«You are killing anyone who wants to work!». "We want to be heard!" These were just some of the battle cries heard on the morning of Saturday, November 21, in a demonstration that brought together restaurant businessmen, bars and clubs, next to the Doca de Faro.
Hundreds of people, coming from all over the Algarve, but also from other parts of the country, responded to the call of the “A Pão e Água” movement and attended this protest that lasted all morning.
The stage was attended by well-known names such as chefs Ljubomir Stanisic and Leonel Pereira, Eliseu Correia, director of EC Travel, Sofia Hipólito, director general of the Hotel Faro, Bento Algarvio, representing Vivmar, or even Rogério Bacalhau, president of the Chamber of Faro.
Contrary to what happened in Porto and Lisbon, today's demonstration was not disrespected, despite the fact that the tone rose at times.
There were those who called António Costa "aldabrão" and those who even accused the prime minister of having «shit in catering».
Scattered around the dock area of Faro, the people, practically all of them with masks, were holding posters with phrases such as: “1200 billion for TAP and for us?! 20% of nothing”, “We don't want handouts; we want to work” or “We're out of records, but we haven't stopped taking dances”.
Speaking to journalists, Leonel Pereira, one of the organizers of the initiative, acknowledged that the Algarve «is feeling differently» the impacts of Covid-19.
«The seasonality was no longer enough… We are totally desperate and that's what led me to join this event», explained the renowned chef, owner of the “Check-In”, in Faro.
Leonel Pereira asks the Government to "show sensitivity" to the restoration sector.
«With this reduction in hours, for example, I had a drop in this week of 70%. Me and the entire restoration. Not having a light at the end of the tunnel is what makes us most worried. I have 20 employees, all on the verge of going home and they ask us every day if they will continue», he lamented.
For this reason, the demands that served as the basis for this protest were four: «reduction of VAT by 50%, exemption from the Single Social Tax (TSU), replacement of the hours we used to work and that non-refundable support be created».
“With this extension of the State of Emergency, we don't know what it will be like. In a way, there are many houses that we support and we have no words for them [the employees]. There is no heart that can stand when you are asked if there will be money to pay wages. They are in solidarity with us, but it costs», said Leonel Pereira.
The night sector – which includes bars and clubs – has also suffered from the changes that the pandemic has brought to life in society. Miguel Gião, owner of the bar “Columbus”, in Faro, summed up in one sentence the great demand of this protest: “either they give us conditions to work or we close and pay us. That cannot be”.
One of the hottest moments of the demonstration took place when Rogério Bacalhau took the stage to speak. The mayor thanked the entrepreneurs for their tenacity and for "everything they have done in recent years", but also took the opportunity to ask that efforts continue to be made to keep the doors open.
In the audience, hooting and screams were heard: «we can't do it anymore!». For the rest, despite the fact that tempers remained calm throughout the demonstration, some words were heard, here and there, encouraging violence against the political class.
After a minute of silence and the hymn being sung, the demonstration ended at around 13 pm, curfew time in Faro, one of the high risk counties.
Photos: Pedro Lemos | Sul Informação
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