Zimbabwean police clash with protesters
August 17, 2016
Zimbabwean police fired tear gas and water cannon to disperse about 100 people protesting against central bank plans to reintroduce local banknotes, a Reuters witness said.
The protesters set out to march through the streets of the capital Harare toward the central bank but were stopped by riot police, who broke up the demonstration. One man sustained deep cuts on the head from batons.
Zimbabweans fear that the central bank’s plan to introduce banknotes, or “bond notes,” in October to ease the dollar shortage could open the door to rampant money printing, as happened in 2008 when inflation hit 500 billion percent, wiping out people’s savings and pensions.
President Robert Mugabe in June defended the introduction of local banknotes, calling them “surrogate currency” that would discourage criminals from coming to Zimbabwe to “fish” for dollars.
Protesters sang songs denouncing Mugabe, Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa and central bank governor John Mangudya, who have backed the measure, and likened the planned “bond notes” to toilet paper. Protesters tried to give police flowers as a sign of peace, but the officers stood aloof. (Reuters)
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