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“The idea that Portugal is very open to immigrants and that it helps immigrants to grow is, in fact, a fantasy”, said Aisha Noir, one of the participants in the demonstration which brought together, in Lisbon yesterday, representatives of around 20 organizations supporting immigrants and defending human rights.
Aisha Noir, a transgender Brazilian woman living in Portugal, says she feels the racist, transphobic stares every day.
The Brazilian, who lived in the Netherlands before arriving in Portugal, said that when she arrived in Portugal and felt the look of hatred for being a trans woman, this was something that shocked her.
In the demonstration, which began in Praça Luís de Camões, several immigrants shared their experiences of discrimination as immigrants in Portugal, with the Foreigners and Borders Service (SEF) was the main target of the revolt of these citizens.
“We came to say enough to violence at SEF, because the situation has lately been unsustainable. We are thousands of people trying to do our renovations and residence permits, thousands of times a day trying to contact SEF by phone, and we can't get in touch”, said Vicente, from the LX Mutual Support Network, one of the promoters of the event.
He points out two situations that waiting times from SEF are one of the reasons that justify the demonstrations.
Protesters defend the immediate extinction of the SEF, but also that it be replaced by “a quality public service, of a civil order, that treats immigrants in an equal situation, that is guided not by the issue of security, seeing immigrants, not as a threat to public security, but as a matter of access to basic and fundamental human rights,” he said.
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Unfortunately this article puts the focus on an individual who has suffered from two terrible forms of prejudice. There maybe those that look at the transgender side of this and write off the situation. But unfortunately the racism in Portugal is deep. We have lived here for two years and it is one of the main the reason we are leaving. The other is just like most Portugués that leave - it is impossible to get a decent paying job in Portugal to keep up with the costs of living. We really wanted to believe what most people said about the Portuguese being open, kind and nice. But unfortunately that has just not been our experience in Lisbon-Cascais. We speak the language, go out of our way to understand the culture and the people, but are confronted daily with situations that we have only ever experienced in Portugal that we can only attribute to forms of racism and distrust - and we have lived in 7 countries so far. I do hope for the sake of both those moving here and the Portuguese that immigration happens in a way that locals don’t feel endangered by it and those moving here don’t live in expat bubbles. If it continues the way we see it, it is a cauldron waiting to explode.
By Portugal from Lisbon on 17 Dec 2022, 18:30
Oh do try to play a different tune, a minority that doesn’t want to fit in and cries racism.
Having tried 7 countries, don’t you think you should look at yourself?.
Portugal is a great place to live.
By JG from Algarve on 18 Dec 2022, 08:05
I would agree with the discrimination in Portugal. We are a gay couple who came here for retirement drawn by how nice the people are and accepting and how wonderful the country was a great place to retire.
We have found that a lot of people think you here for a fee ride and to scrounge off the government looking for handouts and free health care. This is far from the truth we came he with our own health care our pension and savings we don't need handouts from anyone. We are fed up of being treated like a scroungers and the government should stop trying to attract people here on the promos that its such a wonderful place to retire or move to to set up business and invest in Portugal We have had it with Portugal and are selling up and moving to a country that wants us for who we are
By Graham from Other on 18 Dec 2022, 08:57
Having been in Portugal two years, we have only ever experienced racism once. This was dealt with, and the offenders sacked after numerous complaints. Living in central Portugal, we have really only ever felt accepted and neighbours bring fruit and veg over to us all the time. It really is quite sweet. You will always find those that resent you, even when we lived in NZ and OZ we faced racism. Not everyone trusts something different. Get over it and just do you4 best. We can’t be liked by everyone all of the time.
By Ian from Beiras on 18 Dec 2022, 11:33
JG - not sure who you are referring to as a minority not wanting to fit in, you seem to have missed what I wrote if you were referring to me. We have tried to fit in. You also seem to jump to conclusions easily, without stopping to think about why we had to move countries - we moved because our international jobs moved us.
As opposed to stopping to understand how others are treated - your need to attack other posters is surprising.
The point of commenting on articles is to post views that support or refute an article.
Genuinely curious - are you a Portuguese speaker, do you have loads of Portuguese friends or are you living in a gated community of mostly expats, reading only english newspapers? I~m not saying you have to speak the language to fully integrate as we did not everywhere we have lived, but it obviously helps.
Moving to a country to live should be about integrating, not having to live in bubbles. Everywhere else we lived we integrated into the communities and a large number of our friends were locals, not only expats. I am glad that you feel that it is great place to live, and as I said in my original post I hope that things improve for those of people like us that have felt this way and that for those of you who stay you are truly integrating into Portuguese society.
All the best.
By Portugal from Lisbon on 18 Dec 2022, 12:37