Good morning and welcome to PORTUGAL DECODED, where we cover all sides of life in this gorgeous country. Today, in the wake of a spate of anti-migrant attacks, we reckon with some inconvenient truths.
These incidents listed are only a portion of attacks upon immigrants. You’ve neglected to mention the beating on an immigrant TO DEATH in the Lisbon airport by the border police in 2022 and the harassment and beating of farm workers in Odemira by the GNR in 2021. How many more go unreported or covered up? Hating immigrants is not new nor Portugal specific but is really important, when listing incidents, to make a comprehensive list. When only listing specific incidents it gives the impression that these are the only incidents, which is clearly not the case.
Thanks for your comment! I completely agree with you: the point of this briefing was precisely to point out that there is a deeper issue that goes beyond the attacks in Porto two weeks ago. There's so much more to say about this particular topic but unfortunately, in this format, it is simply impossible to go even deeper (and not the aim of this newsletter, really, since I'm only trying to give a summarized view of events). Perhaps that calls for another, more in-depth newsletter about Portugal, we'll see about it. In the meantime, if you would like to make that comprehensive list, I'd be very happy to publish it here (and give you credit for it, of course). All the best, Diogo
I appreciate your decision to not gloss over those inconvenient truths. Thank you.
Your analyses are always very pertinent and complete. Thank you
These incidents listed are only a portion of attacks upon immigrants. You’ve neglected to mention the beating on an immigrant TO DEATH in the Lisbon airport by the border police in 2022 and the harassment and beating of farm workers in Odemira by the GNR in 2021. How many more go unreported or covered up? Hating immigrants is not new nor Portugal specific but is really important, when listing incidents, to make a comprehensive list. When only listing specific incidents it gives the impression that these are the only incidents, which is clearly not the case.
Thanks for your comment! I completely agree with you: the point of this briefing was precisely to point out that there is a deeper issue that goes beyond the attacks in Porto two weeks ago. There's so much more to say about this particular topic but unfortunately, in this format, it is simply impossible to go even deeper (and not the aim of this newsletter, really, since I'm only trying to give a summarized view of events). Perhaps that calls for another, more in-depth newsletter about Portugal, we'll see about it. In the meantime, if you would like to make that comprehensive list, I'd be very happy to publish it here (and give you credit for it, of course). All the best, Diogo