South Africa: Protests scheduled to be held in Pretoria on October 21

Event

A protest is scheduled to take place in Pretoria on Wednesday, October 25, in solidarity with the ongoing movement against police brutality in Nigeria. Protesters are set to gather in front of the Pretoria Art Museum at approximately 09:00 (local time), before marching towards the Nigeria High Commission building.

A series of protests organized under the #ENDSARS social media campaign have been held across Nigeria over the past few months and have intensified in recent days, with demonstrations having led to several fatal clashes between protesters and security forces. Unrest has continued despite an announcement by President Muhammadu Buhari that the controversial SARS police unit would be disbanded and replaced by a new agency called SWAT, a move which protesters have rejected.

Although the protest is expected to pass peacefully, a heightened security presence and transportation disruptions are expected in the vicinity of the march, and clashes between protesters and security forces cannot be ruled out.

Advice

Those in Pretoria are advised to monitor the situation, avoid all protests due to the risk of violence, and adhere to any instructions issued by the local authorities.