“Is freedom certified?”, “Is freedom digital?”, “Do you have to lose freedom in order to be healthy?” and "Are you free until your next dose?" were some of the questions raised by the participants, through posters erected during the initiative "Movimenta: It's Time to Act - #ALiberdadenãoÉCertificado".
The protest action brought together people of different ages, all without masks, some accompanied by the national flag, others with t-shirts saying "for the truth" or "Covid is fraud", including some children.
"What is happening goes beyond what is reasonable, that is, at this moment we are still thinking about digital certificates, thinking about restrictions, which in the end are not solving what is happening from the point of view of the contagion, so in relation to the whole situation of the virus, I don't think it's reasonable”, defended 61-year-old Maria Crespo a protester, who came from Figueira da Foz to Lisbon to protest.
Speaking to Lusa news agency, Maria Crespo said she was against vaccinating children, without wanting to talk about vaccinating adults, but stressed the need to respect the decision of each citizen: “this is a right we have to fight for, it's the right to decide on these things, and to be responsible in relation to others”.
"From the moment that individual decisions may be compromised by the fact that today there are restrictions that prevent me - due to a decision I have made - to circulate, to do certain activities, obviously that freedom is compromised", explained the same participant.
Criticizing the role of the media, José Duarte, 67, stated that participation in this protest "is not about vaccines, being anti-vaccines or being against vaccines, it is a matter of freedom."
"I lived in the time of Salazar and I know what it means not to be free and what it means to be free", said this participant in the protest, disagreeing with the requirement for a digital certificate to enter certain spaces.
WELL DONE!!!!!????
By D.K. from Lisbon on 10 Jan 2022, 13:51
100 people... ground swell of dissent!! I believe support for current measures is demonstrated by the clear majority who follow the guidelines and the science!
By Stuart w. from Algarve on 11 Jan 2022, 08:29
I must say the "show me your papers" routine is a bit gestapoesk. I have just stopped eating out, especially after a couple restraunts refused to show me their cooks health certificate to ensure they arent spreading hepatitis about to patrons. Segregation and demonisation of anyone is bad and facist, so stop it.
By Nick from Lisbon on 12 Jan 2022, 07:20