Cape Town - Bonteheuwel residents have denounced the latest attack on the men and women in blue by certain groups in the area.
The community, led by leaders from the spiritual crime desk, marched through T Block section on Sunday where City law enforcement officers were recently attacked.
It was one of the attacks on police while they were responding to crime, not only in Bonteheuwel but also Manenberg and Hanover Park, including Philippi East, where two metro police officers were shot and robbed.
On Tuesday, metro police officers came under fire from a group of Hanover Park residents as they responded to a gunfire incident around Algoa Court.
A suspect was arrested but a group of residents tried to free the suspect while another group tried to retrieve his firearm he had thrown on top of a roof.
On February 26 a police officer suffered head injuries and a vehicle was damaged after being stoned while attending a crime scene in Manenberg.
On March 1, a group of residents from T Block section in Bonteheuwel thwarted an arrest by attacking law enforcement officers, allowing the suspect to escape.
The man was to be arrested for a recent Teak Road shooting.
Bonteheuwel sector CPF chairperson Mike Seale said T Block was a red zone with sporadic shootings daily and murders almost weekly.
“Two weeks ago we had an imbizo with police and told the community it is time to work with law enforcement and not to harbour criminals. The criminal that certain group defended is still at large and poses a risk to the community.
“My concern is that when violence flares police will turn a blind eye because they are stoned and attacked when they respond. This will result in anarchy in the community.”
Bonteheuwel Mission pastor Karl Davids said they cannot condone those in the community protecting the criminals.
“Anyone that commits a crime must face the full wrath of the law. The law of the country is also the law of this community and we cannot allow certain individuals to defy it,” he said.