According to a report by Lusa, the three agents were released yesterday (19 March), but the fourth policeman remains hospitalised at Hospital São José, in Lisbon, in a critical condition.

An investigation is now being undertaken by the Judiciary Police.

In a statement released on Saturday, the PSP said that the incident took place in the early hours of Saturday, at 6:30 am, "outside a nightlife establishment, on Avenida 24 de Julho", having started with mutual aggressions between several citizens.

According to the PSP, there were “four police officers, who were off duty, who immediately intervened, as was “their legal obligation”, who ended up being “violently” attacked by one of the groups, which was made up of about 10 people.

One of the policemen was "pushed and fell to the ground, where he continued to be attacked with several kicks, while the other policemen also continued to defend themselves", the PSP said.

According to the police, the attackers fled and it was not possible to identify them.

"We emphasise that the police, despite not being on duty, did not stop intervening, fulfilling their police status, trying to maintain public order and the physical integrity of the fellow citizens we serve", highlights the PSP.