The popular demonstrations on the 25th of April in Lisbon attracted crowds, to mark the 50th anniversary of the Carnation Revolution. Hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets in Lisbon, Porto and many other cities, in parades where red carnations dominated but also posters with anti-fascist and freedom slogans.
On Avenida da Liberdade, in Lisbon, the procession took hours to advance. “In fact, this is no longer a parade, it is an occupation of Avenida da Liberdade, which has become too small for so many people who want to take to the streets”, said blockade coordinator Mariana Mortágua to journalists.
“There is an entire country taking to the streets today in Lisbon, in Porto, in so many cities. And it’s not just to celebrate 50 years of April 25th. It is to make a statement, to say that in Portugal democracy cannot be negotiated. Democracy is not at stake, there is a majority of people who support and defend democracy”, stated Mariana Mortágua.
Act the day before, the 24th:
The demonstrations brought together parties, unions, associations, collectives and several generations of protesters, from the youngest to those who witnessed the day that put an end to the dictatorship. One of these examples and perhaps the most symbolic, now 90 years old, is Celeste Caeiro, the woman who distributed carnations to the soldiers who participated in the operation to overthrow the dictatorship and ended up giving the name to the Portuguese Revolution, which insisted on participating in the parade, going down the avenue in his wheelchair.
The demonstration in Lisbon was also attended by the president of the European Left, Walter Baier, who is also this political group’s candidate for leadership of the European Commission following the June 9 elections.
