Students decry ‘police brutality’
POLICE USE FORCE TO DISPERSE MARCH
A STUN grenade went off followed by a hail of rubber bullets and students fled in different directions.
The stun grenade hit a female student, ripped open her jeans and burnt her thigh. The student was treated on the scene. A police officer was also injured. Wits University students occupied one of the entrances of the main campus at the corner of Harrison and Station streets in Braamfontein, Johannesburg.
They had just come back from a brief march in Braamfontein but were stopped in their tracks by heavily armed police who told them that they were not allowed to march because they had no permission to do so.
Their march had begun after their closed mass meeting at Senate House.
They begged to be allowed to proceed with the march, but the police would have none of it. Then the police gave them a 15-minute ultimatum – march back to campus or they would open fire.
Students obliged and marched back despite some trying to resist.
“We’re living in a police state,” complained some students.
“How are we defying the system if we go back to campus?” asked another student.
However, student leaders begged their colleagues to comply, for their safety.
Wits students have been protesting since Monday against an announcement that universities can raise fees by up to 8%.
They marched back but did not enter campus and started singing outside one of the entrances to the university.
Police ordered them not to get onto the streets but, later, some students became agitated and moved past the cordoned area.
Police warned them to desist or they would open fire, but the students took no heed.
Then a stun grenade went off, and rubber bullets followed.
Most students ran into the campus and the gate was closed behind them.
Students then started throwing stones at the police from inside the campus. The police retaliated with gunshots.
On Monday, Wits students also clashed with police several times while they were marching.
They also got into a stone fight with private security guards who stopped them from entering Senate House.