Vidigueira, Portugal, July 7, 2026 (Lusa) – Portugal’s minister for Internal Affairs, Luís Neves, on Tuesday described the assault on PSP officers at Lisbon Airport as “particularly serious” and emphasised that respecting a police officer is essential to protecting society.
“It is a particularly serious situation, because when you attack a police officer, you are attacking society as a whole; you are attacking all of us. It is therefore a particularly serious matter. I hope the authorities will pay close attention to this situation,” the minister said.
Speaking to journalists in the village of Vidigueira, in the district of Beja, following a meeting at the town hall, Portugal’s minister for Internal Affairs recalled that, on Monday, he had immediately issued a statement expressing “a fraternal embrace to those who were attacked, and to the Public Security Police themselves”.
“Society must always uphold respectful conduct. The authorities have identified the individual, an Irish citizen, taken them into custody, and will present them before the judicial authorities, who will carry out their duties,” he revealed.
Luís Neves insisted on making “two points: [one] of profound condemnation of any attack on a police officer and [another] of great solidarity and support for those who were targeted” by the assaults.
“Police work must be carried out with the utmost resolve and firmness, using the appropriate means to put a stop to any kind of aggression,” he emphasised.
The minister noted that, on Monday, following these incidents at the airport, there was another incident at a commercial premises in Amadora.
“I saw the footage. With courage and dignity, whilst carrying out their duty, yet another member of the Public Security Police put their physical safety at risk to enforce the law,” he reported, thanking the members of the security forces.
On Instagram, Portugal’s minister for Internal Affairs (MAI) published a statement on Monday stating that Minister Luís Neves “condemns the violent attack perpetrated against members of the Public Security Police at Lisbon airport”, which took place that day.
“The officers intervened following an incident involving a passenger who had allegedly already assaulted other staff at the airport (including two security guards),” the statement read.
During the police intervention, according to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, “one of the officers suffered serious assault and went to hospital with serious injuries”.
“The PSP arrested the suspect, a 27-year-old Irish national, and will hold him in the COMETLIS detention cells pending his subsequent court appearance”, the ministry said in the statement.
“We are monitoring the injured officer’s condition and wish him a speedy recovery, and I express my full solidarity with the police officers involved,” said Luís Neves, quoted in the statement.
On that occasion, the minister emphasised that “respect for members of the security forces, who ensure everyone’s protection on a daily basis, is essential, and the state fully supports them”.
According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, “the competent authorities are currently investigating the circumstances leading to this incident”.
RRL/ADB // ADB.
Lusa
