A group of several dozen people started riots near Lisbon, setting fire to garbage bins and destroying buses, after police officers fatally shot a 43-year-old man. The officers claim that they acted in self-defense.
A group of about 40 people started riots in the western city of Amadora on Monday Portugal. They occurred after the police killed one of the residents of the local Zambujal estate several hours earlier. According to the police, the 43-year-old belonged to a gang and was shot when he tried to attack officers with a knife during a police check, and riots were started by other gang members after the incident. According to the Portuguese police, the officers killed the aggressor “acting in self-defense” after firing two firearm shots at him.
SEE ALSO: He spread fake news that caused riots. He was arrested
Riots near Lisbon
As a result of the evening riots on the streets of the Zambujal estate in the city of Amadora, a group of masked people set up barricades made of garbage bins and then set them on fire. She also threw stones and bottles at public transport buses. Rapid reaction units of the Portuguese police began trying to unblock several streets in Zambujal after midnight, shooting at the aggressors with smoothbore weapons. Assistant Commissioner of Police Ana Ricardo explained that the use of weapons by the officers was justified by the attackers' attack on a fire brigade vehicle that had been previously called to extinguish a fire at one of the apartment blocks.
According to Portuguese media, at least one person was injured during the riots.
Zambujal is one of several settlements in the city of Amadora considered unsafe. Most of the people living there are immigrants from former Portuguese colonies or their descendants.
Main photo source: Shutterstock