- Title: Kenyan police fire teargas, make arrests at anti-brutality protest
- Date: 7th July 2020
- Summary: NAIROBI, KENYA (JULY 7, 2020) (REUTERS) PROTESTERS RUNNING ALONG THE STREET AWAY FROM TEAR GAS POLICE CAR AND TRUCK PASSING BY WITH SIRENS SOUNDING TEAR GAS ON THE STREET PROTESTERS SITTING IN THE STREET POLICE CHASING PROTESTERS WITH BATONS VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS MARCHING IN THE STREET HOLDING BANNERS AND POSTERS, SINGING (Swahili): "I am ready to pay the price, I won't stand when the evil is happening." VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS CHANTING (English): "Stop killing us." (SOUNDBITE) (English) CO-FOUNDER OF MATHARE SOCIAL JUSTICE CENTRE, WANJURI SAMONS, SAYING: "Demonstrating is a right and we are here to show that we are tired of police brutality, we are tired of a weak justice system. We are tired of the rule of law not being obeyed. We just want justice to be done for the many souls that have been lost by extra-judicial killings and all that is happening. We just need our country back, we need our people to live freely in our own country. Not as slaves. We don't want our children to live in fear, not even sure of their future. I lost my daughter, killed in a cover-up done by police, I need justice to be done." PROTESTERS KNEELING, SINGING (Swahili): "We are human beings, the slavery situation we have refused." VARIOUS PROTESTERS DANCING AND SINGING MAN BEING ARRESTED (SOUNDBITE) (English), UNNAMED PROTESTER, SAYING: "It is where and signed in the constitution, I refuse to bow, I refuse to bow and I am not afraid, I am ready to fight for justice." (SOUNDBITE) (English) UNNAMED ACTIVIST, SAYING: "Members of the social justice movement and other concerned citizens of Republic of Kenya. Draw attention of the State, starting from State House, to the most junior chief, to any civil servant in the corrupt Government of Kenya." STREET VENDOR WITH CRUTCHES BEING HELPED TO HER FEET PROTESTERS MARCHING POLICE WITH TEAR GAS LAUNCHERS WALKING DOWN THE STREET
- Embargoed: 21st July 2020 14:55
- Keywords: Kenya Protests arrests brutality police teargas
- Location: NAIROBI, KENYA
- City: NAIROBI, KENYA
- Country: Kenya
- Topics: Crime/Law/Justice
- Reuters ID: LVA001CLTA81Z
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Kenyan police on Tuesday (July 7) fired teargas and arrested activists gathering for a march against perceived government injustice that has been given extra impetus this year by allegations by rights groups of police brutality during the COVID-19 lockdown.
Activists said protesters from several areas had planned to march from their homes to the centre of the capital Nairobi, but many were dispersed or arrested before reaching there.
For those who made it into the city centre, police fired more teargas and made further arrests, a Reuters witness said.
Activists rally each year on July 7, marking the date in 1990 when opponents of late president Daniel Arap Moi launched a bid to open up multiparty politics. The protest is called "Saba Saba" - "seven seven" in Swahili - because of the date.
This year, protesters have been galvanized by mounting accusations of police brutality during the coronavirus lockdown..
Police were not immediately available to respond to multiple requests for comment.
Rights group Amnesty International said Kenyan police had killed at least 100 people in 2020, with 21 related to COVID infractions, such as curfew or mask violations. In March, in the first 10 days of the curfew, at least six people were killed, Human Rights Watch has said.
Over the weekend, protesters in western Kenya set fire to a police station after an officer allegedly killed a hawker for selling fake hand sanitisers. The officer was taken into police custody, a police report seen by Reuters said.
(Production: Thomas Mukoya, Nazanine Moshiri) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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