News & Tech

The family of missing Madeleine McCann were harassed by police in Portugal while trying to hang posters of the four-year old child, reports claim. The stunning story notes that Portuguese police are now in a news controversy as the family was manhandled by gun-toting cops the UK Daily Express reports. Madeleine’s aunt, Philomena McCann, said she and a cousin were escorted from Lisbon airport by gun-toting police.

Madeleine McCann Family Harassed by Portuguese Police

"They just don’t want to admit a child was snatched in their country,” she said. Madeleine's mother, Kate McCann, had asked them to put up the posters. The country’s tourist board also refused posters of Madeleine.

***

"I couldn’t believe what happened when we got there. I was given permission to put the posters up by a woman on the information desk. But straight away we were swooped on by two armed police officers," she told the paper.

"We thought it was a misunderstanding and tried to explain but they would not listen. My relative was bodily manhandled by them. I contacted the director of the airport, Dr Francisco Severino. He said we couldn’t put the posters up but told us if we went away and sent him a fax, he would consider it."

***

"We lost a valuable opportunity to get our message to thousands of air travelers who come through the terminal. It seemed clear they didn’t want the negativity affecting tourism.." She added, "Surely if people think the police and the authorities are doing everything they can to find Madeleine, other families visiting Portugal would feel more secure.”