TF
TruthOrFake
Fact Check: Portugal police arrest six in shocking far-right militia crackdown

Fact Check: Portugal police arrest six in shocking far-right militia crackdown

Published June 21, 2025
ByFactChecker 1.1 avatarFactChecker 1.1
✓
VERDICT
True

# Fact Check: "Portugal police arrest six in shocking far-right militia crackdown" ## What We Know On June 17, 2025, Portuguese authorities arrested ...

Fact Check: "Portugal police arrest six in shocking far-right militia crackdown"

What We Know

On June 17, 2025, Portuguese authorities arrested six individuals linked to a far-right group known as the Movimento Armilar Lusitano (MAL). This group was reportedly attempting to establish itself as a political movement supported by an armed militia. The police seized a significant cache of weapons, including explosives, firearms (some of which were 3D-printed), and knives during the operation (Reuters, Washington Post). The detainees are suspected of various crimes, including terrorism, discrimination, and incitement to violence (Euronews).

Manuela Santos, head of the counterterrorism task force, indicated that the group was actively arming itself, recruiting members, and training for potential violent actions, although the specific nature of these actions remains unclear (Washington Post). The investigation revealed that the group had been gaining traction during the pandemic, capitalizing on anti-system sentiments (Reuters).

Analysis

The claim regarding the arrests is substantiated by multiple credible sources. The Reuters report provides a detailed account of the arrests and the nature of the group's activities, highlighting the police's concerns about the group's capabilities and intentions. The Washington Post corroborates this information, emphasizing the seizure of weapons and the group's extremist ideology. Furthermore, Euronews adds context by noting the increasing relevance of far-right sentiments across Europe, which aligns with the motivations behind the group's formation.

The reliability of these sources is high, as they are established news organizations with a track record of accurate reporting. The information provided is consistent across these outlets, reinforcing the credibility of the claims made. Additionally, the police's statements and the context of the arrests suggest a serious threat, which is being taken seriously by law enforcement.

Conclusion

The claim that "Portugal police arrest six in shocking far-right militia crackdown" is True. The arrests and the associated seizure of weapons confirm the existence of a far-right group actively preparing for violent actions. The evidence from multiple credible sources supports the assertion that this crackdown is significant in the context of rising far-right extremism in Europe.

Sources

  1. Department Press Briefing – June 17, 2025
  2. Portugal police dismantle armed far-right group, arrest six
  3. Portugal arrests 6 people linked to a far-right group, seizing ...
  4. Operation Gladio
  5. Guide de voyage et vacances au Portugal - Routard.com
  6. Portugal : les incontournables | Que faire, que voir, que visiter
  7. Portugal arrests six people linked to far-right group
  8. Carte Portugal : Plan Portugal - Routard.com

Have a claim you want to verify? It's 100% Free!

Our AI-powered fact-checker analyzes claims against thousands of reliable sources and provides evidence-based verdicts in seconds. Completely free with no registration required.

💡 Try:
"Coffee helps you live longer"
✓100% Free
✓No Registration
✓Instant Results

Comments

Leave a comment

Loading comments...

More Fact Checks to Explore

Discover similar claims and stay informed with these related fact-checks

Fact Check: Portugal faces rising hate speech as far-right groups gain support!
True
🎯 Similar

Fact Check: Portugal faces rising hate speech as far-right groups gain support!

Detailed fact-check analysis of: Portugal faces rising hate speech as far-right groups gain support!

Jun 21, 2025
Read more →
Fact Check: Far-right party Chega becomes Portugal's second-largest parliamentary force!
True
🎯 Similar

Fact Check: Far-right party Chega becomes Portugal's second-largest parliamentary force!

Detailed fact-check analysis of: Far-right party Chega becomes Portugal's second-largest parliamentary force!

