News / Local
Tsvangirai's Nkayi rally abandoned
24 Oct 2011 at 06:13hrs | Views
PM Morgan Tsvangirai was Saturday forced to abandon a rally in the Nesigwe area after police ordered the crowd to disperse during his address.
MDC-T had on Friday secured a High Court order overturning a decision by Mat North police to bar Tsvangirai from addressing the weekend rallies in Nkayi North and South constituencies.
A truck load of police officers descended on the venue in Nkayi South and despite being shown the court order, they demanded that the crowd of about 1 000 people disperse immediately.
Plain clothed police officers travelling in 2 vehicles also arrived at the scene.
Tsvangirai and other MDC-T officials tried to reason with the police officers who responded by threatening to call for more reinforcements.
The PM then stopped the meeting as the situation was turning volatile. But that was after he demanded that police show him more respect.
In seeking to bar the rally, the police had reportedly claimed it would turn violent.
MDC-T had on Friday secured a High Court order overturning a decision by Mat North police to bar Tsvangirai from addressing the weekend rallies in Nkayi North and South constituencies.
A truck load of police officers descended on the venue in Nkayi South and despite being shown the court order, they demanded that the crowd of about 1 000 people disperse immediately.
Plain clothed police officers travelling in 2 vehicles also arrived at the scene.
Tsvangirai and other MDC-T officials tried to reason with the police officers who responded by threatening to call for more reinforcements.
The PM then stopped the meeting as the situation was turning volatile. But that was after he demanded that police show him more respect.
In seeking to bar the rally, the police had reportedly claimed it would turn violent.
Source - Byo24News
