Setúbal square to become mock 'beach' against Arrábida privatisation bid

The civic movement "Deslarrrguem a Arrábida!" is holding a flashmob protest on Saturday at Praça do Bocage in Setúbal, its third such action, against attempts by Herdade da Comenda to claim exclusive ownership of five Arrábida beaches and surrounding land. Protesters are asked to bring towels, umbrellas and inflatables to symbolically turn the square into a "beach". The landowner has several lawsuits pending seeking to have the disputed shoreline classified as private rather than public domain, a claim both the Public Prosecutor's Office and the Portuguese Environment Agency reject. Access to the region's beaches has already been restricted this year due to storm damage and rockfall risks.