[WATCH] Several injured in scuffles at Central Methodist Church
The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) says a number of people were injured after scuffles broke out between a group of refugees and church leaders at the Central Methodist Church in Cape Town.
The foreign nationals were moved to the church after police forcibly removed them from the premises they had been occupying outside the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) offices in Cape Town.
They are demanding the organisation move them from South Africa for their own safety.
READ: 100 arrested in clashes between police, foreign nationals in Cape Town
Western Cape commissioner Chris Nissen says the refugees took exception when told the UN wouldn’t be able to resettle the group outside South Africa.
“In the church we were giving feedback and explained to them the meeting on Monday and how we are going to do things.
“We explained what the United Nations had been saying, we explained to them what Home Affairs has been saying and everything was going smoothly, obviously there were some interjections and shouting and so on.
“Then the pastor from the local community spoke and then all hell broke loose. The leader of the pack ran to the pastor knocking down everybody and then they started running for us.”
WATCH:
{Video supplied} #Refugees seeking accommodation at the Cape Town Central Methodist Church, have attacked SAHRC representative and Church leaders. #eNCA pic.twitter.com/omiQtKNOxn
— NobesuthuH (@Nobesutu_Hejana) November 15, 2019