Singer Carolina Deslandes Hospitalized Amid Protests
From her hospital bed, the Portuguese artist criticized police intervention and urged public figures to speak out against recent events.
Portuguese singer Carolina Deslandes announced from a hospital bed that she is currently receiving medical care, while continuing to follow ongoing demonstrations regarding housing rights in Portugal. The artist shared several video messages on social media expressing her frustration over being unable to participate directly in the protests.
Although she is dealing with personal health issues, Deslandes stated that she remains deeply concerned about the situation unfolding in the streets. "I am hospitalized, I cannot be there. I am in an indescribable amount of frustration seeing the number of videos that reach me, of things that reach me," she confessed in her online statements.
The singer specifically addressed public figures and individuals with large online platforms, urging them not to remain silent about the recent developments in the country. She emphasized the need for collective awareness and called on fellow influencers and public personalities to use their visibility to address the unfolding situation.
Deslandes criticized the police intervention directed at demonstrators, alleging that officers in plainclothes were involved in provoking unrest by burning trash bins and setting off firecrackers during the protests. These specific allegations regarding plainclothes officers have not been independently confirmed.
The artist argued that the right to protest applies to everyone and should not be dismissed as a partisan issue between the political left and right. She warned that public apathy poses a threat to civil liberties and stated that citizens must protect their fundamental democratic rights.
Reflecting on her own recent participation in a demonstration at Rossio in Lisbon, where she performed several songs, Deslandes stressed the importance of civic engagement. She cautioned against allowing fear and intimidation to suppress freedom of expression and public assembly in a democratic society.
Concluding her message, Deslandes emphasized that defending democratic principles is a shared duty for all citizens. While the specific reasons for her hospitalization remain undisclosed, the artist continues to advocate for public mobilization and the protection of democratic freedoms from her hospital room.