Hundreds of students are blocking two secondary schools in Lisbon to demand better education, but also to protest the rising cost of living and the housing crisis, which they say is "destroying their future."
"We occupy the streets to demand housing; we will occupy the schools to demand education" is the motto of the protest that today mobilised hundreds of students from the António Arroio Art School and the Camões High School.
Santiago Carrilho is one of the many students who are outside the gates of the Camões Secondary School, which was blocked in a protest by those who fear "a future without conditions."
"We have the cost of living increasing more and more, housing increasing more and more, schools without conditions. They are destroying our future, and Luís Montenegro decides to close his eyes to what is happening in the country," Santiago Carrilho, from the student movement Chumbado.PT, told Lusa.
Just over a kilometre away, around two hundred students are also protesting in front of the António Arroio Art School for the same reasons.
"Both schools are blocked, without classes, with the support of staff and teachers, because this is a common cause that affects everyone, not just young people," added Raul Noetzold, a student and member of the Chumbado.PT movement.
Investment in education
The students are demanding increased investment in schools to allow for renovation work, which will end "the cold in winter and the heat in summer," Maria Fonseca added in statements to Lusa, recalling that "there are still students who are currently without teachers."
The students are asking for better school conditions and access to higher education, and they believe the actions could "plant the seed and expand the blockades to schools in the rest of the country," added Santiago Carrilho.
“We plan to stay here until 6 pm, the school's closing time, but throughout the week we want to occupy more and more schools, more and more streets, more and more squares,” he added, explaining that the protest also aims to mobilise for the housing demonstration, marked by the Lisbon Camp that will take place on 24 October in Lisbon.
The students are also protesting the worsening cost of living and demanding measures at the climate and international levels, an end to investment in war, and stronger measures to guarantee the energy transition.
The Chumbado. PT movement organised the blockade actions.PT movement and by Students for the End of Fossil Fuels.
“Today we occupy the schools, tomorrow we occupy the streets,” Santiago Carrilho assured.