1.
GV Demonstrators chanting in street (5 shots)
0.29

2.
TV Sai???ors amongst demonstrators
0.32

3.
SV & CU PM Goncalves and President Gomes waving to people (2 shots)
0.42

4.
GV Demonstrators chanting
0.45

5.
CU PM speaking
1.02

6.
TV Demonstrators chanting
1.07

7.
CU Gomes speaking
1.23

8.
SV Crowd applaud
1.28


DEMONSTRATORS THROUGH STREET CHANTING: SAILORS AMONG DEMONSTRATORS: PRIME MINISTER GONCALVES AND PRESIDENT GOMES WAVING TO CROWD: DEMONSTRATORS CHANTING: GONCALVES SPEAKING: DEMONSTRATORS CHANTING: GOMES SPEAKING: CROWD APPLAUDING.




Initials CL/0235 2355/0145/0250



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: About 35,000 Communists jeered at moderate President Francisco Da Costa Gomes when he addressed them from the balcony of the Belem Presidential Palace in Lisbon on Wednesday (27 August).

They had marched from the centre of Lisbon in the first big demonstration of the Communist extreme left-wing Revolutionary Front formed two days before to back pro-Communist Prime Minister General Vasco Goncalves whose political position is under attack.

General Costa Gomes was particularly unpopular when he told the crowd the Front would only achieve a truly national dimension when it included "all political forces indispensable for the construction of a new society".

The crowd interpreted this as a reference to the moderate parties who hold most seats in thy constituent assembly and who have criticised the Goncalves government.

Earlier Prime Minister Goncalves had made a fiery speech telling the crowd the defence of the revolution was in their hands -- "Arms, arms", they chanted back.

However, the same night rumours were circulating in Lisbon that President Gomes had asked the pro-Communist Premier to resign. A Government spokesman said speculation about a change of government was premature. But when asked whether Vice President Vice-Admiral Jose Pinheiro Azevedo might form a government, the spokesman admitted this was a possible choice.