1.
GV & SV Farmers with tractors and trucks lined up for protest (3 shots)
0.24

2.
SV Troops leading march
0.30

3.
GV Thousands of demonstrators assembled to hear speaker (3 shots)
0.48

4.
Gv Demonstrators with banners chanting
0.56

5.
SV & Gv Rally in square as speakers continue
1.07



Initials BB/1910 EW/PN/BB/1925



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Thousands of farm-workers gathered in the eastern Portuguese town of Evora on Wednesday (17 September) to demonstrate against what they described as a right-wing threat to against reform throughout the country.

The protestors were responding to a call from Communist-dominated trade unions for a one-day strike in the Alentejo rural area. Tension has been high in the region following a stock-ownership dispute between estate's right-wing owner.

The dispute reached a head this weekend when the owner attempted to seize stock that the peasants were selling at a local market. Troops stepped in and confiscated the animals, but on Wednesday handed them back to the peasants.

The large turn-out for the Evora rally -- which included a number of soldiers stationed in the region -- indicates that the Portuguese Communist party is regaining ground it lost earlier this year.