ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the events of June 2005 presenting a few examples of the media coverage. Then it discusses the background and the context in which the events occurred looking at the discourses produced by the media. The chapter focuses how the Portuguese media reinforce the feeling of unease and foster social and racial tensions, victimizing the poorer segments in society and, in particular, the 'other' of different skin colour or cultural background. A report on Portugal by the European Commission Against Racism and Intolerance refers to the arrastao and 'is concerned to learn that certain media, in particular television, convey racist stereotypes and prejudices'. Analysing the years of 2005 and 2006, Ferin and Santos highlight the importance of the arrastao to address the ways in which the media operate, often relying solely on official sources.
