Action Society launched a campaign against police brutality with a call to ban the #BlueLightMafia after a video of a group of armed police officers dragging a man from a blue VW Polo and seriously assaulting him and two others went viral last night. The officers have since been identified as being Paul Mashatile’s SAPS VIP protection team.
Action Society instructed their legal team to prepare a complaint that will be filed with the Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID). According to Action Society the charges that should be investigated include attempted murder, assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm, intimidation and pointing a firearm.
Ian Cameron, the Director of Community Safety at Action Society strongly condemned the video. “It is absolutely disgusting to see the behaviour of these thugs who call themselves police members. They are criminals, and should be prosecuted.”
Cameron continued to stress that the role of the police is to serve and protect South African citizens and not to trample and assault them. “Unfortunately this isn’t an isolated incident and these police officers are being led from the top. Cases of police brutality are on the rise and the Minister of police isn’t doing anything to condemn cases like these. In fact, he has incited and participated in this kind of behaviour himself.
Cameron announced that Action Society is currently looking to obtain a mandate from the victims of this case to investigate civil charges against the minister and criminal charges against the police members.
