Wits students arrested for contravening court order on gatherings

04 October 2016 - 11:41 By Kingdom Mabuza

Police have taken over the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) campus and are arresting students standing in groups of more than 15 on Tuesday morning. Stun grenades were used earlier to disperse students‚ two of whom – a male and a female - were arrested.Police spokesman Kay Makhubela said the university had obtained a court order preventing more than 15 people gathering at one point. He said the two arrested students would face a charge of contravening the court order.“We won’t not be deterred‚ we will continue to fight for free education whether we are arrested or not‚” one student told eNCA from the back of a police van after being arrested.A student‚ who only identified herself as Nomazwe‚ accused police of using excessive force.“They attack us‚ at the slightest move we make. They must leave our campus. We cannot find solutions with police still here at the campus. We have a right to gather‚” she said.Wits vice-chancellor Professor Adam Habib had warned on Monday night that “security and police services” would be “deployed on all campuses and in all buildings” and that “no mass meetings will be allowed in Solomon Mahlangu House” .That seemed to have been ignored‚ with the All Residence Council tweeting a video clip from that building showing students dancing during an early morning vigil on Tuesday. Jameel on TwitterThey've just arrested student leader Catherine Busisiwe for asking for the details of an arrested student #FeesMustFall #wits https://t.co/yJ7EYSm017junk ARC 2016/2017‏@WITS_ARC posted: “Holding the Ground #NoRetreatNoSurrender #FeesMustFall”.ARC 2016/2017 on TwitterHolding the Ground #NoRetreatNoSurrender #FeesMustFall https://t.co/9HwGyrTHT2 The official Wits student representative council account @WitsSRC also retweeted @WITS_ARC’s advice to students should they be tear-gassed or pepper-sprayed.pic.twitter.com/OjjVI8lf4A — ARC 2016/2017 (@WITS_ARC) October 3, 2016junkHabib had noted concerns “about learning in a ‘securitised’ environment with police guarding lecture halls”‚ and said “we scaled down our security for today (Monday) and requested the police to move to the campus perimeter”.“However‚ given the harassment of some staff today‚ I am left with no choice but to open tomorrow with a full security contingent throughout our campuses‚” he added.– TMG Digital..

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