Zimbabwe government crackdown amid protests and rioting

The protests and riots reached their climax on Wednesday when rioters torched a government office.

The protests are centered around rising fuel costs, which have recently been increased by 100%, due to a decree by Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa. Zimbabwe already had the most expensive petrol prices in the world, and waiting to get fuel for your car in Zimbabwe can take hours.

While on Saturday the government had blocked Facebook, WhatsApp, and Twitter, they also started a violent crackdown and killed a dozen people while injuring more. They also arrested hundreds of protesters, and Zimbabwe’s government has stated that what has happened so far is just ”a foretaste of things to come”.

Many human rights watchdogs agree that the government of Zimbabwe is using excessive force against protesters. Meanwhile, the UN has urged the government to stop the “excessive use of force”.

A government spokesman blamed the opposition for the violence and riots.

This page will be updated as the story develops.