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I am so disturbed by the comments made here. I will never visit or holiday in Portugal after reading & hearing how the villagers behaved! To keep Madeleine in the media is the best thing they can do, hopefully even Madeleine will see the posters one day and realise it is her! Also I hope this is just the start of how to search for other missing children.

The residents of Praia da Luz should be helping in any way the can. I know if it happened in my town, I would want to help for as long as it takes!!!

I do understand they have sick tourists turning up in droves for their photo to be taken outide the apartment where Madeleine went missing, but they should be doing something about that - maybe shouting at them instead of the McCanns!!!!!

- Linda, UK, 08/05/2009 01:43
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@- Never stop Looking "The campaign are just 'leaving no stone unturned'. Isn't that what you'd expect had it been your child?
Clearly the people of the Algarve feel offended, and that fact was reported elsewhere, before this campaign for other reasons. I wonder what is the use, if the region already knows so well about the case, and most likely much more than the British public (well certainly). Madeleine isn't walking around the area with a different identity,, is she? So what's the use of the a constructed photo 'update'? Would an abductor have kept her in the Algarve, that is so thoroughly searched and alerted?
Sounds nuts to me. It would be better if the MaCanns pressed for the case to be re-opened, as is their right, and as the Portuguese police might prefer.

- Plum, london Uk, 03/05/2009 01:49
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I'm sure the McCanns would be better returning to do a reconstruction, and perhaps take the lie detector test, they said they would be willing to do, it would help people understand that they really are leaving no stone unturned in the fight to find their daughter. What do they have to hide?

- Philomena, Europe, 28/03/2009 12:23
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The McCanns have offended the people of the Algarve one time too many. Suggesting that any Algarve resident knows something for the past 2 years but just forgot to tell the police is offensive. Hundreds of Algarvians have physically searched for Madeleine, day and night.

- Cláudia, Portugal, 27/03/2009 14:01
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I find it hard to believe there are such people out there who make such hard hearted comments. At the end of the day, this is about MADELEINE. AN INNOCENT 5 YEAR OLD CHILD TAKEN FROM HER BED. No one is blaming the Portugese people. The campaign are just 'leaving no stone unturned'. Isn't that what you'd expect had it been your child? No matter what you think of Kate and Gerry McCann - Madeleine is the one missing and needing to be found. Why can't you all just concentrate on that fact? I do realise that this is probably the media stirring up a frenzy and could well just be a handful of mindless vandals. All you Portugese out there - Don't let the vandals win! Show the world how much you love all children by doing what you can to help find Madeleine.

- NEVER Stop Looking For Madeleine, Leics, UK, 27/03/2009 13:14
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How can parents of lost children bear all this ? How can people be so vicious ? Mr. & Mrs McCann our prayers are with you .

- Mary And Gordon, Kent UK, 27/03/2009 10:53
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So, 'Justice for Maddie', ripping off Maddie's posters is 'taking a stand', is it?

GM and John Smith, How do you know that the locals are tired? And how dare you call a 'farce' the search for a missing child? And why is it always the local brits interviewed in the news the ones who are 'tired', the portuguese put up posters, you know.

Nick, british media didn't behave better, did they?

We do rely on tourism, but it should be safe tourism, in a safe and above all compassionate and cooperative country. A child is missing, and at least her parents are looking for her two years after her disappearance and asking for help in their quest.

Vandals they are, yes, those who stand in the way, criticising, insulting, trying to impede the search. And they have no nationality, the same as the predators.

- Maria, Portugal, 27/03/2009 10:16
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To not return to Portugal for a holiday because of this is ridiculous. How many children have been abducted in the U.K? To blame the people of Portugal is wrong.

- Helen, Albufeira, Portugal, 27/03/2009 08:19
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what nasty comments ,i am sure if any of these folk where to loose a child ,they would do every thing ,and anything .

- Irene Carey, Lisburn, 27/03/2009 05:45
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To all those who so snobbishly insists they will NOT be going to Portugal for a holiday this year - well, I doubt Portugal will miss you. I can't get into my favourite hotel in the Algarve because they are already overbooked!

- Gretta Byrne, London, UK, 27/03/2009 03:34
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The people doing this should be ashamed of themselves. What if it was their child that was missing? Can the people in Portugal not see that they are the ones that are looking bad in this whole sad story? Many of us in the US are watching and the fact that they care more about their tourism than finding a missing child makes many of not want to go to their country for a vacation. How can they say they care about children and then say they want closure? What about closure for the McCann family? All they want is their child back and the people there are doing nothing to help by taking down the posters. Any of you saying that posters do not work are in denial. Ask Elizabeth Smart's family. That's exactly how she was found--by a poster and within miles of where she was abducted.

