Cape Town - The UCT Students’ Representative Council (SRC) has called on students to engage in a “state of emergency” following the arrest of two students as protesting students clashed with police on Friday morning.
In an address to students, the SRC explained that the management of the university had resorted to using police force on protesting students who “were instructed by the Dean of Law to remain in the Kramer building, threatening them with their tests”.
The peaceful demonstration staged by students was led to raise awareness of the current fee blocks crisis.
According to the Cape Times the student leadership and UCT Council remain at loggerheads over fee blocks, with at least 7 000 students said to be affected.
This morning’s protest follows one earlier in the week, where UCT issued a statement after Upper Campus lectures were disrupted on Wednesday.
“These acts of disruptions are unlawful in terms of the interim interdict granted by the Western Cape High Court on Friday 17 February 2023. As a result the relevant members of the executive have alerted the SAPS, who will intervene and respond to these disruptions.
“The UCT executive reiterates its stance on upholding the right to legitimate protest, but will act against any unlawful activities.”
In video footage of this morning’s clash with police, protesting students can be seen being pushed back outside the Kramer Law building on middle campus.
Police spokesperson FC van Wyk said that the SAPS was called onto the scene on Friday when protesting students started disrupting classes again and tried to enter Kramer Law lecture rooms, when they were stopped by police.
Van Wyk said that SAPS members would remain in the area to monitor the situation, and that “two arrests were executed, and the students are detained at Rondebosch Police on charges of contravening a court order and public violence”.
According the SRC statement on the arrests, “stun grenades without warning were released on students, police trampled over students and went on to knock unconscious one student before arresting that student and another one”.
The SRC called on students to join them on the Sarah Baartman Stairs at 1pm to “engage on what is now a state of emergency and we ask that the Dean of Law and UCT exec to come and account to this brute force on innocent bystanders and students advocating for their right to education”.
UCT has been contacted for comment but has yet to respond.