Brute Force Unleashed : IMC-SA

3 Sept 2002
Salim Vally, activist with the Palestinian Solidarity Group, the Social Movements Indaba and board member of the Freedom of Expression Institute was arrested yesterday for trying to gain access to the Johannesburg College of Education campus, where he is employed. He is currently appearing in court to contest charges of trespassing.

Ahmed Veriava, Indymedia-SA activist and member of the Anti-Privatisation Forum, the Social Movements Indaba and board member of the Freedom of Expression Institute, was shot with rubber bullets while part of a peaceful protest outside the Hillbrow police station last night. Today he is undergoing surgery at the Helen Joseph hospital as a rubber bullet that lodged in his left hand has done significant damage to one of his fingers, which he might lose.

Other activists hurt during last night’s police actions include Julien leblanc, a French Canadian intern working with the organisation Alternatives in Montreal and the Anti-Eviciton Campaign in Cape Town, Solomzi Sijora, a Wits University student and activist, and Luyanda Tetjana, also a Wits University student and activists. Julien was shot with 3 rubber bullets on his back while running away. Solomzi was chased as he ran away and beaten up by the police. Luyanda was also beaten and threatened with rape by the police.

In a separate incident yesterday, Indymedia-SA photojournalist, Naboth Mabata, was arrested by police for allegedly not having accreditation to the Global People’s Forum at NASREC. Naboth had negotiated with the very same police who arrested him to go into NASREC to collect his camera and accreditation card from the Media Centre where he had earlier left them. After being beaten by police, he was released and is appearing in court today.

Indymedia-SA notes with concern the brute force that the South African state is using to silence legitimate and peaceful protests and dissenting and critical voices. We urge the Human rights Commission and the Independent Complaints Directorate to investigate the police and their unleashing of such unprecedented repression post-1994.

We also note with concern the fact that the mainstream media has not reported the use of rubber bullets, stun grenades and beatings by the police. We would like to believe that this is because of a lack of information and the fact that the police led protesters away from the media before shooting into the crowd.

To view what actually happened last night you can attend a film screening at 14h00 today at the Indymedia-SA Centre at the Workers’ Library, Newtown (opp. Electric Workshop).

Tomorrow, come and hear from those injured, arrested and silenced:
Indymedia-SA Press Conference
09h00, Wed, 4 September
at the Indymedia-SA Centre, Workers’ Library, Newtown

For further info and to arrange interviews please call Prishani Naidoo – 0839629760