entered the Order of Certified Accountants aiming to gain access to a private event where António Costa Silva, the current Minister of Economy, was speaking.
By the end of the day of action, students told Publico of their anger at the lack of action on the issue but also on the “energy” that they had felt by being part of the demonstration.
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