A Democratic Alliance MP was arrested and held at the back of a police van as crowds clashed with police on the streets of Cape Town before President Jacob Zuma’s State of the Nation address.
DA MP Marius Redelinghuys was arrested together with at least four other DA members and were being held in a police van in Burg Street, Cape Town, by 5pm.
“We have done nothing wrong. We do not know why we were arrested. We are trying to find out,” an agitated Redelinghuys, who is also the DA’s national spokesman, said from the back of the van.
One of those arrested is DA Cape Town metro leader Shaun August.
DA MP Geordin Hill-Lewis said DA supporters were protesting peacefully in Adderley Street when they were arrested.
DA MPL and chair of the Western Cape legislature oversight committee on police, Mark Wiley, was with them and provided them with water.
According to Wiley, the police say the DA members were arrested for being in possession of placards in an area demarcated a so-called “red area” in security speak as part of the much criticised security clampdown around parliament.
Redelinghuys said he had been pushed to the pavement by riot police after he enquired why DA members were being manhandled.
Reacting on behalf of the DA, DA MP Phumzile van Damme said: “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, manhandling and politicised policing we have seen outside parliament tonight is an alarming sign that we are headed toward a police state.” — DDC
DA MPs arrested as chaos erupts
DA MP Marius Redelinghuys was arrested together with at least four other DA members and were being held in a police van in Burg Street, Cape Town, by 5pm.
“We have done nothing wrong. We do not know why we were arrested. We are trying to find out,” an agitated Redelinghuys, who is also the DA’s national spokesman, said from the back of the van.
One of those arrested is DA Cape Town metro leader Shaun August.
DA MP Geordin Hill-Lewis said DA supporters were protesting peacefully in Adderley Street when they were arrested.
DA MPL and chair of the Western Cape legislature oversight committee on police, Mark Wiley, was with them and provided them with water.
According to Wiley, the police say the DA members were arrested for being in possession of placards in an area demarcated a so-called “red area” in security speak as part of the much criticised security clampdown around parliament.
Redelinghuys said he had been pushed to the pavement by riot police after he enquired why DA members were being manhandled.
Reacting on behalf of the DA, DA MP Phumzile van Damme said: “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, manhandling and politicised policing we have seen outside parliament tonight is an alarming sign that we are headed toward a police state.” — DDC
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