December 22, 2023. Cerrado Night. Two people with a hood are in a hurry to write the word “genocide” with a red marker on the walls of the Lisbon Council of Paços, while two others throw balloons in ink, which have a red facade of a building in which the city council of Lisbon (CML) is located.
On the porch, the Palestinian flag and a poster with the message “Free Palestine” rises. The action is fast, and protesters run from the site that are not intercepted. At least, this is what shows a 58 -second video, shared on the social network X shortly after protest.
In his statement, the Palestine liberation team, the climate and the Lisbon student climate, said after the action was performed “Solidarity activists” From these movements, they accused the president of the municipality of Carlos Coins, “Support apartheid Israeli “.
But the version of the municipality and ships differs. More than a year after it happened, only one person was considered guilty and convicted as a result of vandalism: 40 -year -old Rondinelli Jose Pontes from Brazilian citizenship, which was unemployed during facts and lived on the street. In January, he was ordered to pay a fine of 2730 euros and compensation in the amount of 10,855 euros for the municipality for the introduction of crimes in a place prohibited for the public and qualified damage.
In addition to the fact that he was not present at any of the court hearings, Rondinelli never filed defense and did not list the witnesses. The judge, reading the verdict, suggests that “The version of facts is unknown” The defendant, who did not prevent his condemnation.
It is strange even more: none of the movements associated with protest, knows him or does not know about his whereabouts. “We all shocked a little with the appearance of the judicial system, courts and police, because it gives it perfectly to see that this is a completely unreasonable decision “Says Alice Gato, climate -activist. “This is clearly visible from the published videos that the action was made by a group of people, and not one. “
Conflicting versions
A Sunrise He had access to the trial and recording of the hearings. A successful video where you can see four authors is never mentioned in the process. The only version taken into account is the version of the chief agent Luis Rodriguez, who will detain Rondinelli Pontes in the act at 7:30 in the morning during the round. The agent said that he heard a noise abroad and, arriving at the main entrance, caught the accused “Writing and graffiti facade”He also adds a field that he had a bag with a rope that suspects to climb the porch of the building to change the flags.
The discrepancy begins in the time of detention. To what Sunrise He was able to investigate the statements and photographs of protest, which were sent to the news departments by teams at 7:29 in the morning, which makes it actually impossible for the defendant at the same time, and this would end.
But there is still. At some point, reporting the facts, Luis Rodriguez says in the plural: “TThey raised the CML flag and put Palestine “The judge did not allow this to go empty and asks: “He said in the plural, was someone else on the spot, except for the defendant? “What the agent does not answer. A video released on social networks contradicts this version clearly shows that it was a collective action, at least with four participants.
Without more witnesses, the version of the agent, which was in place, was considered proven and, based on it, the defendant convicted of the defendant without any additional investigation.
January 9, 2024, agent Luis Rodriguez was awarded the honor of Carlos Coins with the Merit Medal “Thanks to the intervention in the acts of vandalism against the municipality of Paços Do, December 22, 2023. “
Homeless people were convicted of paying more than 13 thousand euros
There is another unusual data that jumps into view. On the date of submission of the criminal complaint, the Lisbon chamber provided for the damage budget of 3580 euros. Having already read the verdict that took place on January 9 this year, the cost was 10,855 euros, the difference in more than 7,000 euros.
A change in the cost to which the judge indicates how “Not being significantly high” – It was justified “Additional work” In cleaning paint on the facade.
The unemployed and homeless, Rondinelli is still obliged to pay a fine of 2730 euros and legal costs in the process in which he did not even participate.
“This is completely disproportionate. We tried to contact a person to help him with payment, but to no avail “Alice Gato follows.
Movements accuse the court of “arbitrary conviction”
On February 26, 2025, collective movements for the release of Palestine, climate and student climate made a statement in which they accuse CML, PSP and the court to stop and condemn the person arbitrarily.
In it, they claim that “The time of detention will not reach the correct ones, since before the detention has already happened, dozens of journalists in the country received a press release that informs about the action, with photographs and videos about it ”They add this by the field “It is obvious that at least five people perform an action, and not just one.”
They also claim that the video confirms that there was no conclusion in this act and that “The collections talked to each other and do not know anyone who was detained, judged or condemned for this action. “
Over the past few weeks Sunrise Several times, unsuccessfully tried to contact Rondinelli Ponts and his lawyer.
Chronology of events
07H34: CML Vigilante says that he caught Rondinelli Jose Ponts, alone, graffiti, external facade of the building. Video about social networks distributing four graffiti activists and throwing red ink to the facade of the municipality.
8H28: Climatic groups, the liberation of Lisbon Palestinian and student climatic strikes publish a statement stating that the protest was held by “activists of solidarity” of movements.
11:36 in the morning: CML has a criminal complaint against Pondinelli Pontees and claims that the damage in the amount of 3580 euros.
13H02: Carlos Coins issues a statement to refuse the “attack”.
CML requires the discovery of the investigation of the Diapa, against Rondinelli Pontes and “other strangers”.
Carlos Conins Med Medals Medals Agents Luís Rodrigues and Germono Silva “To intervene in vandalism against the Paços municipality”.
Dick de Lisboa reports that he charged against the “accused for committing an introduced crime in a place, prohibited public and a crime of qualified damage.”
November 11, 2024
Rondinelli misses the first hearing in the test. They are present as witnesses: Luis Rodriguez, the municipal police who detained the accused; Miguel Figuiled, agent PSP 2.
Rondinelli again misses a court hearing.
Rondinelli Pontes is ordered to pay a fine of 2730 euros and compensation in the amount of 10,855 euros for CML for the introduction of crimes in a place prohibited for the public and qualified damage.
The collections are published by a statement accusing the prosecutor of “the absolutely arbitrary conviction of a person who has nothing to do with this action.”