- Joe, United States, 27/03/2009 01:55
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Keep the posters and appeals up. They are there in the hopes of saving Maddie

Thanks go to the good people of PDL for all their efforts in trying to find Maddie and to the majority of the PJ who worked hard in the search. Undoubtedly some-one in PDL knows something sbout how Maddie vanished.

No-one knows if Maddie is still alive; no-one knows if she is still in PDL, or nearby.

PLEASE GIVE MADELEINE A CHANCE

- Real Justice For Maddie, Birmingham, UK, 27/03/2009 01:22
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It is unfair to describe people pulling down posters as vandals.

There are reports of the posters being put on the windows of shops without the permission of the owners. In this country at least flyposting is illegal.

It is hard to see how this latest campaign can do any good.

- Elizabeth, Edinburgh, 26/03/2009 22:39
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More portugese bashing i see. The Portugese looked long and hard, locally and far afield for a young child who went missing. So it is said vandals took the posters. Who knows who took them? Did anyone see them? One shopkeeper took the poster down because he didnt give his permission, I dont call that vandalism. While we're criticising the Portugese police dont forget that they were ably assisted by the Leicester police who brought in the dogs, oh and the FFS lab., who inadvertently lost dna samples.

- Lookin4clues, Wales, 26/03/2009 22:39
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Vandalism, who`s kidding who. they had no business putting this nonsense up in the first place. Well done portugal.

- Shaz, RCT, 26/03/2009 22:38
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I would`nt call it vandalism, The residents are just making a very valid point. Good for them. Thank god we dont get this nonesense in the european news

- Shaz, RCT, 26/03/2009 22:34
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This is nothing against the people that searched for Madeleine. This is to do with 2 parents that are still trying to find their daughter.

The only derrogatory comments I have ever seen have been directed at the PJ, not the Portuguese people. Why do people keep playing the race card here!

Its easy to mock the poster campaign when its not your child that is missing!

I for one hope this campaign brings about the much needed breakthrough for everyones sake and I'm sure the kind people of Portugal will respond in the positive and not like the idiots that do the Portuguese people a huge diservice on the 3A's.

Justice for Madeleine.

- Stacey-Lee Uk, UK, 26/03/2009 22:22
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These vandals (and there is no other word for them) have now highlighted this poster campaign far more than the McCanns ever could. They have given adverse publicity to Portugal by their very actions and ensured that this story will be picked up the world over.

And lastly the question, why would anyone try to prevent parents from finding their missing child. This campaign could provide the one piece of info necessary to discover the truth. Why would anyone attempt to prevent the truth coming out?

- Yes They Are Vandals, Australia, 26/03/2009 22:14
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Julia said...
The Portuguese love their children, all children.

- Julia, Portimão, Algarve

Julia, do you forget Madeleine is also a child?
How can the Portuguese love ALL children if they tear down pictures of a child.
On a Portuguese blog there are pictures of this poster of Madeleine...and it has been defaced

Julia, do you call that LOVING ALL CHILDREN? Because I certainly do not!

- Ks, UK, 26/03/2009 21:59
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If local residents have information, they should pass it to the police. Not the former suspects.

- Marni, London UK, 26/03/2009 21:53
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"GOOD ON PORTUGAL FOR TAKING A STAND"???????????????

You are joking, right?

This is not a debate, Madeleine McCann is still missing and she went missing from Portugal. Posters can prove to be helpful and those people taking them down are psychotic. Ripping posters does not change the fact that Maddie disappeared from PORTUGAL and it was NOT the McCanns but the press both in Portugal and the UK who created this bizarre stance between the two countries. If I were living in Praia da Luz I would continue to be vigilant in the hopes that dead or alive she can still be found.The family needs closure and I as a parent can totally understand their need to continue with their campaign. I am sure there still must be many Portugese who pray that Maddie is found and would be more than willing to help in any way they can. I hope that new information comes to light with this new effort.

- M, uk, 26/03/2009 21:26
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To the misinformed british, Nick of London included:
- what interfered with the investigation was the unprecedented and disrespectful political interference from the U.K. authorities in a police matter in a foreign country. Even Kate McCann revealled that in her famous "diary", writting of the police being pressured to close the investigation. There is also proof of this in the FOI requests by some british journalists to the FCO, about the particulars of the roles of the British Ambassador and the British Consul in Portugal, in connection to this case. Which have all received the same answer, refused, matter of nacional security(!?) and liable to jeopardize the good relations between two sovereign countries(!?! again).

