LIVE | Clicks ‘strongly condemns violence’, EFF welcomes court decision against stopping protests

Protesters with hammers storm Alberton Clicks, torch
parts of store

A
Clicks outlet at the Lemon Tree Shopping Centre in Alberton, east of
Johannesburg was attacked by protesters on Monday morning, wielding hammers and
setting fire to parts of the store.

Clicks
stores countrywide have been the target of protests organised by the EFF
following an advertisement campaign that depicted black women’s hair as “dry”
and “damaged”, but white people’s hair as “normal”.

According
to Ekurhuleni Emergency Services spokesperson Eric Maloka, about 15 protesters
descended on the outlet at around 09:15.

Fire
and rescue services from Alberton and Thokoza responded to a fire at a Clicks
store at the shopping centre, Maloka told News24.

“They
managed to extinguish the fire within minutes. According to the manager, about
15 unknown protesters approached the shop and security officers alerted them (staff
members).

“They
then closed the main entrance to the store, which is a glass door. [The protesters]
were armed with hammers and they broke the glass door and gained entry to the
store where they set a portion of the shop alight and vandalised the
inside.”

More
to follow.

 – Riaan Grobler

(PHOTO: Supplied by Ekurhuleni EMS)