News / National
Police fire teargas canister at journalists
04 Apr 2019 at 14:46hrs | Views
263 Chat's Nigel Mugamu says members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police on Thursday fired a teargas canister at the headquarters of 263 Chat in Harare after the journalists filmed council police and ZRP officers chasing vendors.
Said Mugamu, "I came back from school run to find the 263 Chat team outside the building. Harare police and ZRP who were chasing vendors came into our office to disrupt our reporting of the incident and fired tear gas into the office. Our reporter Lovejoy Mtongwiza was capturing photos and videos in First Street. They chased him into the 263 Chat office. The officials were in plain clothes and didn't identify themselves."
Mugamu said their journalist Mtongwiza was injured while Costa Nkomo had his wallet and cellular phone confiscated by the police.
"The majority of the 263 Chat team were in the office at the time. The tear gas cannister was fired into the office and the officials blocked the door so the team couldn't escape. My team escaped via the window. 263 Chat reporter Mtongwiza was injured in the process and will require medical attention.
"Another journalist Costa Nkomo had his wallet and phone taken by the police in the process. I'm left speechless. HOW can anyone fire tear gas into an office?" Mugamu added.
Said Mugamu, "I came back from school run to find the 263 Chat team outside the building. Harare police and ZRP who were chasing vendors came into our office to disrupt our reporting of the incident and fired tear gas into the office. Our reporter Lovejoy Mtongwiza was capturing photos and videos in First Street. They chased him into the 263 Chat office. The officials were in plain clothes and didn't identify themselves."
Mugamu said their journalist Mtongwiza was injured while Costa Nkomo had his wallet and cellular phone confiscated by the police.
"The majority of the 263 Chat team were in the office at the time. The tear gas cannister was fired into the office and the officials blocked the door so the team couldn't escape. My team escaped via the window. 263 Chat reporter Mtongwiza was injured in the process and will require medical attention.
"Another journalist Costa Nkomo had his wallet and phone taken by the police in the process. I'm left speechless. HOW can anyone fire tear gas into an office?" Mugamu added.
Source - Byo24News
