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Cape Town - In a letter to Sport24 one of the 30 fans arrested outside Loftus Versfeld on Saturday, details what transpired at Sunnyside police station.
To the Editor,
I'm writing in reference to police raids on rugby fans at Loftus on June 18, 2011. I was one of those taken to Sunnyside police station.
I am all for law enforcement, but have the following problems with the process used:
- Some fans who challenged the police when their friends were arrested, were thrown into the van as well and detained for the same crime. Why?
- I was forced to delete all photographic evidence of my experience in the police station. Why?
- Those of us who were thrown into a police van were not read our rights. However later as part of the signing process to be released, we had to sign that we had been read our rights.
- If the law is to be enforced, then why not target the hooligans first?
- If the public is to be educated and make our environment safer, then why not proactively communicate with the public and show a proper police presence? (The way it was done on the weekend, the rest of the public did not see it and were not educated, so they will commit the same crime next time. This makes easy money for the police but doesn't make our environment safer.)
- The act of having a beer on the outskirts of sports venues has been going on for years. Why is it now being policed so brutally?
What happened to me on the night:
- As I was walking with a group of friends towards the stadium, police jumped out and in a "raid" type fashion threw us into a police van. This was apparently for "drinking in public"
- Those who did not have any beer but challenged what was happening, were told "you know too much and talk too much" and then thrown into the same van as if committing the same offence.
- Those who were taking photos of the raid were also taken into the van as if they had done something wrong.
- All of those arrested were white males.
- We were rushed to the police station with sirens blaring, as if we were dangerous.
- We were asked to sign a form stating that we had been read our rights. When questioning what our rights were, the form was taken back from us and the policeman wrote "refuse to sign". This didn't end up influential in our release.
- At one stage there were 26 men in one cell.
- We had to pay a R150 "admission of guilt" fine to be released, or else be detained the entire weekend.
- I was released after 6.5 hours.
- Throughout the process, all those arrested were fully co-operative.
- It appeared that the police were simply trying to meet a "quota" of arrests / fines for the weekend
I wish the SAPS would "work with" us and then the public would respect and support them fully. However the way they go about enforcing their power is only increasing dissent towards our police. They really do live up to their shocking reputation.
I do empathise with the police for their shocking working conditions. Their offices are disgusting and I can't imagine being productive and positive if I was given such bad facilities. However this is no excuse for brutality and corruption.
Regards,
A disillusioned rugby fan
To the Editor,
I'm writing in reference to police raids on rugby fans at Loftus on June 18, 2011. I was one of those taken to Sunnyside police station.
I am all for law enforcement, but have the following problems with the process used:
- Some fans who challenged the police when their friends were arrested, were thrown into the van as well and detained for the same crime. Why?
- I was forced to delete all photographic evidence of my experience in the police station. Why?
- Those of us who were thrown into a police van were not read our rights. However later as part of the signing process to be released, we had to sign that we had been read our rights.
- If the law is to be enforced, then why not target the hooligans first?
- If the public is to be educated and make our environment safer, then why not proactively communicate with the public and show a proper police presence? (The way it was done on the weekend, the rest of the public did not see it and were not educated, so they will commit the same crime next time. This makes easy money for the police but doesn't make our environment safer.)
- The act of having a beer on the outskirts of sports venues has been going on for years. Why is it now being policed so brutally?
What happened to me on the night:
- As I was walking with a group of friends towards the stadium, police jumped out and in a "raid" type fashion threw us into a police van. This was apparently for "drinking in public"
- Those who did not have any beer but challenged what was happening, were told "you know too much and talk too much" and then thrown into the same van as if committing the same offence.
- Those who were taking photos of the raid were also taken into the van as if they had done something wrong.
- All of those arrested were white males.
- We were rushed to the police station with sirens blaring, as if we were dangerous.
- We were asked to sign a form stating that we had been read our rights. When questioning what our rights were, the form was taken back from us and the policeman wrote "refuse to sign". This didn't end up influential in our release.
- At one stage there were 26 men in one cell.
- We had to pay a R150 "admission of guilt" fine to be released, or else be detained the entire weekend.
- I was released after 6.5 hours.
- Throughout the process, all those arrested were fully co-operative.
- It appeared that the police were simply trying to meet a "quota" of arrests / fines for the weekend
I wish the SAPS would "work with" us and then the public would respect and support them fully. However the way they go about enforcing their power is only increasing dissent towards our police. They really do live up to their shocking reputation.
I do empathise with the police for their shocking working conditions. Their offices are disgusting and I can't imagine being productive and positive if I was given such bad facilities. However this is no excuse for brutality and corruption.
Regards,
A disillusioned rugby fan