Jun 21, 2025
Read more →
🔍
Partially True
🎯 Similar

Fact Check: Paul Krugman Paul Krugman We’re All Rats Now Time to take a stand, again, against racism Paul Krugman Jun 30, 2025 Zohran Mamdani’s upset victory in New York’s Democratic primary has created panic in MAGAland. Stephen Miller, the architect of Donald Trump’s deportation policies, waxed apocalyptic: Scott Bessent, the Treasury secretary, declared that New York is about to turn into “Caracas on the Hudson.” And Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama basically declared New York’s voters subhuman, saying: These inner-city rats, they live off the federal government. And that’s one reason we’re $37 trillion in debt. And it’s time we find these rats and we send them back home, that are living off the American taxpayers that are working very hard every week to pay taxes. These reactions are vile, and they’re also dishonest. Whatever these men may claim, it’s all about bigotry. Miller isn’t concerned about the state of New York “society.” What bothers him is the idea of nonwhite people having political power. Bessent isn’t really deeply worried about Zamdani’s economic ideas. But he feels free, maybe even obliged, to slander a foreign-born Muslim with language he would never use about a white Christian politician, even if that politician were (like some of his colleagues in the Trump administration) a total crackpot. And while Tuberville stands out even within his caucus as an ignorant fool, his willingness to use dehumanizing language about millions of people shows that raw racism is rapidly becoming mainstream in American politics. Remember, during the campaign both Trump and JD Vance amplified the slanders about Haitians eating pets. And now that they’re in office, you can see the resurgence of raw racism all across Trump administration policies, large and small. You can see it, for example, in the cuts at the National Institutes of Health, which are so tilted against racial minorities that a federal judge — one appointed by Ronald Reagan! — declared I’ve never seen a record where racial discrimination was so palpable. I’ve sat on this bench now for 40 years. I’ve never seen government racial discrimination like this. You can see it in the renaming of military bases after Confederate generals — that is, traitors who fought for slavery. You can even see it in a change in the military’s shaving policy that is clearly custom-designed to drive Black men — who account for around a quarter of the Army’s new recruits — out of the service. So racism and bigotry are back, big time. Who’s safe? Nobody. Are you a legal immigrant? Well, the Supreme Court just allowed Trump to summarily strip half a million U.S. residents of that status, and only a fool would imagine that this is the end of the story. Anyway, when masked men who claim to be ICE agents but refuse to show identification are grabbing people off the streets because they think those people look illegal, does legal status even matter? Does it even matter if you’re a U.S. citizen? And the One Big Beautiful Bill Act is set to massively increase ICE’s funding — basically setting up a huge national secret police force. Now, maybe you imagine that you yourself won’t suffer from this new reign of bigotry and imagine that everyone you care about is similarly safe. But if that’s what you think, you’re likely to face a rude awakening. I personally don’t have any illusions of safety. Yes, I’m a native-born white citizen. But my wife and her family are Black, and some of my friends and relatives are foreign-born U.S. citizens. Furthermore, I’m Jewish, and anyone who knows their history realizes that whenever right-wing bigotry is on the ascendant, we’re always next in line. Are there really people out there naïve enough to believe MAGA’s claims to be against antisemitism, who can’t see the transparent cynicism and dishonesty? The fact is that the Trump administration already contains a number of figures with strong ties to antisemitic extremists. The Great Replacement Theory, which has de facto become part of MAGA’s ideology, doesn’t just say that there’s a conspiracy to replace whites with people of color; it says that it’s a Jewish conspiracy. So I’m definitely scared of what the many antisemites inside or with close ties to the Trump administration may eventually do. And no, I’m not frightened at all by the prospect that New York may soon have a somewhat leftist Muslim mayor. Anyway, my personal fears are beside the point. Everyone who cares about keeping America America needs to take a stand against the resurgence of bigotry. Because the truth is that we’re all rats now. MUSICAL CODA Discussion about this post Michael Roseman Jun 30 Edited For a while, American bigotry was ashamed of itself. Or pretended to be. Now it runs the government. Reply Share 106 replies Megan Rothery Jun 30 Edited Take a stand - Call. Write. Email. Protest. Unrelentingly. Use/share this spreadsheet as a resource to call/email/write members of Congress, the Cabinet and news organizations. Reach out to those in your own state, as well as those in others. Use your voice and make some “good trouble” ❤️‍🩹🤍💙 https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/13lYafj0P-6owAJcH-5_xcpcRvMUZI7rkBPW-Ma9e7hw/edit?usp=drivesdk Reply Share 31 replies 852 more comments... No posts Ready for more? © 2025 Paul Krugman Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice Start writing Get the app Substack is the home for great culture

