Portugal’s Schools Safer Overall, Yet Knife Cases Surge

School corridors across Portugal are quieter than they were a year ago, but the sudden appearance of more knives and even two firearms has set alarm bells ringing. Police have launched an intensive awareness blitz in secondary schools designed to keep the downward trend in overall violence on track—while tackling the worrying surge in weapon-related incidents.

Why this matters to families from Braga to Faro

• 2,791 criminal incidents were recorded in the last full school year—down 5.3%—yet weapon offences jumped 36.8%.

• More than 70 % of crimes still happen inside school gates.

• Lisbon, Porto and Setúbal remain the three most affected districts, but cases have been logged in every region, including the Azores.

• New rules now guarantee one psychologist per 500 pupils, offering support beyond the police presence.

Inside Operation “Violence? No, thanks!”

The nationwide campaign, led by the Safe School Programme (EPES) teams of the PSP, trades sirens for conversation. Uniformed officers are dropping into classrooms up and down the country, from sprawling urban campuses in Amadora to tiny island schools in Terceira, to run fast-paced workshops on:

• Conflict de-escalation techniques

• Recognising early signs of bullying or dating violence

• Legal consequences of carrying any blade, air gun or makeshift weapon

• Simple breathing exercises to regain emotional control

By timing the initiative around the School Day of Non-Violence and Peace (30 January), the force hopes to embed a culture of dialogue just as mid-year tensions typically rise.

The hard numbers behind the headlines

Although total offences fell, the police tally shows 52 crimes involving weapons, compared with 38 the previous year. Officers seized 54 weapons—43 knives, 2 firearms and 9 improvised objects—most recovered after class-time scuffles. Physical assaults still top the chart at 1,291 cases, with threats and verbal abuse close behind at 892.

Regional snapshots: where trouble is clustering

• Lisbon metropolitan area logged 1,657 occurrences, fuelled in part by larger school populations and easier access to transport hubs.

• Porto followed with 756, though local authorities credit community mediators for keeping numbers from spiking further.

• Setúbal registered 252, yet posted the sharpest rise in knife possession, according to PSP field reports.

• The Azores saw roughly 30 incidents, reminding parents that remoteness does not guarantee immunity.

Beyond policing: the mental-health safety net

Last spring’s Law 54/2025 mandated at least one school psychologist per 500 students, a move praised by the Order of Portuguese Psychologists as crucial for early intervention. Parallel projects—Ao Teu Lado, PoderosaMente and the DGE’s “Escola Sem Bullying | Escola Sem Violência” certification—aim to turn prevention into a whole-school habit rather than a one-off assembly.

What parents’ groups are saying

The national parents’ confederation, while welcoming the police effort, keeps pressing for additional non-teaching staff on playground duty and cautions that video-surveillance should be a last resort. Their message: prevention works best when teachers, psychologists and families share information quickly.

How you can play a part

Store knives and multi-tools out of reach; most weapons seized came from home.

Encourage children to report anonymous tips via the PSP’s Escola Segura hotline.

Check whether your child’s school has earned the “Escola Sem Bullying” seal and, if not, ask the board why.

Attend the next parent-teacher evening where EPES officers often present fresh data.

The takeaway

Portugal’s schools remain among the safest in Europe, and the latest figures confirm a gentle but real decline in violence. Yet the spike in weapons is a flashing warning light. The success of Operation “Violence? No, thanks!”—and of the broader mental-health push—hinges on sustained vigilance from police, educators and families alike. A collective effort today could mean fewer blotches on student records, and far safer corridors, tomorrow.