‘Everything indicates’ Web Summit will be called off tomorrow, says Lisbon mayor

Web Summit, the Irish-founded global technology conference that has brought up to 70,000 people to Lisbon this week, may be called off on Wednesday as Portugal braces for extreme wind and rain.Lisbon mayor Carlos Moedas, the centre-right politician who addressed the technology conference’s opening ceremony Monday night, told Portuguese reporters Tuesday afternoon “everything indicates that Web Summit will not be able to function tomorrow”.This is ultimately a decision for the national government’s ministry for internal affairs, he said, with whom he has been in contact. “It is obvious that it is very difficult to guarantee the functioning of Web Summit tomorrow, but this situation will be brought to the level of the Ministry for Internal Affairs,” he said.The Ministry is yet to publicly confirm a decision.READ MORE“We have people from other countries who are here. There are more than 60,000 people in a place – in the Park of Nations – where we have a river that is right next to it, where very adverse conditions will be,” Moedas said.“I think that will be the solution [to cancel the event], but obviously it is not a decision for the Mayor of Lisbon, but everything indicates that this would be the solution,” he said. The Portuguese Institute for the Sea and Atmosphere, the country’s weather authority akin to Met Éireann, has placed the southern half of the country under a red warning for wind, its highest alert, and the entirety of the country under yellow warning for rain.While storms Bruna and Charles have brought rain to Portugal for most of the week, Wednesday is forecast to be the peak of the disruptionpeak, with tunnel networks, public parks and cultural venues across Lisbon ordered to close from midnight Tuesday, the mayor said. Web Summit wrote in a statement: “We are aware of the weather warnings for Wednesday afternoon and evening and are assessing the situation with the National Emergency and Civil Protection authority and the Public Security Police.”“We will provide further updates as soon as confirmed information becomes available,” a spokesperson said.The Portuguese Minister of Internal Administration, Luís Neves, has also announced the closure of non-essential public services and schools across the country on Wednesday. While “closing the Lisbon Metro is not currently being considered”, he said, “everything is evolving”.“Everyone who can, stay at home. I appeal to all employers to be understanding. Tomorrow will be an exceptional day, and it is necessary for us to remain indoors and protected,” Neves told reporters at a press conference Tuesday. The technology conference, which was founded by businessman Paddy Cosgrave, has already attracted controversy in Lisbon, with its opening ceremony having coincided with the end of a housing rights encampment protest on one of the capital’s most prominent plazas. Moedas had ordered the 200 or so protesters to move from Rossio Square to make room for a Christmas market. The dispute made its way through the judicial system, however, demonstrators called off the action Monday night, saying they must “enlarge the movement” and “go elsewhere”.They have planned a counter-protest outside Web Summit for Wednesday afternoon.