South African Protests Over Asylum Ruling Turn Violent in Two Cities

Violent demonstrations against foreign nationals in South Africa left cars burned following a contentious court ruling.

Demonstrations against immigration escalated into violence in South Africa, hitting Johannesburg's Soweto township and the port city of Durban. Protesters attacked foreign nationals, setting vehicles ablaze and forcing local shops to shutter. The unrest erupted after a court ordered the government to restart processing asylum claims, with officials attributing the turmoil to misleading online claims.

• The damageProtesters torched at least nine vehicles and compelled foreign-owned shops to close during street clashes.
• The triggerJudicial authorities instructed officials to resume evaluating applications from asylum seekers.
• Official responseThe government attributed the sudden unrest to false information circulating about the court verdict.

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