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| 'Two shot' in Cameroon taxi riot | 'Two shot' in Cameroon taxi riot |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Police have shot dead at least two motorcycle taxi-drivers at a protest against police abuses in north-west Cameroon, local residents say. | Police have shot dead at least two motorcycle taxi-drivers at a protest against police abuses in north-west Cameroon, local residents say. |
| Drivers had invaded the centre of the town of Bamenda to protest at the alleged severe beating of a colleague detained at a police checkpoint. | Drivers had invaded the centre of the town of Bamenda to protest at the alleged severe beating of a colleague detained at a police checkpoint. |
| When police tried to clear away the demonstrators' barricades, stones were thrown and police replied with gunfire. | When police tried to clear away the demonstrators' barricades, stones were thrown and police replied with gunfire. |
| Thousands joined the protest to demand an end to extortion, witnesses say. | Thousands joined the protest to demand an end to extortion, witnesses say. |
| A pregnant woman was also wounded in the shooting and some reports say three taxi-drivers were killed. | A pregnant woman was also wounded in the shooting and some reports say three taxi-drivers were killed. |
| A 'popular upheaval' | A 'popular upheaval' |
| The protests began on Tuesday morning after the detention of a driver on Monday at a checkpoint where he was reportedly stopped for not having the right papers. | The protests began on Tuesday morning after the detention of a driver on Monday at a checkpoint where he was reportedly stopped for not having the right papers. |
| It seems the people want the police to pay for the killings an aide to the governor of North-West Province, speaking on condition of anonymity | It seems the people want the police to pay for the killings an aide to the governor of North-West Province, speaking on condition of anonymity |
| "He was thoroughly beaten until he lost consciousness and one of his eyes," one Bamenda resident, who asked not to be named, was quoted as saying by Reuters news agency. | "He was thoroughly beaten until he lost consciousness and one of his eyes," one Bamenda resident, who asked not to be named, was quoted as saying by Reuters news agency. |
| "His colleagues went to the police station to seek his release but the police used tear gas to chase them away. | "His colleagues went to the police station to seek his release but the police used tear gas to chase them away. |
| "They then invaded the town, mounting roadblocks and blocking the traffic. When the security forces came out to lift the roadblocks, they threw stones at them and the police fired at them in retaliation." | "They then invaded the town, mounting roadblocks and blocking the traffic. When the security forces came out to lift the roadblocks, they threw stones at them and the police fired at them in retaliation." |
| An aide to the governor of North-West Province, who asked not to be named, confirmed there had been a "popular upheaval downtown" but could not confirm the deaths. | An aide to the governor of North-West Province, who asked not to be named, confirmed there had been a "popular upheaval downtown" but could not confirm the deaths. |
| "The situation is very tense here now," the aide added, requesting anonymity. | "The situation is very tense here now," the aide added, requesting anonymity. |
| "It seems the people want the police to pay for the killings." | "It seems the people want the police to pay for the killings." |
| A local journalist told AFP news agency that passions among drivers were high because police harassment of taxi-drivers had been growing in recent days. | A local journalist told AFP news agency that passions among drivers were high because police harassment of taxi-drivers had been growing in recent days. |
| The drivers are known locally as benskinners because passengers have to "bend their skin" to climb on to the motorcycles. | The drivers are known locally as benskinners because passengers have to "bend their skin" to climb on to the motorcycles. |
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