“We are starting to install video security cameras in Cais do Sodré, which are extremely important for our security,” said Carlos Moedas (PSD), during the presentation of the work of the city council over the last three months, between November and January, at the headquarters of the Lisbon Municipal Assembly.

The plan to expand the video protection system in Lisbon includes 30 video surveillance cameras in Cais do Sodré.

The mayor said that the installation of video surveillance in Cais do Sodré “is a long-standing demand of many”, recalling that the next step will be the installation of video protection in Campo das Cebolas, where 32 pieces of equipment are planned, emphasising that this work will be carried out in compliance with the locations defined by the Public Security Police (PSP).

In his speech, Carlos Moedas said that the city of Lisbon makes security “a priority”: “We cannot have any stigma. We have to talk about security in Lisbon. It’s normal for the mayor to do this, it’s normal for us to do this and it’s normal for us to take care of our security, of our city.”

“We know that Lisbon is a safe city and that is why we have to work on security so that it continues to be a safe city,” he declared.

As part of the discussion, independent MP Daniela Serralha, from Cidadãos Por Lisboa (elected by the PS/Livre coalition), questioned Carlos Moedas' statements about “the increased feeling of insecurity” when PSP data “denies” an increase in crime and criticised the failures in public lighting in Lisbon.

According to data released on January 28, general crime in the municipality of Lisbon decreased by 12.6% in 2024 compared to 2023, while violent and serious crime fell by 10.41%. Regarding the PSP data, Diário de Notícias reported that crime in the Portuguese capital recorded the second biggest drop in 10 years, having only been surpassed in 2020 and 2021, the years of the Covid-19 pandemic.

In response to these figures, on January 28, the Mayor of Lisbon argued that crimes in the city have been committed with greater violence.

Two weeks later, Carlos Moedas stated: “If the safety figures are confirmed, obviously I will be the first and everyone here will be very pleased, but the figures must be looked at carefully, that is, we cannot look at a drop in a certain value on average without looking at what is within that number, that is, what actually dropped in safety”.

At the municipal assembly, the PSD mayor says that he did not have access to the PSP numbers, but from what he knew, “what fell in security were the so-called proactive crimes”, when the police were on strike in the first half of 2024.

“We cannot look at the numbers without looking at the details of the numbers, because otherwise, we are creating perceptions, we are creating perceptions through the numbers and that is dangerous”, argues Carlos Moedas, highlighting that the mayor's job is to be concerned, including with security according to the “reports” he hears.

Lisbon currently has 34 video surveillance cameras in the city - 27 in Bairro Alto since 2014 and seven in the Miradouro de Santa Catarina region -, according to municipal data. Previous data indicated a total of 33, but a video surveillance camera was added in Bairro Alto.

The first phase of the plan to expand the video protection system in Lisbon is currently underway, with a total of 99 video surveillance cameras expected in four locations, namely, Cais do Sodré (30), Campo das Cebolas (32), Restauradores (17) and Ribeira das Naus (20), which should be in operation by the end of August this year.

According to the municipality, the second phase of this plan includes 117 video surveillance cameras "in 11 different locations", namely in Praça do Comércio, Cais das Colunas, Praça D. Pedro IV, Praça da Figueira, Rua Augusta, Rua do Ouro, Rua da Prata, Rua do Comércio, Rua dos Fanqueiros, Santa Apolónia - Rua Caminhos de Ferro and also Santa Apolónia - Avenida Infante D. Henrique.