The peaceful #FeesMustFall march to Cape Town Parliament today turned
violent when police and protesters clashed throughout the afternoon in
the CBD. Stun Grenades and Rubber bullets were fired to disperse crowds
after an incident outside parliament, prompting students to move into
the streets. I followed a few groups down towards the Central Train
Station, where numerous police vehicles, shops and buses were stoned.
A terrifying incident occurred at the MacDonalds, where a family
sitting close to the window had to remove their son quickly as bricks
and stones were hurtled at them. Police continued to disperse crowds and
make arrests throughout the afternoon, unfortunately at times targeting
the more peaceful protesters.
Another
sad day for our Country and the #FeesMustFall movement, these actions
do not speak the core of the movement, but rather indicate the desperate
cry of unheard voices.
Violence is not the answer… Violence is not the answer.
All images - CICA South Africa/Sullivan Photography
Yesterday Parliament saw three different protest at its door. By
far the largest was held by the Fees Must Mall movement. Several
thousand students participated in it. After marching from the Cape
Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) they arrived at Parliament and
sang protest songs.
The day eventually took a violent turn with clashes between students and police.
The first protest of the day started shortly before 9am. About 150
UCT staff members picketed, demanding more funding for tertiary
education, and for government to intervene in the universities
crisis. Pictured above is University of Cape Town (UCT) Vice-chancellor
Max Price. Although the UCT executive participated in the march, it was
organised by the university's staff trade unions.
Later in the day, Democratic Alliance (DA), with its affiliate the DA
Students Organisation, marched to Parliament. The protesters called for
universities to open, funding for poor students, and for Jacob Zuma to
step down.
By 11am, hundreds if not thousands of students had already filled the
grounds of CPUT. Their main demand was "free decolonised education”.
Students carried a faux coffin with a picture of Blade Nzimande on top of it.
As the march began, riot police immediately brought it to a halt. They wanted marshals in front to keep order.
Riot police steered the march, trying to keep order.
Some student protesters hitched a ride on police vehicles.
At one point, protesters and police started running.
Several thousand protesters gathered outside Parliament.
Speeches were made and students handed over a memo to the Minister of Finance, Pravin Gordhan.
Students watched the proceedings from the top of police vehicles.
Police asked them to get off numerous times, which they did. But they
returned again moments later.
Students sang and danced on top of a police vehicle.
Police used fire rubber bullets and stun grenades to
disperse protesters. The violence started after a cardboard coffin with
Blade Nzimande was set alight and thrown at police outside the gates of
Parliament.
Protesting students retaliated by barricading the street and throwing rocks at police.
Riot police continued to fire rubber bullets at protesters as the chaos started to move into the city centre.
More barricades were built. These fires were quickly doused by police water cannons.
A police vehicle drove away quickly as protesters ran through streets throwing rocks at all police vehicles.
A man (presumably a police officer) pulled out a gun as protesters stoned the Caledon Square police station.
Rocks were thrown at police vehicles and buildings. Windows were broken.
Riot police continued to move slowly thorough the streets.
A protesting student wears an officer's helmet.
Police fired stun grenades to disperse protesters blocking Strand street.
Stun grenades were set off.
People hid after stun grenades went off.
A woman cried after stun grenades went off.
According to JP Smith, mayoral committee member for safety and
security, six arrests have been made, four for public violence and two
for assault of a police officer.
Vehicles being burnt by militants at the Bellville campus of the Cape
Peninsula University of Technology during the #FeesMustFall protest.
When the country wakes up and realizes that #FeesMustFall protests
are being used to destabilize the country as part of a bigger plan with
#StateCapture and are not about #FreeEducation any longer then it will
all make sense….and you will be terrified.
Meet Dennis the Menace – Another one of Nicky Falkofs followers and friends that needs his head checked.
What these people do not realize is that they are being used by
politicians to create racial divide and hate with the long term goal of
destabilizing the country and depreciating the ZAR so that the 100s of
BILLIONS of USD in Dubai can be brought back into the country at 20-50
times the value that they were taken out at.
Can somebody PLEASE tell him that he is white.
Imagine women campaigning against themselves and starting campaigns
that say #FuckWomen – would ANYONE take them seriously except extreme
male chauvinists ?
Thabong and Welkom South African Polices Services held a joint
operation to address robberies,
murder and the use of dangerous weapons
in areas such as Phomolong , Mannys and Welkom CBD.
Members also entered underground to root out illegal immigrants and
miners. Three people were arrested. The first one was found with a
shotgun and ammunition and the other two were found with two 9 mm
firearms and a knife.
A lot of blankets were found underground which indicates that they sleep there or its their hiding spot.
When they saw the police coming, they entered underground and the police were forced to follow suit.
Members of Welkom K9 risked their lives to enter underground so as to effect these arrests.
Published on South Africa Today
(All images - from Police Clips and Pics - Facebook Page)
