Qoute from The Times website:
"What was supposed to be a peaceful protest turned ugly yesterday when Zuma supporters forced motorists out of their cars, and intimidated bystanders and workers in surrounding buildings into joining their march.
The protest was part of the “ma** action” by the ANC and its alliance partners in support of Zuma’s bid to have the charges against him withdrawn.
But, instead of peaceful picketing outside the National Prosecuting Authority offices in Durban, pandemonium broke out when the protesters became unruly.
Zuma supporters gathered outside the NPA offices at about 8am.
At about 10am, marchers in Field Street, on their way to the City Hall, began throwing water bombs at the police.
“It might have been a legal march, but there was nothing legal about it. They did not follow the proposed route and came into the city from all angles. When they finally merged there were about 3,000 protesters,” said police spokesman Superintendent Vincent Mdunge.
“They all started coming from different parts of the city and they were intimidating people, looting and damaging property along the way,” Mdunge said.
He said the protesters displayed a total disregard for the law, forcing the police to open fire on them with rubber bullets in West Street.
“Along the way, the supporters began pulling innocent motorists out of their cars to join the march. They then invaded a nearby building. Police had to escort marchers out of the building. There was looting and damage to property.”
Two police officers were seriously injured when protesters stoned them outside the Durban University of Technology.
“The supporters began throwing bricks and stones at the campus buildings too. There has been damage to property,” Mdunge said.
The city came to a standstill as cars were left unattended in the CBD when their occupants were forced to join the march.
A taxi blockade, planned to protest against taxi violence, exacerbated the situation: the taxi owners joined the Zuma protest and refused to move their vehicles.
The police impounded more than 30 taxis.
“The police were forced to use rubber bullets to disperse the unruly crowd so the city could operate again. There have been arrests, but we are unable to say how many,” Mdunge said.
But ANC eThekwini regional secretary John Mchunu said the march was peaceful until the police provoked the protesters.
“It went on well until the police clashed with protesters. After the march, police got angry because some people did not want to go home and it was those racist white and Indian policemen who started shooting rubber bullets at the protesters,” he said.
He said the “racist police” were angry because the ANC was marching against the Scorpions.
“They are on their side,” he said, seemingly oblivious to the fact that the Scorpions and the police have not enjoyed a good relationship.
Mdunge dismissed Mchunu’s claims: “All police officers acted within the law. The issue of racism is nonexistent.”
The city had returned to normal last night, but fears have grown that Zuma’s court appearance in Pietermaritzburg on Friday will lead to a replay of the chaos in Durban."
ya neh
