The commander of the Metropolitan Command of Lisbon of the PSP, chief superintendent Luís Elias, publicly defended the need to reduce alarmist speeches about security in public squares, arguing that this matter requires effective work and coordination between different entities, namely local municipalities. In an interview with the agency, Luís Elias stated that security issues are addressed through concrete work and partnership among various social actors, instead of speeches that may alarm the population.
The commander considered that the criminality associated with tourism in Lisbon is something that is present, but minimized the impact by stating that "what we have is the minimum", suggesting that the situation is not as serious as some public speeches may indicate.
Luís Elias emphasized the importance of "effective, coherent" work and collaboration with multiple entities to face the security challenges in the Portuguese capital, without resorting to communications that may create unnecessary alarm in public opinion.
