High school students, teachers and police officers taken hostage in South Africa

A large group of secondary school students protested in Ficksburg, Free State, after their schoolmates allegedly committed suicide as a result of bullying by teachers.

Consequently, the protesters, who gathered at Tlotlisong High School with the participation of students from surrounding schools, took 2 policemen and a teacher hostage.

The students, who attacked the police officers who wanted to intervene in the incident with stones, handed over a police vehicle that they later seized.

After reinforcements arrived, the police managed to disperse the students and rescued the hostages. Five students were arrested in connection with the incident.

The students blamed a teacher for their friend’s death, citing as evidence the suicide note their dead friend left behind. (AA)