Police officers swiftly intervened to rescue a local man who was assaulted and manhandled reportedly by anti-illegal immigration protesters on Thursday, after he was, according to him, falsely accused of stealing amid heightened tensions in Marlboro on July 16.

This formed part of the national protests aimed at addressing the issue of undocumented migration. Previously, protesters in Alexandra vowed to sustain their demonstrations until authorities take decisive action against illegal immigration.

Read more: Illegal immigration must be addressed

Tebogo Muhammad found himself at the centre of a volatile confrontation as protesters accused him of theft. This led to him sustaining a visible bruise on his eye.

Despite the ordeal, Muhammad escaped without serious harm. He strongly denied any involvement in looting or theft.

“You know what the problem was: these people are fighting and are accusing the wrong people, saying I am the one who was looting, and after that they fight you,” Muhammad said.

Also read: New immigration laws could hamper tourism

He added that the protesters initially suspected him of being an undocumented foreign national, though he maintained they lacked evidence and acted as a group while “travelling in groups.”

One protester reportedly pressed police to arrest him, but after intervention by officers, Muhammad was released.

Police maintained a strong visible presence throughout the protests in parts of Marlboro, enabling their quick response to multiple incidents. No immediate arrests related to the assault on Muhammad were made or reported.

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