The City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, JP Smith, condemns the attacks on emergency responders following Wednesday’s protest action in Simons’s Town.
According to Smith, the City’s Law Enforcement became aware of a small group of protesters which had gathered from the Redhill informal settlement above Simons’s Town.
Smith said, several fires were set alight across the roadway, where firefighting appliances were despatched from both Simons Town and Kommetjie fire stations.
“The crowd quickly increased to approximately more than 200 persons, which then took to stoning our firefighters and enforcement staff upon their arrival.
“The unruly crowd then took to using a chainsaw to cut down larger trees lining Red Hill Rd, causing these to fall across the roadway as additional barricades before these were then to set alight. The fire then spread onto the surrounding areas and travelled up to the mountain slopes along the Redhill area,” Smith indicated.
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Smith went on to say that shortly before 7pm the fire was extinguished and appliances were recalled out of the area.
“Every citizen still has the right to protest, but where such protests turn violent, where infrastructure is damaged or where the safety of fellow citizens is compromised, it then becomes a criminal act. We will support SAPS as far as possible to bring those responsible to account for such actions,” Smith added.
Meanwhile, a case of public violence has been registered with SAPS.
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Picture: JP Smith/Facebook