Mob attacks police during raid
A policeman was seriously injured when a mob in Krishna Road stoned police and their vehicles during a crime prevention operation on Friday night.
CHAOS reigned on Friday night as community members of the Briardene Informal Settlement attacked police during a crime prevention operation.
Residents burnt tyres, stoned police and barricaded the entrance of Krishna Road to prevent the authorities from leaving the area.
The incident, according to Greenwood Park SAPS, was fueled by the community’s anger at the arrest of five people from the informal settlement.
Lt Col Zethu Ngobese, spokesperson for the Greenwood Park SAPS, said that the five were arrested in connection with the assault of a fellow community member.
“It was alleged that the daughter of one of the suspects was raped by her uncle. In response to the rape the five suspects allegedly attacked the uncle’s girlfriend, who subsequently opened a case of assault at the station,” said Ngobese.
According to Ngobese, police had arrived at a shebeen on Krishna Road to conduct a suspect raid (searching for drugs, illegal firearms and other criminal activities) when they arrested the five suspects and the shebeen owner.
“Police had a warrant to arrest the shebeen owner on charges of illegal dealing of liquor. While arresting the six suspects at the property the community began attacking the officers. They threw stones at the policemen and their vehicles, and they blocked the roads and burnt tyres,” she said. According to Ngobese, approximately 15 people formed the mob that attacked the police.
Captain Clifford Nicholson was struck on the back of the head. He sustained serious injuries and had to be transported to St Augustine’s Hospital, where he received 23 stitches.
After the incident more than 50 community members marched to the Greenwood Park police station. Ngobese confirmed that the community was ‘up in arms’ over the arrests of five of the suspects and demanded that the individuals be released.
