Curious crowds gather to watch, whistle and jeer

THERE was something almost theatrical about the scenes outside the police station in Portimao yesterday.

A sizeable crowd had already gathered by 9am, and by the time Kate McCann arrived two hours later, journalists were outnumbered at least five-to-one by members of the public.

Police erected two lines of crowd barriers along the street around the unimposing headquarters of the Policia Judiciaria, Portugal’s CID.

The square opposite the police station was dominated by a row of hulking satellite trucks. The inner line was for the huge gaggle of reporters, photographers and TV crews who have rushed to the Algarve to cover yesterday’s dramatic developments in the case of the missing little girl with the endearing smile.

As many as 500 Portuguese locals and holidaymakers from countries such as Britain and Ireland, desperate for the latest information, were kept behind the outer line.

There was a noticeable chill when Ms McCann arrived, and she was greeted by whistles and jeers from some of the Portuguese onlookers. But among the tourists there was widespread support for Madeleine’s mother, one even shouting: “We believe you Kate.”

Tina Down, 51, from Darlington, Co Durham, saw the journalists outside the police station on Thursday waiting for Ms McCann to leave.

But it was not until she and her husband, Richard, 50, returned to their holiday apartment and watched the news that they realised the significance of what was happening.

She said: “We just came back to see what’s going on and to offer our support to the family.”

Mr Down added: “I sense there’s a bit of a mob attitude.”

The crowd appeared to have calmed down by the time Mr McCann arrived at 3.35pm, and there was no whistling at all when his wife left 20 minutes later looking drained and shocked.