Protesters in Kenya set a police station on fire as they expressed their anger over the killing of a hawker by a police officer.
The officer reportedly shot and killed a man who was said to be hawking fake hand sanitiser and masks.
The two are reported to have engaged in a verbal argument, after which the officer reached for his gun.
Reuters reports that the incident happened in Kisii County in western Kenya.
The police officer is in custody but the murder of the hawker has sparked wild protests among local people.
Protesters besiege police station
Angered Kenyans stormed the police station after the shooting. Reports suggest they threw rocks at the building and destroyed vehicles and other property.
The protesters also set the police station on fire, in a chaotic clash with police officers on duty.
According to a report by Reuters, an “unquantified number of live and blank ammunitions were used” as the police personnel struggled to disperse the rioters.
Fourteen police officers sustained various degrees of injury in the attacks.
Rampant brutality
Kenyans have called for action against the perpetrators of acts of police brutality.
The problem with police violence is of long standing. Cases spiked during the lockdown, which brought all international air traffic in and out of Kenya to a halt, starting on 25 March. It is alleged that many violators were brutally abused by law-enforcement agents.
Recently, a cobbler was shot in Nandi County after being spotted not wearing a face mask. The incident sparked violent demonstrations in the city, with two people dying in the process.
On 6 July President Uhuru Kenyatta announced the start of a phased lifting of the lockdown. A nationwide dusk-to-dawn curfew however remains in place.
Human Rights Watch reports that at least six people were killed in police brutality during the first ten days of the coronavirus curfew, which became effective on 27 March.
E A Alanore
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