Portugal vows zero tolerance over racism after threats to lawmakers, activists

Portugal's president promised "zero tolerance" of racism and authorities launched an investigation after several people, including two Black lawmakers, were the target of e-mailed threats allegedly sent by a far-right group.

Portugal's president promised "zero tolerance" of racism and authorities launched an investigation after several people, including two Black lawmakers, were the target of e-mailed threats allegedly sent by a far-right group. One of the e-mails, seen by Reuters, was sent to the rights group Antifascist Unitary Front on Tuesday and cited a total of 10 people, from politicians to union leaders, telling them to quit their roles and leave the country within 48 hours or face unspecified "measures" against them and their families.

Signed by "New Order of Avis - National Resistance", the e-mail came three days after a far-right group calling itself National Resistance staged a small torchlight rally outside the headquarters of anti-racism organisation SOS Racismo. Protesters wore white masks. On its Facebook page, the group said the protest was a "vigil in honour of security forces killed by youths". Contacted by Reuters, it denied any links to the emails or the group that signed them.

President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa said public prosecutors were investigating the incidents. "Being firm in our principles means zero tolerance in relation to what is condemned by the constitution," he said.

Cabinet Minister Mariana Vieira da Silva said the threat against lawmakers and other activists, was "also a threat against democracy". Mamadou Ba, from SOS Racismo, told reporters outside the police headquarters in Lisbon after reporting the incidents that they showed that the fight against racism must be reinforced.

SOS Racismo and Parliament President Eduardo Ferro Rodrigues said the threats came from a far-right group Around three weeks ago a Black man was shot several times by a white man in his eighties shouting racist slurs in a busy Lisbon street, prompting hundreds to take over one of the city's main squares in protest.

"Our lives matter," various anti-racism groups said in an open letter on Wednesday. "The silence of the institutions is complicit."

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)