14 students arrested from Wits University
HILLBROW- Sergeant Mduduzi Zondo from Hillbrow Police Station has stated that 14 students have been arrested from Wits University main campus on 19 February.
14 individuals were arrested and taken to the Hillbrow Police Station for violating a court order which the University obtained earlier this year.
Wits university indicated that some of the individuals that were arrested, not all of whom are students, have been involved in a number of unlawful activities on Wits campuses in recent days.
Head of communication Shirona Patel said, “Criminal activities include the unlawful occupation of the Senate House Concourse, attempted arson, malicious damage to property, the alleged burning of a bus, the setting alight of a mattress at the back of a library and the vandalisation of university property.”
“The safety and security of our staff, students and visitors to the campus is paramount and the university was left with no choice but to have these individuals arrested as they posed a threat to the 33 000 students and 5 000 staff on our campuses,” added Patel.
Patel said, “There are some that argue that the university is criminalising protest. This is completely untrue. The activities that we have witnessed in recent days are criminal, and we are responding accordingly. As a university we cannot tolerate criminal acts on our campuses.”
Zondo confirmed that the students have been arrested and taken to Hillbrow Police Station.
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