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Newcastle shut down by protest

Protesters have delivered on promises to shut Newcastle down today, closing off most entrances to the town.

September 6, 2019

Newcastle Advertiser 2 minutes read

Will Newcastle see another shutdown of the same scale as the one that took place in September?

Multiple entrances to Newcastle are closed as the Newcastle shutdown continues.

Newcastle Advertiser journalists have been on scene at the following points:

Allen Street/HJ van Eck (exiting Newcastle towards Volksrust/Utrecht)
Albert Wessels Drive
Amcor Dam (Umfolozi Drive)
Drakensberg Drive
Kwamathukuza

Here’s what’s been happening since just before 4am this morning:

Journalists arrived at the meeting point on the N11 at the Allen Street intersection and met with march organiser, Mdu Mnisi. Despite the cold, protesters appeared to be in high spirits while Mnisi committed to keeping the march peaceful.

En route to Amcor Dam, protesters claimed they were threatened at gunpoint by a motorist, who demanded they get off the road. A short while later, riot police were deployed to scene, reportedly to control the situation.

Gathered at the Allen St/HJ van Eck intersection, protesters are out in numbers. Despite police trying to clear the road, it has since been completely blocked off to traffic as tyres burn and vuvuzelas punctuate the atmosphere, in what seems to be a relatively peaceful protest.

Journalists then headed back towards Amcor Dam, where they reported many protesters, but no volatility. Back on Allen Street, it was confirmed the road is entirely closed, with tyres burning near the Magnolia Street intersection. Albert Wessels Drive, near the Jooste Road crossing, is also entirely blocked off to motorists, forcing some to have to turn around.

JUST IN: A journalist at the protest scene at HJ van Eck/Allen has just confirmed a stun grenade has been thrown by a police official. Protesters are complaining their fires are being put out by authorities.

A local emergency WhatsApp group forwarded a message reportedly sent by a security company, indicating the following:

Blue municipal skip bins have been pushed onto the street on Kirkland Street in the CBD
The Amcor Dam route has been closed off and SAPS is on scene
N11 north is all clear
HJ van Eck/ Allen is closed by protesters and SAPS is on scene
N11 south (casino entrance) is completely closed
R34 Memel Road is clear
Trim Park is clear – no vehicles

Follow our Facebook page for live coverage.

The #NewcastleAdvertiser will be bringing you #updates throughout the planned #protest today. Click on the link below to view live videos and more.https://t.co/drDAqwcWOw pic.twitter.com/10nENtiGlX

— Newcastle Advertiser (@nnadv) September 6, 2019

#NewcastleProtests: At the Pines, #protesters are trying to get burning #tyres on the #road but law enforcers are #chasing them off the road every time. pic.twitter.com/vUaXqDHL5Z

— Newcastle Advertiser (@nnadv) September 6, 2019

#NewcastleProtests: #Journalists driving through town have confirmed there is no #protestaction at #TrimPark yet. pic.twitter.com/S1i7gVKbP2

— Newcastle Advertiser (@nnadv) September 6, 2019

#NewcastleProtests: The #municipal #firetruck is making it's way along Allen Street. pic.twitter.com/TAcZ5vDlr9

— Newcastle Advertiser (@nnadv) September 6, 2019

#NewcastleProtests: Our #journalists are #live from the scene at various gathering points today, in anticipation of the planned #shutdown of #Newcastle – follow us on #Facebook and #Twitter to learn more as the… https://t.co/07Ez00d01F

— Newcastle Advertiser (@nnadv) September 6, 2019