- Blackcat, Lisbon, Portugal, 26/03/2009 21:26
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I´M ASHAMED OF THIS OUTRAGEOUS BEHAVIOUR. WHY ARE THIS POSTERS BEEN RIPPED? IT´S BECAUSE OF TOURISM? OR ITS BECAUSE PDL HAS SOMETHING TO HIDE? SHAME ON THOSE WHO DID THIS OUTRAGEOUS BEHAVIOUR. IF ANY OF YOU RESIDENTS WHO LIVES IN PDL WERE IN THE SAME PLACE HAS THE PARENTS OF THIS LITTLE GIRL, WOULDN´T YOU DO THE SAME LIKE THEY ARE DOINMG TO FIND HER? EVEN IF SHE´S NOT THERE, SOMEONE THERE NOWS SOMETHING. SO, PLEASE, DON´T RIPPED, DON´T DESTROY MORE POSTERS, HELP FIND HER, HELP FIND THOSE WHO ABDUCTED HER.

- Anonymous, Portugal, 26/03/2009 21:23
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I sent this article to 50 of my friends and they are with the people of Portugal. We would like the people of Portugal to know that we stand with them on this matter. It's a bit late now to start sending leaflets around the houses.

- Pru F Parnham, Northwood UK, 26/03/2009 21:00
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To Ronnin, UK, I had a trip booked to England ( LOndon/Wembley) at the hipe of the youngserts knife killings, remember, it was almost one everyday? and that did not put me off or made me cancel my visit! Nor did the threat of terrorist attacks, or the un-educated, rude, binge-drinking, smelly people we meet around every corner in Britain( Chavs? that's what you call them?)
I am not demanding YOUR NuLabour government to adress all the unsavoury issues that eat at the core of Britain right now, am I?
Those with glass roof should not throw stones...
Clean up your backyard first, only then can you make demnds on others! Oh, and by the way, I'm sure you won't be missed in Algarve, we alredy have too many offensive, loud, drunken britons down there-

- Blackcat, Lisbon, Portugal, 26/03/2009 21:00
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I'm not going on holiday to Praia da Luz. I'm MOVING there, for good I hope, with my husband and our three children. And by the comments that I read on here, I'm not going to regret it. Britain, open your eyes!

- Caroline Ann, Birmingham, 26/03/2009 17:04
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I'm afraid poster campaigns are never any help in finding the missing. And if the person is dead, it is forensics that helps.

- Abi, Liverpool, UK, 26/03/2009 17:03
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The McCanns and their friends refused to do a reconstruction, on the grounds that, "they couldn't see the point"
Perhaps the good people of Portugal 'cant see the point' in yet another poster campaign
I must say, I'm struggling to see the logic in this latest endeavor myself

- Grace, Warminster, 26/03/2009 16:42
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Sad to see more xenophobic comments. Portugal is not a third world country! I do not know what happened to poor Madeleine but I do know that the Portugese people have had their reputation sullied by the British.

Sadly, this poster campaign by the McCanns is too little, too late and I while I don't condone removing posters I can understand why it has happened.

- Bazza, London, UK, 26/03/2009 16:11
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Unfortunately, the McCann circus failed to assess community reaction and fellings before they embarked on this belated campaign. It has incited a response which
indicates local frustration and anger at making the Algarve
seem responsible for their sad loss.

- Mark, Belfast, 26/03/2009 15:59
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How sad. But I would guess that it is only a small minority of individuals who are doing this. The Portuguese are a big hearted nation. Sadly it only takes a few bad apples.

- Peter, London, 26/03/2009 15:57
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I fear that little one is forgotten in Portugal. We should treasure our families as life is so fleeting and they are in danger wherever they go...

- Brenda Ryan, Beech Rd Rochester Kent, 26/03/2009 15:49
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So what do you suggest the McCann's now do to try and find Madeleine? They have to try something new. They just cannot give up on their little daughter. There is still the possibility that she is being held somewhere, so the more people that are made aware of the situation, the better. So......does anyone have any positive, constructive ideas??

- Mrs Sweatman, Wokingham, UK, 26/03/2009 15:49
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Someone e mailed me the link to this article as I mentioned that I might be going on holiday there with my family this year.

I forwarded the e mail around my family...some 23 strong and every one has responded saying they are not willing to step foot in Portugal again.

Portugal, your livelihoods are going to be affected by this sort of action against a missing girl.

Child friendly Portugal? you must be joking!

