About 400 people demonstrate in the capital against digital certificate – Cidade Hoje
“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 the posters erected during the initiative “Move: It’s Time to Act – # ALiberdadenãoÉCertificado”, which had as a meeting point Jardim Amália Rodrigues, next to Parque Eduardo VII, where they gathered to pass Avenida da Liberdade to Terreiro do Paço, under police escort.
The protest brought together people of different ages, all without masks, some accompanied by the national flag, others with ‘shirts’ saying “for the truth” or “hiding is fraud”, including some children holding signs where you could read: “My future is worth more than your fear”.
“I always want to see your smile” was the message that Maria Crespo, 61, brought to the protest, which is to think of a 9-year-old granddaughter, considering that children and the elderly “are not protected from rules that she cannot no way to surpass”, referring to the control measures of the covid-19 pandemic, from the use of mask to vaccination.
“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 that is considered the contagion, therefore, in relation to the whole situation of the virus, I don’t think it’s reasonable”, defended this protester, who came from Figueira da Foz to Lisbon on purpose to be at the protest.
In a statement to the Lusa 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 – from circulating, from developing certain activities, obviously that freedom is compromised”, explained the participate in it.
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 Salazar’s time [regime ditatorial do Estado Novo em Portugal] and I know what it is not to be free and what is free”, said this participant in the protest, disagreeing with the requirement for a digital certificate to be able to enter certain spaces.
“I just want them not to upset me, to let me be free. For me to go to a restaurant now, to go eat a baked cod, I have to have a card thing. As much as they try to convince me, I don’t see any reason for that, not even in terms of public health”, said José Duarte, elaborating that he has not yet decided if he will be vaccinated against covid-19, because he is waiting for more information on vaccine safety.
Among the approximately 400 participants was Bruno Fialho, president of the National Democratic Alternative (ADN) party, formerly PDR.
From the organization of the action “Move: It’s Time to Act – # ALiberdadeNotÉCertificado”, Rute Dinay explained that the idea of mobilization is to “demand responses from the Government”, in the sense of clarifying the successive restriction measures, “without any logic sometimes” and that “apparently don’t make much sense”.
Promoted through social networks by a group of citizens who believe that the concept of freedom is at stake in the face of measures to combat the pandemic implemented by the Government, an initiative is taking place simultaneously in five cities, namely Lisbon, Porto, Quarteira, Ponta Delgada and Funchal.
According to government measures, as of Monday, January 10, the digital certificate will be mandatory for access to restaurants; tourist tourism and local accommodation; cultural shows; events with marked places; and gyms.
The digital certificate includes either an antigen or negative PCR test performed within the previous 48 or 72 hours, respectively, or the complete vaccination schedule.