Police vow to crush demos

Crime Reporter

Police have remained heavily deployed in and around Harare to ensure that law and order prevail, following the recent disturbances by protesters from opposition parties under the National Electoral Reforms Agenda (NERA) banner who unleashed an orgy of violence in Harare, looting, burning and stoning shops, cars and attacking innocent people.Police arrested 67 hooligans, mainly MDC-T and ZimPF supporters. The protesters also stoned police officers going about their duties and deflated a police vehicle.

A survey conducted yesterday revealed that both police in plain clothes and uniform have since been deployed to patrol the streets to maintain peace and thwart any criminal activities.

TPolice recently assured the nation that they would be out in full force and would arrest anyone who engaged in violent activities.

National police spokesperson Chief Superintendent Paul Nyathi was last week quoted as saying security deployments had been intensified and anyone who engaged in any acts of violence would be dealt with.

“The law will take its course on those political leaders who are inciting violence under the guise of the right to demonstrate. This includes those who are circulating messages of threats of violence on social media platforms. We are quite aware of the threats which were made at a recent MDC-T rally which culminated in these disturbances.”

He said police had a constitutional mandate to protect life and property.

“This responsibility will be performed without fear or favour. No amount of threats or intimidation will deter the ZRP from performing its constitutional mandate. Police are already investigating the source of these social media threats.”

Property worth thousands of dollars was also recently destroyed, while two pick-up trucks belonging to the police and the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation were burnt to shells by MDC-T youths who ran amok in Harare’s central business district during an illegal demonstration against alleged “police brutality”.

The youths also looted supermarkets, including Choppies along Nelson Mandela Avenue, where they stole expensive whisky and other alcoholic beverages.

Also looted were shoe retailer Bata, clothing shops Edgars and Jet Stores as well as various small shops in downtown Harare.

The youths were mostly armed with stones which they were carrying in their bags and pockets.