Last Saturday, hundreds of people working in the Portuguese cultural industry gathered in Lisbon to protest the government’s recent measures to combat COVID-19 and call on the government to save it from the imminent collapse.
The protest was organized by the Association of Promoters of Performances, Festivals and Events (APEFE). The protest was held the day after the Portuguese Parliament voted to approve the president’s request for an extension of the state of emergency to help fight COVID-19.
APEFE stated that compared with 2019, the number of performances in Portugal from January to October this year has dropped by 87%. The association pointed out that “the measures have deteriorated in recent weeks and its persistence, and there may even be new social confinement”, and expressed concern that the number of cultural performances may drop by as much as 90% by the end of the year. APEFE also called on the government to take measures to save the cultural industry.
The protests took into account all the health and safety measures taken by the government, and the capacity of the Campepecno compound does not exceed 2,000 people.
In the COVID-19 pandemic in Europe, the cultural sector is one of the most affected, and containment measures have resulted in the cancellation of festivals and concerts, as well as events held in cinemas, theaters and other venues.
