Kwakwatsi - Nine people were arrested in a protest outside the Koppies Magistrate's Court on Thursday, Free State police said.
They had been protesting in support of 26 people arrested on Tuesday in connection with violent protests in Kwakwatsi, said Constable Peter Kareli.
He said residents had gone on the rampage, looting almost all the tuck-shops in the area, after the municipality apparently failed to respond to their grievances.
When the protesters heard on Thursday that the 26 had been denied bail, they refused to leave the premises.
“We gave them time to leave, but they would not listen, so we had to force them to move using rubber bullets and teargas.”
They started stoning the police, damaging a police van. The crowd dispersed, but re-grouped in Kwakwatsi.
Kareli said the area was quiet, but that the police would monitor the situation.
He said the nine protesters arrested on Thursday would appear, with the others, in the Koppies Magistrate's Court on Monday. - Sapa