MDM member bitten by a police dog

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MDM member bitten by a police dog

3:23 CAT | 28 Jun 2018

O País

On the 43rd anniversary of national independence last Monday, the MDM convened the press yesterday to denounce alleged police misdemeanours in the cities of Beira and Dondo, among them one of their member being bitten by a police dog, as well as the firing of 15 shots in the air where MDM members were celebrating the occasion in locations where official ceremonies were also being held.

According to José Muchanga, MDM spokesperson in Beira, “our members were simply prevented from celebrating Independence Day. The heavily armed police and the canine squad formed a perimeter far from the site where the ceremony was taking place and prevented our members from celebrating the date with the other Mozambicans.

“It seemed as though the independence of the country did not reach MDM. We still sang and danced, but then the police turned the dogs on us to stop us demonstrating and when we resisted one of our members was bitten.”

Muchanga also said that it was premature to assess the severity of the bite but that the victim was taken to Beira Central Hospital.

The MDM also claimed that police fired more than a dozen shots in the air to prevent members celebrating.

“It was in the municipality of Dondo. Our members counted 15 shots fired by the police to prevent our demonstration, for reasons we never established. We regret this and urge our police to be non-partisan, because it looked to us as if they were acting at the behest of Frelimo.”

Police have said they will respond to the MDM complaints this week.

It is however commonly agreed that MDM members were throughout the Independence Day celebrations demonstrating in such a way as to interfere with the provincial governor addressing those present, leading the police to restore order.

Source: O País