"Judge Ana Barao said the posters' wording attacks an ethnic minority and she gave Andre Ventura 24 hours to remove them or face a daily fine of 2,500 (2,200) per poster. The anti-immigration, anti-establishment Chega emerged just six years ago and in May became the second-largest parliamentary force after the ruling centre-right alliance. Now Ventura is running for president in elections due in January."
"[The posters] aggravate the stigma and prejudice that Roma communities already face in Portuguese society in general, thus fostering intolerance, segregation, discrimination and, ultimately, hatred, Barao wrote in her ruling, published on Monday. Ventura has called the court case an attack on freedom of expression, but last week promised to comply with whatever the court decided. A Chega spokesperson said Ventura would respond later."
"Ricardo Sa Fernandes, the lawyer representing the Roma associations that filed the complaint, said the decision would help make Portugal more just and decent, calling it a victory for the resistance of the Roma. In May, Portuguese prosecutors opened an investigation into discriminatory remarks against Roma made by Ventura. Recent opinion polls place Ventura, who is campaigning mostly on a promise to fight corruption, among the frontrunners in the first round of the presidential election on 18 January."
A Lisbon court found street posters produced by Andre Ventura's Chega party discriminatory and capable of inciting hatred against the Roma community. The judge ordered Ventura to remove the posters within 24 hours or face a daily fine of €2,500 per poster. The ruling said the posters aggravate stigma and prejudice, fostering intolerance, segregation, discrimination and hatred. Ventura criticized the case as an attack on freedom of expression but pledged to comply with the court. Lawyers for Roma associations called the decision a victory. Prosecutors opened an investigation into Ventura's earlier discriminatory remarks, and polls place him among presidential frontrunners.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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