SOUTH AFRICA - DID RACISM RAISE ITS UGLY HEAD DURING UFS SHIMLAS / NMMU MADIBAZ RUGBY MATCH?

Some students and workers were hospitalised and others were still nursing their wounds yesterday after they were beaten up by white students and adult rugby fans at the University of the Free State Shimla Park Stadium.

In what resembled a scene from pre-democracy era, chaos was the order of the day at the University of the Free State on Monday as things went from bad to worse during a protest by workers supported by students.

Police used stun grenades, water cannons, teargas and pepper spray to disperse the protesters before at least 35 were arrested and charged with an illegal gathering and contempt of court.

The day began as early as 7am on Monday with workers and students gathering outside the main gate of the university singing songs and chanting until 11am before police’s public order policing unit gave the protesters a first warning to disperse.

Moments later another warning was given to protesters who had at that point moved to Nelson Mandela Drive.

Director of the Institute of Social Justice and Race Relations Prof André Keet was at the protest to try to calm matters down. But that did not deter the protesters.

Police still kept a heavy presence.

About 3pm more students had joined the march but before doing so students gathered on campus to discuss a way forward.

The workers and students then agreed that they would take the march to Shimla Park where a Varsity Cup rugby match was taking place between the UFS Shimlas and NMMU

Tensions ran high and the protest turned ugly as the rugby fans, white students and adults started to assault the black students and workers and disrupted the march.

Seven people were taken to hospital and the police and security managed to stop the fight.

The social media were in a frenzy as videos of the beating of the black students by whites went viral.

The university sent out a formal communication to students and staff confirming that the institution would suspend all academic activities yesterday and today.

VIA - thenewage.co.za