On Monday, Lisboetas once again took to the streets to mark the anniversary of the Carnation Revolution, April 25, 1974. As usual, the parade along Avenida da Liberdade in Lisbon was a mix or solemn, celebratory, and protest.
The 2022 parade is the first time since the start of the pandemic that the 25 de Abril remembrance was able to take place without mask requirements, and people took full advantage, with singing, chanting and cheering echoing around the neighborhoods that border Av. da Liberdade.
The Carnation revolution (aka 25 de Abril) marks the day when the Estado Novo regime was overthrown and Portugal set out on its path to democracy. The revolution started with a number of left-leaning officers from the Movimento das Forças Armadas (MFA), but quickly grew into what is considered a popular uprising using civil resistance tactics.
Most famous of these non-violent acts of resistance was the placement of carnations in the barrels of soldiers’ guns and on their uniforms. This act is what gives the Carnation Revolution its name, with the flower remaining the symbol of the uprising still today.
For a more in-depth look at the Carnation Revolution and what it means today, check out this article by Atlas contributor David Soares:
Whilst 25 de Abril is generally considered a “bloodless revolution”, it was not without violence, and in recent years academics have begun to examine more closely the six people who lost their lives that day. For a little more information about how bloodless the Carnation Revolution actually was, check out our write-up: The Carnation Revolution: Five Dead Men.
25 de Abril sempre. Viva a Liberdade.
