Cape Town, South Africa - 12 November 2023: Supporters of Palestine clashed with police after a confrontation between Israeli supporters and those sympathetic to the Palestinian cause. Clashes erupted after a Palestinian supporter grabbed an Israeli flag and the police tried to hold the crowd back.

Police in riot gear used stun grenades and water cannons to hold back the highly emotional crowd. Several arrests were made which led to further clashes between the crowd and police.

Mandla Mandela, a member of parliament and the grandson of anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela, was amongst those leading the protesters. Mandela himself was sprayed with water and then liased with police to calm the crowd down, which led to the police withdrawing their units.

Moeshfieka Botha who came to protest in support of Palestine questioned the heavy handed action by police and asked why police cannot show the same visibility on Cape Town’s crime, drug and gang-ridden Cape Flats region.