DA condemns brutal police crackdown on supporters outside Parliament
12 February 2015
The DA condemns the use water-cannons, batons and trained riot police to forcefully remove and arrest our supporters outside Parliament tonight.
We want to make it clear that those arrested and attacked were peaceful spectators to a state event.
These are people who wanted make their voices heard about the electricity crisis facing our nation.
We call for the immediate release of DA National Spokesperson, Marius Redelinghuys MP, and DA Cape Metro Chair, Shaun August, along with other supporters who were arrested moments ago.
Riot police came rushing at our supporters with shields and batons, citing "instructions from above" to remove us from Adderley Street "before the President comes".
Water cannons were fired into the backs of supporters who posed no threat to the police and were trying to escape harm.
The violence, man-handling and politicised policing we have seen outside Parliament tonight is an alarming sign that we are headed toward a police state.
Shaun August being led away to the police van and taken into custody. pic.twitter.com/yYy8r44PAf
— Zakhele Mbhele (@zakmbhele) February 12, 2015
Statement issued by Phumzile van Damme MP, DA National Spokesperson, February 12 2015
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