Reuters reported the protest ban late on Wednesday, after images and video on social media showed a building on campus and a truck set on fire amid reports of rioting.
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Staff at the university reportedly accused police of beating a female student, before she was rushed to hospital.
“They fired shots, they fired shots directly at the crowd”, student Gerald Peni told the Australian broadcaster ABC, which reported that four people had been killed in the gunfire. The game went ahead as planned despite the shootings.
The New Zealand High Commission in Port Moresby has issued a warning to New Zealanders in PNG, citing unconfirmed reports of deaths along with associated looting and unrest other parts of Port Moresby.
A member of the Student Representatives Council, Hercules Jim, said for now the campus was calm and the SRC was planning for the student body to meet.
“They threw tear gas and amidst the smoke, they started shooting directly at the students”, Yalo told the AP by telephone.
Wednesday’s events echoed a similar confrontation when police opened fire on anti-government student protesters in 2001.
“But first of all now we are working around the clock to secure and get the names of students who have been injured and see who is missing and all this”.
Activist leader Noel Anjo described the morning’s events, “Students met at the university for breakfast around 7 o’clock”. When the protesters said no, an argument broke out, she said. “The students were running for cover in all instructions, however I saw some individuals terribly wounded”.
‘I urge all Papua New Guinea citizens whether Christians or non Christians to stand together united and pray to God for His protection and safety for the UPNG students.
“I know students have been shot but we are still trying to determine whether there have been deaths, how many injured”, Bishop told reporters.
He said the students were trying to start a protest march to the parliament to disturb MPs in their sitting.
Mothers from suburbs surrounding the University of Papua New Guinea march with their hands on their heads.
O’Neill has denied the graft allegations, and last month published a lengthy letter responding to the students’ concerns which suggested the accusations were politically motivated.
Police are investigating whether he authorised millions of dollars in illegal payments from the government to Paraka Lawyers, one of the Pacific nation’s largest law firms.
Opposition MPs filed a vote of no confidence in Mr O’Neill for the fourth time yesterday.
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“Police in the city and around the country will come down hard on any opportunists who want to cause trouble”, he said. “Obviously, lawful and peaceful protests should be allowed”, Bishop told Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio. We were over there for three hours, after the situation a little calm down, they took us in our hotel.
