Riot Police Attack ZINASU Students at Private Meeting
A riot police squad attacked and arrested over 60 students at the ZESA National Training Center in Harare on Tuesday morning.
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Police randomly raided the students who were holding a Zimbabwe National Students Union (ZINASU) General Council Meeting. ZINASU, which has close ties to the opposition politics movement, describes itself as a “non-partisan organisation that mobilises, serves and represents students in all spheres of their interests.”
The students’ body raised the panic alarm at 10 AM this morning on its X (formerly Twitter) account:
“ALERT: RIOT POLICE IS BEATING UP AND ARRESTING STUDENTS RIGHT NOW.”
The menacing riot police rounded up the ZESA students and packed them in a lone truck, even as they were disoriented from the unexpected and violent beatings. Scared onlookers took pictures of the chaos from afar.
Riot Police Attack ZINASU Students at Private Meeting
ZINASU later shared an update on the police assault and arrest:
Over 60 students have been beaten, injured and arrested by the riot police at ZESA National Training Centre.
Human rights watchdog, the Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP), revealed the details of the beatings and arrests:
“SECURITY ALERT!!! A ZINASU General Council meeting has been raided & disrupted by the Zimbabwe Republic Police. More than 60 ZINASU students have been arrested by the police. Some of the members have this morning been getting calls from an unknown number inquiring about their status.”
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As Zimbabwe is set to host the SADC Summit, there have been fears of protests happening in the country before and during the regional meeting. Mnangagwa has also been spooked by the wave of protests in Kenya. The government forewarned that it is ready to clamp down on any unsanctioned actions.
