Over 45 weapons confiscated from land conference participants

WINDHOEK, 10 OCT – More than 45 weapons were confiscated from participants at the recent second National Land Conference.
Namibian Police Force Lieutenant-General Sebastian Ndeitunga said this in a speech read on his behalf during a media briefing here on Tuesday.
The weapons intercepted during the five-day conference last week were 14 pistols, one hunting rifle, one shotgun, two machetes, 26 knives, three traditional knives and one pepper spray.
The licensed firearms were withdrawn for the duration of the conference and returned to the rightful owners after the event. One unlicensed firearm was held back after the conference.
Ndeitunga said the intentions of these weapon-carrying participants were not known.
“In this respect, we would like to inform the nation that at any event, assembly or gathering, no weapons are allowed to be carried or possessed by public members,” he cautioned, adding that the police are there to guarantee the safety of the public.
In the same notion, he bemoaned the misconduct and misbehaviour of the “struggle kids” during the same week of the conference, describing it as “deplorable”.
These children of the liberation struggle assembled illegally in the streets of Windhoek, blocked roads, placed rocks on the roads, burned tyres and threw stones at public road users and vehicles, Ndeitunga said.
“This is unacceptable attitude and behaviour which cannot be condoned since they are tantamount to chaos and lawlessness.”
He again appealed to the public to refrain from carrying firearms and dangerous weapons to public events, and for demonstrators to desist from using inciting language and insults.
“It must be known that when using our freedom of expression, we must do it in such a way that it does not infringe on the rights of other citizens.”
(NAMPA)