“I don’t think you can confuse a very small minority of teachers who have radicalized their behavior, but I’ve been saying for a long time that there is a risk to a minority group of teachers, which is to radicalize attacks.said Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, after being asked on the sidelines of popular marches in Lisbon about the controversy surrounding the posters displayed at a protest by teachers who took advantage of June 10 to demonstrate in Peso da Régua and that António Costa considered “a bit racist”.
For Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, the “overwhelming majority of teachers has nothing to do with what constitutes the behavior of a minority”, recalling that he was also in Peso da Régua and that he saw “in 200 teachers (…) 20 or 30 with a certain kind of behavior”.
The president of the republic stressed that it would be unfair “to punish a class for the behavior of a very small group within a class”.
“The government is the first to know that when examining the issue of teachers, it is not the argument to have a position more or less favorable to teachers,” he stressed.
When asked if the images on the posters present at the protest were racist, the head of state said that “it doesn’t offend anyone, it offends everyone who can”.
“That means there’s only really offended, who has the status to offend. Status really means when you do what you do, you’re thinking of a greater good,” he added.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa also stressed that at the teachers’ protest on June 10, he also saw T-shirts with messages referring to him, which ensured that he was not offended.
“That was not said, but they were there. (…) They don’t offend me, because it’s not about who wants, but who can,” he emphasized.
Arriving at the site of the official military ceremonies for Portugal, Camões and Portuguese Communities Day, which took place this year in the town of Régua, district of Vila Real, the Prime Minister’s wife, Fernanda Tadeu, was delighted with some of the comments of teachers in protest.
Initially, António Costa asked the woman not to respond to the comments, but then turned around and yelled “racist”, visibly agitated.
Later, in statements to those waiting for him, the prime minister said the protests are “part of freedom and democracy”.
“In better taste, in worse taste, with these somewhat racist posters, but that’s it, that’s life,” he stressed.
Source: DN
