In a demonstration promoted by the Union of All Education Professionals (STOP), thousands of teachers and other professionals from the sector began to gather around 2:00pm yesterday in Praça do Marquês de Pombal, later parading to Praça do Comércio, in a demonstration which lasted almost five hours.

According to the PSP, more than 20,000 people participated.

This number was advanced by the official responsible for policing the initiative at the beginning of the protest.

"We are more than 100,000, including teachers, operational assistants, technical assistants, higher education technicians, students and guardians. This is historic", said the national coordinator of STOP, André Pestana.

In front of a crowded Praça do Comércio, André Pestana said that the human cordons and the protests in the schools will continue and that the teachers will gather together with the Ministry of Education, during the meetings with the unions, next week.

The trade unionist also asked for the resignation of the Minister of Education, João Costa, underlining that the leader "is part of the problem and not of the solution".

In a speech lasting about an hour, André Pestana gave many criticisms of the Government, but also of the other unions in the sector, and asked for an increase of 120 euros for all education professionals.

The march took place at a time of great opposition from teachers, who have been on strike since December 9, in a stoppage called by STOP that should last at least until the end of January and was extended to non-teaching workers.