According to a report by Lusa, the GNR were called on 5 July, to disperse hundreds of people of various nationalities who were concentrated on the public road and consuming alcoholic beverages on Rua da Oura - known as the “Strip” in Albufeira - in breach of the law and the recommendations of the Directorate-General for Health (DGS).


“Several administrative offenses were issued to dozens of people for the consumption of alcoholic beverages and to the owners of establishments that operated outside legally authorised hours,” said the police.


According to the police source, who was unable to specify the number of infractions and the infraction notices raised by the GNR, “the infractions detected in that area have been daily”, namely the disregard for the rules imposed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, “not only establishments operating after closing hours, but also drinking alcohol on public roads”.


The same source added that the GNR has reinforced actions to make people and owners of establishments aware of the risks that the concentrations of people carry in this pandemic period, clarifying about the mandatory use of a mask in closed spaces and for social distancing.


“Despite the daily reinforcement of awareness-raising actions, people still do not respect the rules,” he said.


For his part, the Mayor of Albufeira, José Carlos Rolo, told Lusa that the municipality will reinforce awareness actions among the owners of the catering and beverage establishments, alerting them to the mandatory compliance with DGS rules.


“As of 8 July, we will not only have meetings with the owners, but we will have a van circulating on the streets with sound information, where the measures in force in Portugal are indicated,” he said.


According to José Carlos Rolo, the abnormal concentrations of people detected in the last few days at Rua da Oura, “have been mainly young foreigners who are on school leavers trips and are mostly Dutch”.


“I assume that the rules and recommendations in the Netherlands are different from those in force in Portugal and that young people do not wear masks and do not respect the rules of distance, due to lack of knowledge”, he concluded.


According to the mayor, the application and enforcement of the rules is being coordinated between the municipality and the GNR, “an entity that has been a judge when it detects non-compliance, namely during the opening hours of the establishments”.