A peaceful march turns violent in East London on Monday, 30 March 2026.
It all started as an innocent march but turned ugly as protesters became violent. Shops were looted, cars were burnt, and some people ran for their lives.
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The protest was against the coronation of Solomon Ogbonna Eziko as “Igwe Ndigbo na East London.”
The march took a turn when protesters started burning cars, looting businesses, and injuring people.
This came after the Eastern Cape House of Traditional and Khoi-San Leaders condemned the coronation as a violation of customary protocols and a challenge to recognised authority.
Violent protests erupted in East London (Ku Gompo) on 30 March 2026 over the controversial coronation of Igbo king Solomon Ogbonna Eziko.
All of this was sparked by the installation of Chief Solomon Ogbonna Eziko as Igwe Ndigbo na East London, which traditional leaders argue is unlawful and disrespects local customs.
Dealing with the chaos, the Eastern Cape police had their hands full trying to calm down the situation.
Police spokeswoman, Brigadier Nobuntu Gantana, said police were attending the scene that turned violent in Ku Gompo today, 30 March 2026.
The cops said the protest began as a planned peaceful demonstration by various traditional leaders over the alleged coronation of an Igbo king.
Amagata battle chaos in Ku Gompo
Cars were torched and shops were looted as police struggled to calm the chaos.
“Violence broke out when some participants moved away from the city hall, where a petition was being handed over.”
“It is confirmed that ten vehicles have been damaged, and one building in the North End business area was partially torched.”
“The area is home to a mix of foreign nationals, predominantly from Somalia and Pakistan,” she said.
She said no injuries have been reported thus far, and no arrests have been made.
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“Emergency services, including the fire department, remain on the scene.”
“The following deployments are in place: Visible Policing members, Public Order Policing (POP) Unit members, BCM Traffic officers, and BCM Law Enforcement officers. The Public Order Policing Unit remains on the scene,” said Gantana.
