There will be severe legal repercussions for protesters who broke the law during Monday’s Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) march, according to the Gauteng police.
Approximately 550 people were apprehended by law enforcement throughout the country for offenses like inciting public unrest and coercion in relation to the demonstrations staged by the EFF.
The EFF members have been conducting pickets outside Gauteng police stations, demanding the release of those who were detained on Monday, However, the police have maintained that those who broke the law would be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
Deputy Gauteng police commissioner, Tommy Mthombeni, revealed that provincial police had opened 53 court dockets concerning the EFF’s national shutdown. These dockets relate to individuals who burned tires on public infrastructure, blocked roads, and engaged in public violence.
According to Mthombeni, the police have a duty to ensure that protests are safe for everyone involved, including those who do not participate. He also stated that the court order issued from the High Court clearly prohibited certain actions, and thus the main charges preferred against those arrested would relate to violating this order.