Police tear gas patrons at Harare bar

Residents of Tafara in Harare were left traumatised and struggling to breathe following a violent confrontation between police and patrons at a local bar last Wednesday night.

Eyewitnesses said the incident began around 10pm when officers from the Zimbabwe Republic Police Support Unit stormed into Gurure Nite Sport Bar.

"They just burst in and told everyone to lie down on the floor," said a patron who identified himself only as Manex. "They were saying they would beat us up, whether we were perpetrators of recent murders or just innocent people staying out late."

The situation quickly escalated, with police reportedly firing teargas canisters inside the bar and into nearby residential homes.

"Our whole house was filled with smoke. The children were crying and couldn't breathe," said one resident who asked to remain anonymous.

Eyewitnesses said at least two neighbours who suffer from asthma experienced severe attacks after inhaling the teargas.

Attempts to get a comment from the officer-in-charge at Mabvuku Police Station were unsuccessful. However, one police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the incident took place and said investigations were underway.

It was not immediately clear what prompted the police operation or why such force was used against the bar patrons.

Another patron said efforts to reason with the officers were met with intimidation and violence.

"They just came in and started threatening us. We didn't do anything wrong — we were just enjoying a night out," he said. "Now our community is scared, with burning eyes and throats from the teargas. Something needs to be done about this kind of police behaviour."

Residents said the heavy-handed response has left the community shaken and are demanding accountability from authorities.

Police national spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi was not reachable for comment by the time of publication.

The incident comes amid growing reports of alleged harassment of night-time patrons by police officers, who have been accused of indiscriminately labelling people out late as criminals.