Taxi drivers protest against ‘police abuse of power’

A large group of taxis drivers surrounded the traffic police building at Avenida de Sidónio Pais on Thursday night to protest against what they claimed to be “selective law enforcement and abuse of power” by the police.
The protest was apparently triggered after a police officer fined a taxi driver for violating passenger pick-up and drop-
off regulations near the Venetian Macao by stopping on a yellow line.
The dispute that broke out afterwards between the two eventually led to the police officer taking the driver into custody, where the driver claims to have been held for about six hours.
The incident, according to several other taxi drivers who joined the protest, is not new and such occurrences are becoming increasingly frequent.
One of the taxi drivers who attended the protest said that he was involved in a similar situation about six months ago, when he was taken to the police station with handcuffs on and forced to stay there for a long period of time, left alone in a corner and not allowed to even go to the toilet.
Several media reported that, at the peak of the protests, about 50 taxi drivers and their respective cars were gathered around the police building demanding the release of their colleague who had been taken into custody.
After a few “heated” moments that almost constituted physical confrontation, tempers among the crowd started to cool upon the arrival of a high-ranking police official. The official addressed the taxi drivers and disclosed the news of their colleague finally being released, who eventually joined them at the site.
The gathering protest resulted in major traffic congestion and a special intervention team from the Public Security Police Force (PSP) was called to put an end to the demonstration. The specialist team helped to remove the aggrieved drivers and convince them to leave the precinct with their vehicles.
Police claimed that the protest caused trouble to residents living in the neighborhood and also greatly affected the flow of traffic. The police officials urged protesters to express their concerns in a more peaceful manner and noted that the authorities will continue to crackdown on any violations by taxi drivers.
The incident occurred just one day after a group of over 20 taxi drivers staged a protest in front of the Legislative Assembly building, showing opposition to the Transport Bureau (DSAT)’s recent proposal of new taxi service regulations, as the Times reported.
DSAT’s proposal aims to regulate the taxi industry by starting to carry out sting operations, revoke taxi licenses and apply fines and suspensions to drivers and taxi owner companies.

taxi drivers’ demonstration

Taxi drivers plan to show their dissatisfaction with the proposal for new taxi regulations today. The Public Security Police Force (CPSP) announced yesterday that the demonstration will begin today at around 10:30 a.m. Drivers will depart from the Border Gate Square, pass by Av. Norte do Hipódromo, Rotunda da Amizade, Avenida de Venceslau de Morais and Estr. Da Bela Vista, and finally stop at the Transport Bureau (DSAT), where drivers will deliver a letter. The police expect between 50 and 100 taxis to join the demonstration.