South African police shoot dead striking miners

[Locutus]

at least a dozen killed

WARNING: The following story features images that may be disturbing to some readers.

MARIKANA, South Africa — South African police opened fire on striking miners armed with machetes and sticks at Lonmin’s Marikana platinum mine on Thursday, killing at least a dozen men in scenes that evoked comparisons with apartheid-era brutality.

In the incident, filmed by Reuters television, officers opened up with automatic weapons on a group of men who emerged from behind a vehicle and started loping towards police lines.

The volley of bullets threw up clouds of dust, which cleared to reveal bodies lying on the ground.

President Jacob Zuma said he was “shocked and dismayed” at what appeared to be one of the bloodiest police operations since the end of white-minority rule in 1994 in Africa’s biggest economy.


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South African police shoot dead striking miners, at least a dozen killed | News | National Post

 

[eh1eh]

I'm not going to play Sun City.

 

[MapleDog]

Well if they had machetes the cops weren't gonna wait to see what the guys would do,like here if you have some knife in the hands,cops will shoot you.

PS at least its not like it was when the whites supremacists were in charge.

 

[EagleSmack]

PS at least its not like it was when the whites supremacists were in charge.

It's now OK that they machine gunned them because some of the cops had darker skin.

 

[CDNBear]

PS at least its not like it was when the whites supremacists were in charge.

So true, friendship went up, the standard of living went up, the sportsmanship went up, hell even the murder rate went up.

 

[L Gilbert]

"South African police shoot dead striking miners"
lol Why shoot dead people? And how can dead miners go on strike anyway?

 

[taxslave]

"South African police shoot dead striking miners"
lol Why shoot dead people? And how can dead miners go on strike anyway?

Cause there is little chance of return fire.

Also easier to hit.

 

[gopher]

When the Syrian government did that to its people, the UN threatened to intervene. Why doesn't it do the same now?

 

[EagleSmack]

Well they were charging with clubs and machetes. That was not the brightest of ideas to charge armed S. African Policemen with. They've been around long enough to know what a mob of club wielding thugs intend over there.

 

[damngrumpy]

Remember this happened to striking miners in Saskatchewan decades ago.
There is a commemorative plaque that reads something like these men were
murdered by the RCMP. I believe it is still in Bienfait Saskatchewan.
Its where Tommy Douglas concluded there had to be a better way.

 

[damngrumpy]

The spelling is actually Bienfait I believe. I should clarify one miner was killed
twenty others were wounded. The point is the miners were fired on by RCMP
That was in 1931

Oh so if you are not happy in the workplace the cops should be able to shoot you
there could be a lot of dead people tomorrow in Canada if that were true.

 

[gopher]

I'm surprised the forum's 2d Amendment rights advocates didn't say those union members should now arm themselves and get revenge.

 

[CDNBear]

I'm surprised the forum's 2d Amendment rights advocates didn't say those union members should now arm themselves and get revenge.

I'm not, but then again, the boards 2nd Amendment advocates are smarter than that post.

 

[gopher]

I'm not, but then again, the boards 2nd Amendment advocates are smarter than that post.

Gee, and I thought they said gun control is completely useless!

 

[CDNBear]

Gee, and I thought they said gun control is completely useless!

Gee, I thought your posts couldn't get any more ridiculous.

 

[EagleSmack]

Gee, I thought your posts couldn't get any more ridiculous.

Yeah. I had to take a double take on that too.

 

[CDNBear]

Yeah. I had to take a double take on that too.

And people accuse me of twisting words and throwing context to the wind...

 

[Praxius]

The report I read a few days back said they first used stun grenades, tear gas and a water cannon to break them up.... when a bunch came at the police with machetes and other weapons, those officers were well within their right to mow them down.

Case closed.... act like an idiot, die like an idiot.

 

[EagleSmack]

Oh so if you are not happy in the workplace the cops should be able to shoot you
there could be a lot of dead people tomorrow in Canada if that were true.

Do not bring clubs and machetes to gunfights.

Keep in mind it is a South African mob... not a Canucks game.

Do these guys look familiar?

 

[#juan]

I would call it suicide. A group of protesters armed with clubs and machetes advancing on men with machine guns.
Could there be any other result?