Portugal’s far-right Chega party ordered to take down posters targeting Roma people | Portugal

The leader of Portugal’s far-right Chega party has been ordered to remove street posters attacking the Roma community after a Lisbon court ruled they were discriminatory and could incite hatred.

Judge Ana Barao said the posters’ statements “attacked an ethnic minority” and gave Andre Ventura 24 hours to remove the posters or face a fine of 2,500 euros (£2,200) per poster per day.

The anti-immigration and anti-establishment Chega emerged just six years ago and became the second-largest force in parliament after the ruling centre-right alliance in May.

Now Ventura is running for president in January’s election.

“[The posters] It aggravates the stigma and prejudice that Roma communities already face in Portuguese society in general, thus encouraging intolerance, discrimination, segregation and ultimately hatred, Barao wrote in his decision published on Monday.

Ventura called the case “an attack on free speech” but vowed last week to comply with whatever the court’s decision is. A Chega spokesman said Ventura would respond later.

Ricardo Sá Fernandes, a lawyer representing the Roma associations that filed the complaint, said the decision would help make Portugal “more fair and respected” and described it as a “victory of the resistance” of Roma people.

In May, Portuguese prosecutors opened an investigation into discriminatory statements Ventura made against Roma.

Latest polls show Ventura, who campaigned mostly on promises to fight corruption, is among the frontrunners in the first round of the presidential election on January 18.

Polls also suggest he will lose to any of his three main rivals in the second round of voting.