At 22 years old, Nelson Rodrigues was in Lisbon when he saw the images of the planes hitting the twin towers live on television. His first reaction was disbelief, thinking it was fiction. As the hours passed, the perception changed and many Portuguese began to feel that Portugal was safe, isolated from the danger affecting the United States.
However, not everyone shared this feeling of protection. There were those who imagined darker scenarios, fearing the outbreak of a Third World War. Fear settled in some people who tried to anticipate the global consequences of the attacks.
The article explores the different reactions of the Portuguese to the September 11, 2001 attacks, showing a contrast between those who felt geographically protected and those who feared the worldwide repercussions of the attack.
