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KNYSNA NEWS - An unidentified woman and child were caught in the middle of the protests in Nekkies last week, when they were too close to the burning debris and got sprayed by the police's water cannon in their efforts to disperse demonstrators.
The protests flared up at about 05:00 on Thursday 5 March, and for several hours the N2 at Nekkies was closed until the situation was brought under control.
The protestors had begun burning all sorts of items, from tyres and branches to what looked like mattresses. The crowds behind the protest had already become smaller by the time the Public Order Policing unit arrived between 08:00 and 08:30.
When they got to the scene, they immediately employed their fitted water cannon and began to extinguish the burning barriers blocking the road.
In the chaos surrounding the protest, a woman carrying a baby, who came too close to the barrier, was knocked down by the water. The woman was able to quickly get back up on her feet with the baby before stumbling across the road to get away from the chaos.
She soon found a helping hand in the form of the police, who realised she had nothing to do with the protest.
With the noise of rubber bullets being fired and stun grenades ringing through the air, the sound of the wailing baby was barely audible, but it was there as the baby was screaming at the top of its lungs.
Thankfully for the woman and child, an EMS ambulance arrived on the scene and the paramedics transported them to Knysna Provincial Hospital where they were treated and found to have sustained no serious injuries.
Photos: Woman and child caught in anti-riot water spray
Southern Cape police spokesperson Captain Malcolm Pojie confirmed that the incident was reported to the Independent Police Investigative Directorate for investigation.
At the time of the incident, the woman was too shaken to speak to the media, and subsequent attempts to contact her via the police, the hospital and the ambulance service were unfruitful. However, as she was being transferred to the ambulance to be transported away she could be heard saying, "I can't believe they sprayed me, now my baby is crying."
The woman finds herself caught in the middle of the stream of the water cannon.
A policeman helps the woman climb into a police van with the baby in her arms.
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