- Carryanne, uk, 26/03/2009 15:48
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The people of PDL or Portugal as a whole are not being vilified, this is the interpretation of some who for their own reasons do not believe Madeleine was abducted.
To tear down posters of a missing child is abhorrent and I cannot think that the ordinary decent people of PDL would condone this behaviour and it cannot be because they are worried about tourism, because presumably the tourists would already be in PDL visiting in order to read the posters in the first place!
These posters being torn down were done by jingoistic vandals who have actually been posting comments on a very vicious website that hosts a whole manner of depraved theories. They openly admitted they were going to do this and also said they were going to encourage others to do so.
The Portuguese police have a lot to answer too, their conduct during this investigation and since has been reprehensible.

How can a disgraced detective, sacked from a case he should never have been on in the first place then forced to take early retirement, be allowed to make thousands of euros out of writing a book accusing her parents with absolutely no proof what so ever? The money making does not end here, he is also raking it in giving TV and radio interviews, selling his story to papers and magazines and writing for newspapers! He has been paid by a TV company to appear in a film, filmed in the very apartment and plans a second book.

He is treating this poor little girl like a cash cow to boost his retirement fund!

- Ollie, UK, 26/03/2009 15:36
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I can fully understand the anger of the People of Portugal, when the own mother of the missing child refused to help the Police in their enquiries and the friends of the couple all wrote letters to the Leicestershire Police refusing to attend a reconstruction which may have helped to find out what happened to her.

- Mrs H, wales, 26/03/2009 15:32
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if the Portugese love "all" children, they would not have torn down any posters, even those that might have been seen to villify them. The reason? It's not the missing child that is at fault and these actions simply do not add and may detract from the search for her.

- Steven Dale, London, England, 26/03/2009 15:27
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I too will not be visiting Portugal again. If the locals behave in that way I absolutely refuse to line their pockets with my hard earned cash.

I wasnt aware how badly the residents of Praia Da Luz behave and as for Maria and any others who feel the same way......it is you that sully the reputation of Portugal not the McCanns and certainly not Madeleine.

I am sickened by this behaviour.

- Philip, maidstone, 26/03/2009 14:57
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What harm can posters and leaflets do ? Surely if it can help bring information then that is good whatever you view of this case is....Seems from reading round the internet some people have axes to grind..........

- Jojo, UK, 26/03/2009 14:56
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Julia - Some people did help but the majority were very quick to say that they brought it on themselves. Your country treated thje McCann's or their lost daughter with little respect! And as for the country's so called police force...it's a disgrace. Portuguese were worried about one thing - the loss of tourism to the area and rightly so. I am sure alot of Britians are not holidaying there now. Had this happened in France or Spain, i think the reaction of the people would have been very different and Madeleine might even have been found. So please don't say that you are all feeling disrespected, try giving some respect and you muight receive it back!

Db - vandals are people who damage someone else's property so how do you come to the conclusion that these people are not vandals? They did exactly this when Madeleine first went missing - defacing posters with things like "go home"....

- Nicky, london, 26/03/2009 14:53
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I own a property in the Algarve and this is the final straw for me.

The property is being put on the market and I will buy in another country where the people are more supportive of missing children and less supportive of a police force that couldnt catch a cold let alone an abductor.

- Christine, Brimingham, 26/03/2009 14:52
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Well, it's a sad fact that only yesterday there were people boasting about ripping down the posters on a well-known anti-McCann website. Isn't that sick?
If it isn't the lunatic fringe (and some of those are Portuguese, and just as awful as our own variety), then it is probably people worried about tourism.
The season is just about to start, and they would rather forget about the whole thing.

- Uc, UK, 26/03/2009 14:44
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I am sorry but enough is enough we (I am Portuguese) have done all that we can, we helped, we searched we supported the family etc but it is also time for us to move on, why should we be reminded every year? we have a business which is worth protecting hardly the publicity that we need. She is hardly going to be in Praia da Luz.....

- L Parker, london, 26/03/2009 14:35
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How shameful that the posters have been taken down. I hope who ever has done this hangs their head in shame.
This is just another example of the hounding of the Mccann family.

- Gordon, Slough UK, 26/03/2009 14:24
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No wonder the insensitive behavior of the people of Praia da Luz.
Mind over the reputation of the Algarve, where the life of a child.
Madeleine was abducted there, some of you must know something.

- Ana, Argentina, 26/03/2009 14:23
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I have being visiting Portugal for many years now, Praia Da Luz used to be one of may favourite resorts and I have stayed there many times. Well, no longer. I have now cancelled my holiday there and will not return until the Portuguese government can do something about the state of the country.

The likes of Maria Afonso and others who believe it is acceptable to rip down posters of a missing child need to think again. It is not the McCanns nor their child Madeleine who has sullied the reputation of the Algarve but people who believe that it is acceptable to hamper parents looking for their child.

