Chega's leader faces Roma protests

The Chega party has repeatedly sparked outrage with its hardline rhetoric against Portugal’s Roma community.

Image via SIC Notícias.

Chega leader André Ventura faced protests from the Roma community in Braga and Aveiro this week.

As Ventura continues his campaign, the backlash from minority groups grows louder, raising fears of further unrest.

“If we Roma unite, it won’t end well,” warned protester Beto Bethoven in Braga. “But today, we protest peacefully.”

Braga: Spitting, Shouts, and Accusations

On Thursday in Braga, around 20 Roma protesters gathered near the Arco da Porta Nova, waving their community’s flag and anti-fascist banners.

Chants of “Viva o 25 de Abril, viva a liberdade!” (Long live April 25th! Long live freedom!) filled the air as they declared themselves Portuguese citizens.

Chega supporters countered with “Chega, Chega!” and “Portugal é nosso!” (Portugal is ours!) - but tensions exploded when Ventura arrived.

Protesters spat in his direction, striking him from a distance. The far-right leader fired back, calling them “the real racists” and telling them to “go to work.”

Ventura accused the group of being “planted” to disrupt his campaign, suggesting coordination by left-wing parties.

“They follow us everywhere to silence us,” he claimed.

When asked if he feared further confrontations, Ventura said he hoped for everyone’s safety but added: “I can’t tell the Roma community to leave me alone.”

“We Will Not Be Intimidated”

After the march, Ventura addressed supporters, urging them not to back down.

“We are not afraid,” he declared, claiming he is “persecuted because I will change this country.”

Before Ventura’s arrival, Chega’s Braga candidate, Filipe Melo, had also clashed with protesters, who shouted “Go away, fascist!”

One demonstrator, Célio Maia, accused Chega of being “liars with no education.”

Melo countered that while protest was a right, “insulting people is not.”

Speaking to journalists, Maia argued that Chega targets the Roma community and that Ventura uses this hostility “as a weapon.”

Another protester, Beto Bethoven, warned of rising tensions, saying, “If we Roma unite, it won’t be good” but stressed they were demonstrating peacefully.

Aveiro: "Racista! Fascista!"

The Braga clash came just 24 hours after another heated encounter in Aveiro, where a Roma group interrupted Chega’s campaign march, shouting “Racist! Fascist!” at Ventura.

Belarmina Fernandes, a vocal protester, confronted Chega supporters, insisting: “We are Portuguese!”

She accused the party of fueling hatred against Roma people, warning that “our children will suffer worse times than we are living now.”

“When something happens involving a Roma person, we all get blamed,” Fernandes said. “But mistakes happen in every community.”

She argued that anti-Roma discrimination has worsened since Chega’s rise, calling Ventura’s rhetoric "hate speech."

Ventura’s Response: "They Should Be Working"

In both cities, Ventura doubled down, telling protesters they “must work like everyone else.”

In Aveiro, he seized the moment, declaring: “You all have to work—just like everybody else.”

His remarks reflect his long-standing criticism of Portugal’s Roma community, including claims they “live outside the law” and “refuse integration.”

Opponents accuse him of demonizing an entire ethnic group for political gain.

Growing Tensions

With Chega polling as Portugal’s third-largest party, these clashes highlight deepening divisions.

The Chega party has repeatedly sparked outrage with its hardline rhetoric against Portugal’s Roma community.

Ventura has accused Roma people of “living outside the law” and “refusing to integrate,” often suggesting they rely on welfare instead of work.

In 2021, he claimed Roma communities “don’t respect the rules of Portuguese society,” fueling accusations of racism.

Chega has also pushed for stricter policing in Roma neighborhoods and proposed ending social benefits for families with children who miss school, a policy critics say targets Roma disproportionately.

Ventura has even linked the community to crime, despite lacking statistical evidence.

These statements have drawn condemnation from human rights groups and political rivals, who accuse Chega of scapegoating minorities for electoral gain.