A large crowd of ANC supporters were outside the High Court in Johannesburg on Thursday to support a legal attempt to remove a controversial painting of President Jacob Zuma from the Goodman Gallery.
Most of the group wore ANC T-shirts and sang in front of the court building. Some displayed posters reading: “President Zuma has a right to human dignity and privacy”.
Zuma's son Duduzane was at the court.
The ANC has brought an application to have the painting “The Spear”, by Cape Town artist Brett Murray, removed from view in the Rosebank gallery.
The political party contends that the work, which shows the president's genitals, is a violation of his dignity and that, in this case, the artist's right to freedom of expression should be set aside.
On Tuesday the work was vandalised by two men who smeared paint across it. A third man was later caught trying to spray paint the word “respect” on the wall outside the gallery. All three were arrested and the gallery temporarily closed.
Roads around the court were closed on Thursday morning in anticipation of protests. Police in riot gear and police nyalas were parked along Pritchard Street. - Sapa