I will not return to Portugal until the Portuguese government address the many issues within their country. I also hope that many others will do the same and hit them where it hurts and that is sooo obviously in their pockets.

The first thing they need to do, is investigate the actions of their police force and the tactics they employ.

Good luck Portugal....you are going to need it!

- Ronnin, uk, 26/03/2009 13:50
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The people of the Algarve gave their time, their best efforts, to help search for Madeleine. Anyone stating the contrary simply has a distorted view of reality, and some of the British media carry part of the blame for that.
Ripping the posters off may not be respectful or politically correct, but the inhabitants of Luz were not treated with respect, two years ago.
What did you expect? The people here feel frustrated, tired and sad.
The Portuguese love their children, all children.

- Julia, Portimão, Algarve, 26/03/2009 13:33
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The Portugese people are not vandals ! They helped look for Madeleine.

- Db, London uk, 26/03/2009 13:32
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I'm not surprised the people of Portugal are upset by these posters, they are the ones who went out searching for Madeleine.

- Kim, Canada, 26/03/2009 12:56
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Madeleine went missing, yes, but there is no proof she was abducted. The Portuguese police and public searched for her, in some cases members of the public taking time off work to look for her. Portugal poured money into the search and into the investigation and what was their thanks? - to be vilified by those whose responsibility it was to look after Madeleine in the first place.

- Dimsie, NI, 26/03/2009 12:46
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i dont think this appeal will do a bit of good, it is to late ,to little to late, im afraid,

- Veronica Seddon, CHESHIRE, 26/03/2009 12:42
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The reaction is perfectly understandable.

- Marianne, FRANCE, 26/03/2009 12:33
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I think the McCann's have underestimated the level of animosity felt towards them by the locals.

The locals were very supportive initially & gave up their time to help search. They were not thanked, indeed they've had to suffer appalling rasicm from the UK press.

- Steve Hodge, London, 26/03/2009 12:10
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More posters, what good are they going to do? The Portuguese must be fed up with it all, right at the beginning of the tourist season.

- Sue, Suffolk, 26/03/2009 12:10
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The people of the Algarve were very helpful to the parents. They searched for the missing child.

- Kelly Anna, GA US, 26/03/2009 12:03
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At least they are doing something positive. I still have a photo of Madeleine wearing a red t shirt from their holiday. I lookat it and it makes me cry - good on them.

- Helen, Portsmouth England, 26/03/2009 11:56
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Nick of london, how can you say the portuguese people were unhelpful. They went out and looked for this child.

- Dave, england, 26/03/2009 11:52
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I personally would imagine that it was the local inhabitants who took down the posters - not vandals.
And I can understand why.

They are fed up with this. Their country has been vilified for someting that was not their fault!!

- Francesca, Wetzlar, Germany, 26/03/2009 11:47
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Why didn't the McCanns focus an appeal on Praia da Luz two years ago? They could have even searched the area, like the local people did.

- Ann Louisa, Southampton, 26/03/2009 11:46
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The McCanns have to understand the people of the Algarve rely on tourism for their livelihoods. This summer will be bad enough for holiday resorts as it is without reminding tourists of past tragedies.

- Casper Slides, Ibiza, Spain, 26/03/2009 11:33
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Yet more reason why I would not return to Portugal for a holiday - their whole reaction to Madeleine's abduction has been unhelpful and distasteful from start to finish. From their police to their journalism they have gone out of their way to get in the way of the investigation..shocking.

- Nick, london, 26/03/2009 11:29
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A reconstruction of the night Maddie went missing would be far more useful than posters.

- Teresa Horton, Ipswich, 26/03/2009 11:28
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The reaction of the locals in Portugal is understandable. The local tourist trade has been affected.

- Glick, Harlow, U.K., 26/03/2009 11:23
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It was not vandals. It was the residents who are sick and tired of this farce.

- John Smith, London , England, 26/03/2009 11:20
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I don't know what the McCanns expected. Before anyone suggests that the Portuguese do not care about Madeleine, this is wrong. They do, many people spent their time looking for her.

- Gm, UK, 26/03/2009 11:17
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What a very sad thing to do. To destroy the photos of a missing child. The child is still missing. These posters might remind someone of something they have forgotten.

I truly do not think that anyone blames The Potuguese. She was taken by a preditor whose nationality we do not know.

- Eleanor, Pontivy, France, 26/03/2009 11:10
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good on portugal for taking a stand

- Justice For Maddie, UK, 26/03/2009 11:09
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I imagine that sentiment regarding Madeleine and her family is still running high in the Algarve.

- Elizabeth, Chichester, UK, 26/03/2009 11:09
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