Detailed fact-check analysis of: Paul Krugman Paul Krugman We’re All Rats Now Time to take a stand, again, against racism Paul Krugman Jun 30, 2025 Zohran Mamdani’s upset victory in New York’s Democratic primary has created panic in MAGAland. Stephen Miller, the architect of Donald Trump’s deportation policies, waxed apocalyptic: Scott Bessent, the Treasury secretary, declared that New York is about to turn into “Caracas on the Hudson.” And Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama basically declared New York’s voters subhuman, saying: These inner-city rats, they live off the federal government. And that’s one reason we’re $37 trillion in debt. And it’s time we find these rats and we send them back home, that are living off the American taxpayers that are working very hard every week to pay taxes. These reactions are vile, and they’re also dishonest. Whatever these men may claim, it’s all about bigotry. Miller isn’t concerned about the state of New York “society.” What bothers him is the idea of nonwhite people having political power. Bessent isn’t really deeply worried about Zamdani’s economic ideas. But he feels free, maybe even obliged, to slander a foreign-born Muslim with language he would never use about a white Christian politician, even if that politician were (like some of his colleagues in the Trump administration) a total crackpot. And while Tuberville stands out even within his caucus as an ignorant fool, his willingness to use dehumanizing language about millions of people shows that raw racism is rapidly becoming mainstream in American politics. Remember, during the campaign both Trump and JD Vance amplified the slanders about Haitians eating pets. And now that they’re in office, you can see the resurgence of raw racism all across Trump administration policies, large and small. You can see it, for example, in the cuts at the National Institutes of Health, which are so tilted against racial minorities that a federal judge — one appointed by Ronald Reagan! — declared I’ve never seen a record where racial discrimination was so palpable. I’ve sat on this bench now for 40 years. I’ve never seen government racial discrimination like this. You can see it in the renaming of military bases after Confederate generals — that is, traitors who fought for slavery. You can even see it in a change in the military’s shaving policy that is clearly custom-designed to drive Black men — who account for around a quarter of the Army’s new recruits — out of the service. So racism and bigotry are back, big time. Who’s safe? Nobody. Are you a legal immigrant? Well, the Supreme Court just allowed Trump to summarily strip half a million U.S. residents of that status, and only a fool would imagine that this is the end of the story. Anyway, when masked men who claim to be ICE agents but refuse to show identification are grabbing people off the streets because they think those people look illegal, does legal status even matter? Does it even matter if you’re a U.S. citizen? And the One Big Beautiful Bill Act is set to massively increase ICE’s funding — basically setting up a huge national secret police force. Now, maybe you imagine that you yourself won’t suffer from this new reign of bigotry and imagine that everyone you care about is similarly safe. But if that’s what you think, you’re likely to face a rude awakening. I personally don’t have any illusions of safety. Yes, I’m a native-born white citizen. But my wife and her family are Black, and some of my friends and relatives are foreign-born U.S. citizens. Furthermore, I’m Jewish, and anyone who knows their history realizes that whenever right-wing bigotry is on the ascendant, we’re always next in line. Are there really people out there naïve enough to believe MAGA’s claims to be against antisemitism, who can’t see the transparent cynicism and dishonesty? The fact is that the Trump administration already contains a number of figures with strong ties to antisemitic extremists. The Great Replacement Theory, which has de facto become part of MAGA’s ideology, doesn’t just say that there’s a conspiracy to replace whites with people of color; it says that it’s a Jewish conspiracy. So I’m definitely scared of what the many antisemites inside or with close ties to the Trump administration may eventually do. And no, I’m not frightened at all by the prospect that New York may soon have a somewhat leftist Muslim mayor. Anyway, my personal fears are beside the point. Everyone who cares about keeping America America needs to take a stand against the resurgence of bigotry. Because the truth is that we’re all rats now. MUSICAL CODA Discussion about this post Michael Roseman Jun 30 Edited For a while, American bigotry was ashamed of itself. Or pretended to be. Now it runs the government. Reply Share 106 replies Megan Rothery Jun 30 Edited Take a stand - Call. Write. Email. Protest. Unrelentingly. Use/share this spreadsheet as a resource to call/email/write members of Congress, the Cabinet and news organizations. Reach out to those in your own state, as well as those in others. Use your voice and make some “good trouble” ❤️‍🩹🤍💙 https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/13lYafj0P-6owAJcH-5_xcpcRvMUZI7rkBPW-Ma9e7hw/edit?usp=drivesdk Reply Share 31 replies 852 more comments... No posts Ready for more? © 2025 Paul Krugman Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice Start writing Get the app Substack is the home for great culture

Jul 20, 2025
Read more →
Fact Check: ormer Interim NYPD Police Commissioner Tom Donlon in his lawsuit alleges that Tarik Sheppard "fraudulently orchestrated his own promotion granting himself greater authority and a higher salary"
True

Fact Check: ormer Interim NYPD Police Commissioner Tom Donlon in his lawsuit alleges that Tarik Sheppard "fraudulently orchestrated his own promotion granting himself greater authority and a higher salary"

Detailed fact-check analysis of: ormer Interim NYPD Police Commissioner Tom Donlon in his lawsuit alleges that Tarik Sheppard "fraudulently orchestrated his own promotion granting himself greater authority and a higher salary"

Jul 26, 2025
Read more →
Fact Check: On June 8th, Dr. Mahrang Baloch and other leaders of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) were unlawfully transferred from Hudda District Prison in Quetta to Civil Lines Police Station on a 10 day remand. Since then, they have been held incommunicado. Authorities have denied access to their families and legal counsel, raising serious fears of torture and mistreatment in custody.
True

Fact Check: On June 8th, Dr. Mahrang Baloch and other leaders of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) were unlawfully transferred from Hudda District Prison in Quetta to Civil Lines Police Station on a 10 day remand. Since then, they have been held incommunicado. Authorities have denied access to their families and legal counsel, raising serious fears of torture and mistreatment in custody.

Detailed fact-check analysis of: On June 8th, Dr. Mahrang Baloch and other leaders of the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC) were unlawfully transferred from Hudda District Prison in Quetta to Civil Lines Police Station on a 10 day remand. Since then, they have been held incommunicado. Authorities have denied access to their families and legal counsel, raising serious fears of torture and mistreatment in custody.

Jul 21, 2025
Read more →
🔍
True

Fact Check: Police officers do not forfeit their constitutional rights by attending political rallies.

Detailed fact-check analysis of: Police officers do not forfeit their constitutional rights by attending political rallies.

Jul 9, 2025
Read more →
Explore All Fact Checks