Police arrested about five students and pepper-sprayed others who were all part of a vociferous group attempting to disrupt a lecture in the Rhodes University law department on Wednesday morning.
It was one of many skirmishes between police and small groups of protesters attempting to rout lectures throughout campus. Rhodes vice-chancellor Sizwe Mabizela announced last night that lectures would continue from 10.30am today.
Students and lecturers have chosen the non-confrontational approach and have quietly left all venues disrupted today. But this time students attending the lecture stood their ground.
About 70 students and staff in the lecture hall stated unequivocally that they would remain and did not want to hear messages from the protesters.
“We are here to learn. Get out, get out,” they shouted.
The protesters insisted that the lecture should end.
Their insistence was met with fury and profanities.
Several police stormed into the venue and slapped cuffs on several of the protesters and informed them they were under arrest for contravening the interim interdict. The interdict prohibits students from disrupting lectures as well as any other unlawful behaviour including assault, intimidation or kidnapping.
“Is this what you want,” screamed one protester displaying his cuffed hands.
“Yes,” was the reply. “Just get out.”
As the students were led out of the venue through a narrow gate into the parking area behind the department several protesters stormed towards police. They were pepper-sprayed at the narrow gate by a police woman trying to hustle the arrested students through and were then held at bay by two armed policemen. Students protesters assisted their friends flushing their eyes out with milk and water.
The day started quietly enough with a mass meeting of staff addressed by Mabizela. He said lectures should continue today and urged all to be considerate of one another. Nehawu threw their weight behind the call to return to lectures.
Hundreds of students heeded the VC’s call and flocked out of their residences and filled lecture halls across campus. But it was not to be. Small groups of protesters went around haranguing students, forcing them to vacate their lecture. In the massive Barratt lecture complex, a fire-alarm was triggered making lecturing impossible. Several students have vowed on social media the protests will continue. The SRC has also thrown its weight behind calls for the academic programme to be cancelled today.
Protesting students arrested at Rhodes
It was one of many skirmishes between police and small groups of protesters attempting to rout lectures throughout campus. Rhodes vice-chancellor Sizwe Mabizela announced last night that lectures would continue from 10.30am today.
Students and lecturers have chosen the non-confrontational approach and have quietly left all venues disrupted today. But this time students attending the lecture stood their ground.
About 70 students and staff in the lecture hall stated unequivocally that they would remain and did not want to hear messages from the protesters.
“We are here to learn. Get out, get out,” they shouted.
The protesters insisted that the lecture should end.
Their insistence was met with fury and profanities.
Several police stormed into the venue and slapped cuffs on several of the protesters and informed them they were under arrest for contravening the interim interdict. The interdict prohibits students from disrupting lectures as well as any other unlawful behaviour including assault, intimidation or kidnapping.
“Is this what you want,” screamed one protester displaying his cuffed hands.
“Yes,” was the reply. “Just get out.”
As the students were led out of the venue through a narrow gate into the parking area behind the department several protesters stormed towards police. They were pepper-sprayed at the narrow gate by a police woman trying to hustle the arrested students through and were then held at bay by two armed policemen. Students protesters assisted their friends flushing their eyes out with milk and water.
The day started quietly enough with a mass meeting of staff addressed by Mabizela. He said lectures should continue today and urged all to be considerate of one another. Nehawu threw their weight behind the call to return to lectures.
Hundreds of students heeded the VC’s call and flocked out of their residences and filled lecture halls across campus. But it was not to be. Small groups of protesters went around haranguing students, forcing them to vacate their lecture. In the massive Barratt lecture complex, a fire-alarm was triggered making lecturing impossible. Several students have vowed on social media the protests will continue. The SRC has also thrown its weight behind calls for the academic programme to be cancelled today.
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