Court orders André Ventura to remove anti-Roma posters within 24 hours
The ruling by the local civil court judge was delivered to the plaintiff's lawyer this Monday. If Ventura does not remove the posters, he will face a daily fine of 2500 euros.
André Ventura posted posters in the streets containing messages deemed racist and xenophobic.
According to PÚBLICO newspaper, as informed by plaintiff lawyer Ricardo Sá Fernandes, the judge of the Lisbon District Civil Court upheld the complaint filed by associations representing the Roma community and ordered Chega leader and presidential candidate André Ventura to remove the anti-Roma posters he displayed nationwide within 24 hours. Ricardo Sá Fernandes was informed of this decision this Monday.
The court ruled the posters discriminatory and ordered André Ventura to refrain from directly or indirectly ordering or promoting the display of posters with identical or similar content in the future. The court also ruled that for each poster not removed from public roads within the 24-hour deadline, a fine of 2,500 euros will be imposed, with the same fine applying to each poster he displays thereafter.
Judge Ana Brenda considered that the posters in question constituted an infringement upon the plaintiffs' rights to honor, good name, and reputation. She also dismissed André Ventura's claim that prohibiting the display of these posters violated freedom of expression, noting that freedom of speech is not an absolute right. Citing relevant articles of the European Convention on Human Rights, the judge emphasized that the Convention explicitly prohibits discriminatory expressions based on race or ethnic origin, and thus such content is not protected by freedom of expression.
This civil lawsuit was jointly filed by six individuals from different associations who have long been dedicated to defending the rights of Portuguese Roma: Paulo Domingos Fernandes, Bruno Gomes Gonçalves, Osvaldo da Fonseca Grilo, Maiala Cardoso Domingos, Idálio da Silva Sá, and Mário Lino Barão Serrano. The case was officially filed on November 10th. The plaintiffs are represented by lawyer Ricardo Sá Fernandes. Bruno Gonçalves told PÚBLICO: Justice has been served, and the dignity of Portuguese Roma has been restored. We do not accept the collective accusation and humiliation of an entire community based on stereotypes. This is just one battle; there are many more battles to face in the future. We will fight for all those who continue to suffer under the influence of this political leader and his party, for human dignity, for fundamental human rights. This is our struggle; human rights are never negotiable.
The lawsuit demanded the removal of posters targeting the Roma community and an order for André Ventura to pay a fine of five thousand euros for each day of delay or for each similar poster displayed. Previously, André Ventura had promised to remove the posters if the court ordered so.
Chega posted the posters in several locations including Moita, Montijo, and Palmela. The posters read Roma must comply with the law, accompanied by a photo of André Ventura as a candidate for the Presidency of the Republic. Although Chega party posters targeting Bangladeshi citizens still exist, they are not covered by this decision as no complaints have been received. It should be noted that previously, after receiving multiple complaints, the Public Prosecution Service opened an investigation into André Ventura's presidential campaign posters bearing slogans such as This is not Bangladesh and Roma must comply with the law. On November 11th, the Public Prosecution Service confirmed receiving these complaints and stated that these complaints have triggered an investigation, currently underway in the Lisbon region and prosecution departments. Beyond the clear judicial ruling, this incident also reflects the resilience and values of Portuguese society itself. Faced with the radical rhetoric and confrontational political tactics employed by the Chega party, counterbalancing forces from various sectors of society have gradually emerged. Whether through civic groups, the media, or collective responses expressed via judicial channels, they all indicate that Portuguese society still holds inclusivity, diversity, and fairness as mainstream consensus. From a rule-of-law perspective, Portugal's stable and impartial judicial system, combined with society's own commitment to inclusive and fair values, forms an effective check-and-balance mechanism. It is precisely for this reason that Portugal's future political development will continue to be centered on moderation, rationality, and integration, rather than heading towards high polarization or radicalization. This is also a crucial foundation for its ability to maintain long-term social stability and development.