Eight EFF members who appeared briefly in the Blue Down’s Magistrate’s Court near Bellville in Cape Town following Friday’s chaos at Brackenfell High School, have all been released on a warning. They were nabbed for public violence when a group of about a thousand red berets rocked up at the school.
They stoned law enforcement officials who tried to control the riotous crowd with stun grenades, rubber bullets and a water cannons. Vehicles were stoned, shop windows damaged and traffic lights broken.
Nine people to appear in court over Brackenfell clashes:
The group intended to hand over a memorandum to the school, following allegations of racism at the school.
The eight members were not been asked to plead on the charges of public violence.
Their case was postponed to 12 February 2021.
Earlier, EFF supporters protested outside the Blue Downs Magistrate’s Court where the eight members appeared on charges of public violence.
Police monitored the situation at court.
EFF accuses police of inciting violence
EFF members protesting outside the school on Friday accused police of inciting violence as they gathered outside the premises.
It is not clear at this stage what triggered the violence, but tensions rose when police said more than 100 people were outside the school. This meant the EFF was in violation of its permit as the City of Cape Town granted the party permission for 100 demonstrators only.
Police fire water cannon and stun grenades to disperse protestors at Brackenfell High School:
