Injuries as violence erupts at South Africa anti-migrant protest
Violence erupted in Durban, South Africa, during an anti-migrant protest, resulting in injuries to several foreign nationals, including children. The incident occurred amid rising tensions and a campaign by local groups against undocumented migrants.
Why it matters
The escalation of anti-migrant violence highlights significant social instability and the humanitarian crisis facing refugees and foreign nationals in South Africa.
A demonstration against undocumented migrants in South Africa descended into violence Thursday with one foreign national arrested and a community leader saying five Congolese were hurt.
The protest was in the port city of Durban which has been at the epicentre of weeks of action against irregular migration in which at least four foreign nationals have been killed and tens of thousands have fled the country.
Police said about 100 marchers from an anti-illegal migrant group went on what they called "a clean-up campaign" against an encampment of several hundred foreign nationals outside a government office.
Foreigners, many of them from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), moved to the site 13 weeks ago to seek protection against mobs of South Africans campaigning against undocumented migrants.
"During the commotion, stones were thrown around, and one which was thrown by a foreign national landed on a police officer," police said.
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