WATCH | Man arrested during beach protest to 'end lockdown'
A man at a protest against the national lockdown was arrested on Saturday after allegedly pulling off a television journalist's face mask at the beach in Fish Hoek.
The man, who was not wearing a mask when he was taken into custody, was put in the back of a police van after the alleged incident involving eNCA reporter Monique Mortlock.
Police arrested one of the organizers after he assaulted a news reporter with broadcaster eNCA at Fish Hoek beach, during a #WeAreMore protest action against the lockdown @TimesLIVE @CapeTown #covid19insa @COVID_19_ZA #LockdownSA pic.twitter.com/LmpVQtBNHk
— Esa Alexander (@ezaap) February 6, 2021
eNCA reported that some of the same protesters had attended a demonstration at Muizenberg beach last week, calling for the reopening of beaches.
Mortlock said the man, whom the broadcaster wanted to interview, complained about not being able to hear what she was saying because of her face mask.
“He then said he can't speak to people who wear masks ... He then goes on to pull my mask from my face, rips it off,” she said.
We are on Fish Hoek Beach to cover the #WeAreMore protest against lockdown. But one of the organisers just assaulted me, even with officers around us. He refuses to speak to me because I'm wearing a mask. @eNCA pic.twitter.com/BYx991Qmd0
— Monique Mortlock (@MoniqueMortlock) February 6, 2021
While the man was being led to the police van, somebody shouted: “Peace, we want peace!”
Others shouted: “Leave him alone.”
TimesLIVE