The governments of European countries know that the people will react as the austerity measures become more severe, poverty and unemployment increase, people will start to go hungry and then they will revolt... Riots, civil war, etc. occur.
The governments know that this can happen, and probably will happen this year.
Perhaps that is why they have been carrying out exercises with the EuroGendfor intervention force.
(In 2010 the exercise took place in December, in Figueira da Foz).

This police force is used to act in crisis situations, is it to protect the people? Logically, the PSP would also serve to protect the people, but when there are demonstrations by citizens, the police are sent to control or disperse the people, even if it means beating them up.