Several protesters from Operation Dudula, the MK party and other groups have been arrested following clashes with the police and attempting to block world leaders’ motorcades at the G20 summit in Johannesburg.
Chaos erupted just outside the vicinity of the Nasrec Expo Centre on Saturday as world leaders met for discussions at the G20 Summit currently underway.
Violence
Violence broke out with police firing rubber bullets at protesting members of Operation Dudula and the MK party.
The incident was sparked after Operation Dudula and other protesting members demanded to move closer to the actual venue of the G20 summit.
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Enforcing the law
Addressing the media, police spokesperson Brigadier Athlenda Mathe said police officers were enforcing the law.
“They wanted to forcefully march towards the main venue where the G20 Leaders’ Summit is being held. They were warned that there is a dedicated speakers corner that is allocated to people that want to air their grievances, and warned them that they could they would not be allowed to march towards Nasrec.”
Chaos
Mathe said that despite the warnings, the protestors “forcefully” started marching towards the G20 venue.
“Baragwaneth and Nasrec roads have been utilized by heads of state dignitaries to access the Nasrec venue. So we cannot allow a situation where this particular road is blocked by this particular grouping and that is when our members started to give them a few warnings.”
Mathe said chaos broke out after the protestors refused to go to speakers corner.
“They resisted, they started assaulting police officers, pushing back at police officers. They also started spraying tear gas. As a result, one police officer has been taken to the hospital for medical attention.
“We have opened a case against Dudula. The charges that they’re facing, firstly, public violence, the second one, assaulting of a police officer and contravention of the court order. You recall that they handed down a court order not to intimidate and harass foreign nationals,” Mathe said.
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Arrest and charges
So by their actions in trying to block the Nasrec road, we see it as an attempt to intimidate and harass foreign nationals. We have arrested two individuals, Dudula members, and we have started with investigations,” Mathe said.
Protests
Mathe said they do not have a problem with people protesting.
“We have long maintained that we do not have an issue. We do not have a problem as the security cluster and the NatJOINTS when people protest their grievances, but they should do so within the confines of the law.
“We have maintained that we will not allow any lawlessness, any barricading and blocking of roads, and we do believe that their actions was meant to block the motorcade of the heads of state, as well as the dignitaries that are trying to access the Nasrec venue,” Mathe said.
Mathe said if the protestors have any case against the police, they can register their case with the Independent Investigative Police Directorate (IPID), adding that police will make sure there will be “no disruptions” during the G20 Leader Summit.
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