The Minister of Internal Administration ordered the opening of an urgent investigation into the lack of policing in this Saturday’s game between Famalicão and Sporting, which ended up being cancelled, and the statements made by the president of the National Police Union (SINAPOL), Armando Ferreira, who admitted the existence of a “strong possibility” that police protests would prevent the elections.
It is mentioned in a statement, issued on Saturday night, that the MAI opened an investigation into “events relating to the policing, by the PSP, of the Famalicão–Sporting game, from the First Football League, in particular those involving widespread and sudden medical leaves presented by police officers”.
“IGAI was also ordered to open an investigation, regarding statements made by a union leader regarding the activity of the PSP in the context of the upcoming electoral acts, namely the possibility that the transport of ballot boxes could be at stake”, it reads in the note.
After the events of this Saturday, the National Director of the Public Security Police and the General Commander of the National Republican Guard were summoned by the Minister of Internal Administration for a meeting to take place this Sunday, February 4th, at 9 am at the Ministry of Internal Administration.
The game between Famalicão and Sporting was initially postponed for an hour due to a lack of police at the stadium, and was later canceled for the same reason. Next to the stadium, clashes occurred between Famalicão and Sporting fans, resulting in several injuries. Hours after the supposed start of the match, the PSP said that it had planned and prepared the “adequate and necessary police force to ensure the normal course of the event” but, before the start of the game, an “unusual number of police officers reported that they were sick, reporting sick leave”.
This security force stated that, even activating police resources from other police units — “those resources that also came to report situations of indisposition, with travel to hospital units” — and even from the GNR, it was not possible to guarantee the game.
“As there were some incidents of public order near the Municipal Stadium of Famalicão, even though it was possible to reinforce its surroundings, the PSP, in coordination with the organizer and promoter of the event, decided that the necessary conditions for the event were not met. realization of the game”, reads a note from PSP.
Armando Ferreira, president of the National Police Union, was heard on SIC Notícias following the police boycott of the game and highlighted that this type of protest action – in this case due to the multiplication of medical leaves of selected professionals – “will be repeated in other games of football” and warned that “things could take on another dimension”.
Asked whether he was admitting a boycott of the legislative elections, he stated that it was “a strong possibility”: “The security forces are the ones who transport the ballot papers and the ballot boxes”, he reinforced.
2024-02-03 23:10:41
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