South Africa: Activists Angry After Brics Summit Protest Moved to Venue Far From Gathering of Leaders

Pixabay
Flags of Brazil, India, China, Russia and South Africa - member countries of Brics.
23 August 2023
Daily Maverick (Johannesburg)
analysis By Gaby Ndongo

Law enforcement agencies gave permission for a protest against the BRICS Summit -- but at a venue nearly 4km from the gathering.

Lesya Karpenko, the Gauteng representative of the Ukrainian Association of South Africa (Uaza), was informed on Tuesday that their protest against the BRICS Summit could go ahead at Innisfree Park in Johannesburg, which, she said, defeated the purpose as the park was about 4km from where the summit was being held.

"We were put here, at the park ... not to spoil the picture that Russia is welcome here [in South Africa]," Karpenko said, standing near law enforcement officers from the SAPS and the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department who were observing the protest.

"In the morning, there were more police than protesters," she remarked.

Amnesty International Africa and the All United Amhara Association in South Africa also joined the protest, voicing concerns about human rights violations by BRICS countries.

Uaza called for the immediate withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine. "Currently, Russia is bombing our grain stores and so grain is just being destroyed and nobody is getting it," Karpenko said.

"We also call for our children to be returned. There are thousands of illegally misplaced children who are detained in Russia, and we want them to be back as soon as possible.

"Leaders of countries [should] demand...

Read the full story on Daily Maverick.

Tagged:
Copyright © 2023 Daily Maverick. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.

AllAfrica publishes around 500 reports a day from more than 100 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.

Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.