Madeira’s PSP indicated today that the restriction on access in the parish of Curral das Freiras, reported by the Journalists’ Union, was carried out at the request of Civil Protection, in order to have freedom of action.
“We are able to confirm that there was indeed a restriction on access, at the express request of Civil Protection, which wanted to have freedom of action and guarantee a security perimeter, so that the resident population could remove their belongings, feed their animals and that the most resistant were prepared for emergency evacuation”, said the PSP, in a written response to the Lusa news agency.
This situation occurred in the early hours of Saturday, the police added, “which meant that, throughout the day, it resulted in a permanent police presence to assist Civil Protection”.
“The advance and retreat of the flames was inconsistent, which is why requests for collaboration from Civil Protection varied depending on the danger and proximity of the flames,” explains the PSP in the same information.
As for the other impediment situation, which the Journalists’ Union says occurred on Sunday, in Fajã dos Cardos, the PSP says it refers to Monday.
“At that location, Civil Protection requested that only residents should remain in the area where the media were located, so that they could remove their belongings and assist the neediest and most weakened residents, since the other people present at that location were hindering the fire-fighting operations and the remaining resources would be concentrated in that area shortly to attack that front of the fire, consequently increasing the security perimeter”, explains the police force.
On Thursday, the Madeira delegation of the Journalists’ Union denounced, in a statement, what it describes as a “climate of pressure and restrictions” on the activities of professionals involved in covering the fire that broke out on August 14.
The union indicates that on August 17 and 18, situations of restriction of journalists, image operators and photojournalists in accessing the parish of Curral das Freiras were recorded.
According to the union structure, “there were clear instructions from the PSP not to allow the media access to the site, and this difficulty was only overcome after several contacts so that they could allow the journalists to pass through”.
“What this union does not understand is the dual criteria in allowing passage on the road closed by PSP agents. They allowed a JPP deputy to circulate, on a campaign action, and prevented journalists from passing through to carry out their activity: informing”, read the note.
On this issue, the PSP states that, at the time the MP was at the location, the situation was not so serious, “and the media were not denied access to the same place where the MP was”.
In the statement released on Thursday, the union emphasizes that “the pressure also affects those responsible for the media, who are pressured to deny news that later turns out to be true.”
Among other situations, the Journalists’ Union highlights the information released on Wednesday by DN/Madeira about the activation of the European Civil Protection Mechanism to send two Canadair fire-fighting planes.
“After the news was published, sources from the Regional Government rushed to deny the information in an attempt at ‘professional assassination’, as the director [of DN/Madeira], Ricardo Miguel Oliveira, put it. Two hours later, Miguel Albuquerque himself, president of the Regional Government, confirmed the arrival of the two aircraft to Madeira”, the union states.
When questioned by Lusa, a source from the Health and Civil Protection Secretariat said at the time that the executive did not deny the news regarding the Canadair planes, having only indicated that this information “needed confirmation”, since the decision-making process was still ongoing.
Regarding the PSP’s actions, the Regional Government source forwarded explanations to the security force.