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Violence broke out in East London, South Africa, on Monday after protests against the reported coronation of a Nigerian national as king escalated into unrest, with vehicles set on fire and buildings vandalised.
Police said the demonstration began peacefully before clashes erupted near the city centre.
The protest followed the circulation of videos and images on social media showing Chief Solomon Ogbonna Eziko being crowned “Igwe Ndigbo” in the city.
Several political and civic groups joined the protest, including ActionSA, the Patriotic Alliance, and the civic movement March and March, along with traditional leaders who described the coronation as unlawful.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Nobuntu Gantana said authorities responded after violence broke out during the march.
“The protest began as a planned peaceful demonstration by various traditional leaders over the alleged coronation of an Igbo king,” Gantana said.
“Violence broke out when some participants moved away from the city hall, where a petition was being handed over.”
According to police, at least 12 vehicles were damaged and several buildings were set alight, prompting emergency services to deploy to the scene.
“Emergency services, including the fire department, remain on the scene, along with the Public Order Policing Unit,” she added.
“This is an active scene, and updates information will be shared in due course.”
Authorities said a man was stabbed in the back during the unrest and taken to hospital. Gantana said the victim was not part of the protest.
“The stabbed person is not linked to the march,” she said.
However, Jacinta Ngobese-Zuma, leader of March and March, claimed on social media that the victim was one of the group’s members and said he had also been knocked down by a vehicle.
Earlier, Athol Trollip, leader of ActionSA in the Eastern Cape, said there was no constitutional provision allowing a foreign national to crown himself as a king in the province.
“We support the existing local kings in the Eastern Cape, of which we have five, and no Nigerian kings,” he said.
The Royal House of AbaThembu also distanced itself from reports circulating online that Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo had recognised the Nigerian national as royalty.
Royal ambassador and senior adviser Matthew Mpahlwa described the claims as false and said the king had no involvement in the matter.
“The Royal House of AbaThembu wishes to distance itself from the trending social media posts and pictures purporting to portray King Dalindyebo as welcoming and officially granting royalty to a particular Nigerian national,” Mpahlwa said at the time.
