Riots erupted in Zimbabwe’s capital Harare Friday after police fired tear gas and beat protesters who responded by throwing stones in the latest of a string of tense demonstrations.
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ZLHR said its lawyers were attending to a group of people arrested during Friday’s protest but did not give an exact figure. “Zimbabweans are beginning to say enough is enough”, said another opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai at a press conference after the demonstration was dispersed.
The usually bustling pavements were clear of street hawkers while some shops were shut and stones, sticks and burning tyres were strewn across the streets.
Didymus Mutasa, a senior official from Mujuru’s party and convener of Friday’s protest, vowed to repeat the demonstration a week from now and blamed police for the violence and disobeying a court order allowing the march to proceed.
Ahead of today’s demonstration, police had “warned that unauthorized demonstrations would not be tolerated”, NPR’s Ofeibea Quist-Arcton tells our Newscast unit.
Opposition protesters also clashed with supporters of the ruling ZANU-PF party who had refused to clear their street stalls. “The people’s desperation is very deep”, he said.
Another anti-government demonstration will be held next Friday, said the coalition of at least 18 opposition parties and civic organizations that organized Friday’s protest.
Tsvangirai said the regime was in its “sunset hour”, warning that efforts to suppress the protests would backfire.
Student leader Siziba was reportedly shoved into a silver vehicle as opposition supporters who had tried to stage a march calling for electoral reforms were chased into the centre of Harare by police with teargas and water cannons.
“It was wonderful to see and so humbling to see Zimbabweans come to a place where they were bold enough to say to a government that is known to be harsh, “Enough is enough and we won’t let you treat citizens the way that you are treating them.’ That added to the momentum of the citizens” movement that we now have on our hands”.
Charles Laurie, an analyst with Verisk Maplecroft in London, agreed that the government was on the verge of losing control.
“Today, we witness three decades of what should have been an era of prosperity, liberty and freedom anchored on respect, dignity and human rights. Violence is never acceptable”, reads part of the USA embassy statement in which Washington criticised the government for threatening to crack down on activists using social media.
The Canadian embassy also said it was “increasingly concerned with reports of violence and human rights violations in response to public protest”, and called for calm.
Friday’s march was to demand free and fair elections. Following Mugabe’s removal from office “a transitional government or authority” will be set up “handle the crisis and carry the nation through until the next election”, the statement said.
As NPR has reported, Zimbabwean clergyman Evan Mawarire has been at the center of many of those recent protests. Mugabe, who has been in power since 1980, has overseen an economic collapse that has caused food and cash shortages, with the country battling to pay public servants.
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