South African Miners Fired On By Police! -18 Protestors Killed(News Friday #9)

	South African Miners Fired On By Police! -18 Protestors Killed(News Friday #9) I forgot to mention that the miners hacked two cops to death and killed 8 fellow workers. South African police officials Friday confirmed that 34 striking miners at the Lonmin platinum mine were killed when police opened fire Thursday, and 78 more were injured, in the bloodiest protest since the apartheid era. After an official silence Thursday on the number of casualties, police chief Riah Phiyega defended the police actions at a Friday news conference, saying they had no choice but to open fire when they were charged by a mob of angry miners. She said police tried tear gas, water cannon, stun grenades and rubber bullets, all of which failed to disperse the miners. South Africans reacted with shock and anger to graphic video footage, which showed miners trying to rush at police, who responded by firing weapons at them for around two minutes, as clouds of dust obscured the scene. When the dust cleared, numerous bodies were seen lying on the ground, some of them still moving. Phiyega said that before Thursday's violence, police tried to convince the strikers at the mine in Marikana, northwest of Johannesburg, to disperse, without success. "The militant group stormed towards the police, firing shots and wielding dangerous weapons. Police retreated systematically and were forced to utilize maximum force to defend themselves," Phiyega said. An independent police body, the Independent Police Investigative Directorate, will investigate whether the police action was justified <b>...</b>	From: Manosh0 Views: 106 9 ratings
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