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S. Africa Police Evict Protesting Asylum-Seekers, Arrest 100

Agence France-Presse

   CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA - South African police on Wednesday arrested
   about 100 foreign nationals occupying an office building in Cape Town
   as part of a sit-inprotest againstxenophobia.
   Hundreds of asylum-seekers have been camping at U.N. refugee agency
   (UNHCR) offices in Pretoria and Cape Town since Oct. 8.The sit-in
   overflowed into the building housing the U.N.'s Cape Town office,
   prompting the landlord to successfully apply for their eviction.
   "About 100 people have been arrested after they failed to heed the call
   to disperse," the police said in a statement."Police are ... executing
   a court order to evict about 300 refugees and asylum-seekers who have
   been occupying the building."
   Relocation sought

   The foreigners, mainly from other African nations, say they are fed up
   with experiencing poor treatment and discrimination.They have asked the
   United Nations to relocate them to another country, claiming they no
   longer feel safe in South Africa after a surge of xenophobic attacks
   last month.
   Clashes broke out with the police as protesters refused to move from
   the Waldorf Arcade, a 12-story block of offices in Cape Town's central
   business district.They banged on pots and plastic bottles, chanting
   "xenophobia government" and "police xenophobia."
   "South Africa you [are] killing refugees," said a slogan painted on a
   white banner.

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