Gun-toting riot police raid Kombayi's hotel

• Published date: 09 October 2014
• Publication title: The Zimbabwean

The youths had gathered at the hotel waiting for transport to ferry them to the ongoing provincial MDC minicongress in the city.

Antiriot police armed with AK47 riffles and wielding button sticks sealed off the entrance to the building and adjacent car park.

Three male youths who had reportedly attempted to take photos of the goingson using mobile phones were rounded and forced to sit on the ground by the details.

Some of the youths told The Zimbabwean that they pleaded with the police to release the female vendor woman they had been manhandling over an unclear matter, leading to a call for reinforcements and the sealing off of the hotel.

"We heard a loud scream of a lady from outside the building and we all ran to see what was happening. When we got outside, we realised that some police officers were harshly dragging her in the street and she was crying in pain.

"That is when we started pleading with the police to release her. During the incident, a truckfull of riot police arrived and we retreated into the hotel. That is why the police had to seal the entrance off the hotel," said one youth who witnessed the incident but...