Taxi drivers have been using Facebook to threaten the Deputy Secretary of State for the Environment José Mendes who now has increased police security.
An evaluation by the Public Security Police and the Security Information Service has noted the growing tension due to scheduled legalisation to legalise alternative transport services such as Uber and Cabify.
The risk is now categorised as ‘high’ as in the last few weeks the offensive comments have turned to into direct threats made to the Mendes and to his family whose pictures have been posted on the social media platform.
The number of PSP officers and Security Corps agents accompanying the politician has increased, but may be increased further if the level of risk is judged to have risen.
There is a taxi drivers rally planned for Monday October 10th in Lisbon to protest against the legal changes to be made by the government that will enable alternative services such as Uber and Cabify to operate in Portugal.
The president of the taxi drivers’ union ANTRAL, Florencio Plácido de Almeida, has said he can not guarantee that the rally will be entirely peaceful.
