Lisbon, Aug. 14, 2026 (Lusa) - Shopkeepers in Lisbon's iconic downtown Baixa district have reiterated their warning about the lack of safety in the district and called for increased policing and the installation of CCTV, following the shooting of a tourist.
«The Associação de Dinamização da Baixa Pombalina (ADBP) wishes, once again, to express its deep concern at the growing sense of insecurity experienced on a daily basis in Lisbon's Baixa district,» stated the association of shopkeepers in this tourist area of the capital, in an open letter addressed to the minister of internal affairs, Luís Neves, and the mayor of Lisbon, Carlos Moedas (PSD).
The ADBP's open letter follows an incident that took place on Monday in the Baixa district, where a Swedish tourist was struck by a stray bullet following a confrontation between two groups selling fake drugs (ground bay leaves).
In light of this situation, the association has demanded «the urgent, effective and permanent reinforcement of policing, as well as the immediate implementation of a CCTV system in the district», noting that this is a measure which has «long» been called for by local traders and business owners, as it is considered essential to prevent crime, protect residents, workers and visitors, and «preserve Lisbon's international image».
«If nothing is done within a very short space of time, we will very soon be faced with a situation that will seriously jeopardise the continuity of economic activity in the Baixa district,» it warned.
Over recent years, the ADBP has been drawing attention to the rise in crime in Lisbon's historic centre, notably drug trafficking and consumption and «the illegal sale of goods on Rua Augusta and in the area surrounding Largo de São Domingos», as well as the proliferation of illegal street vending, acts of vandalism and the degradation of public spaces – situations that are spreading from Martim Moniz to Chiado.
«The serious incidents that took place last Monday, right in the middle of Rua Augusta, unfortunately confirm the warnings that the ADBP has responsibly and persistently addressed to the various public authorities over the years,» it emphasised.
From the association's perspective, this incident involving a tourist being shot demonstrates that «the situation has reached such a level that it demands a firm and immediate response from the public authorities», namely the internal affairs ministry, the police, Lisbon city council and the judiciary.
In this regard, the PSP police have insisted that the sale of pressed bay leaves as a drug must be criminalised, given that a legal loophole hinders efforts to combat this phenomenon, which has been going on for over 20 years.
«The PSP has already made several proposals for legislative amendments to tackle this phenomenon of the sale of pressed bay leaves, talcum powder, plaster and other products that mimic narcotics, in order to provide a legal framework and certainty for the PSP's operations, given the current legal vacuum,» the force stated in response to the Lusa news agency.
According to the Public Security Police, the main reason for the «protracted nature and worsening of this issue, as well as the sense of impunity from which these individuals appear to benefit», relates to the lack of a legal framework; they therefore argue that the sale of pressed bay leaves «should be classified as a criminal offence, thereby facilitating police action and providing legal certainty».
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Lusa
