Durban anti-migrant protests escalate into violence

An anti-migrant protest in Durban, South Africa, escalated into violence on Thursday, resulting in multiple injuries and police intervention. Approximately one hundred demonstrators, part of a group opposing illegal immigration, marched toward a camp located in front of a government building. The group described the march as a ‘cleaning campaign.’

The camp has housed several hundred foreign nationals, primarily from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, for approximately thirteen weeks. Occupants stated they are asylum seekers fleeing violence and attacks against foreigners in South Africa. A Congolese community leader reported that five Congolese nationals, including two children, were injured during the clashes.

Police reported that one foreign national was arrested after a stone thrown during the confrontation struck an officer. Security forces utilized stun grenades to disperse the crowd after witnesses reported demonstrators armed with sticks attempting to approach the camp. Durban has become a focal point for mobilization against undocumented migrants, driven by radical groups accusing foreigners of straining public services and taking local jobs.