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| SA police arrest 1,500 in church | SA police arrest 1,500 in church |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Police in Johannesburg have raided the city's Central Methodist Church, arresting around 1,500 homeless people and Zimbabwean refugees. | Police in Johannesburg have raided the city's Central Methodist Church, arresting around 1,500 homeless people and Zimbabwean refugees. |
| Dozens of police, some heavily armed, raided the church compound at around 2300 (0100 GMT), rounded up those there and took them away. | Dozens of police, some heavily armed, raided the church compound at around 2300 (0100 GMT), rounded up those there and took them away. |
| The police said they were looking for drugs, guns and illegal immigrants. | The police said they were looking for drugs, guns and illegal immigrants. |
| But Paul Verryn, the church's bishop, described the raid as a violation of the sanctity of the church. | But Paul Verryn, the church's bishop, described the raid as a violation of the sanctity of the church. |
| 'Violation of rights' | 'Violation of rights' |
| Bishop Verryn said he would have gladly co-operated with the police if they had asked for his help to search the building and check the papers of those inside. | Bishop Verryn said he would have gladly co-operated with the police if they had asked for his help to search the building and check the papers of those inside. |
| But, he said, the way the police handled those they arrested during the raid was a clear violation of their rights. | But, he said, the way the police handled those they arrested during the raid was a clear violation of their rights. |
| Some of those detained had to be carried out of the church | Some of those detained had to be carried out of the church |
| It was, he added, an attack on the very institution of the Church. | It was, he added, an attack on the very institution of the Church. |
| As well as the 1,200 homeless and Zimbabwean refugees who usually sleep inside the church, there were some 500 more on the grounds outside. | As well as the 1,200 homeless and Zimbabwean refugees who usually sleep inside the church, there were some 500 more on the grounds outside. |
| By 0200 (0400 GMT), the last of the detainees were being herded into trucks and taken away for processing. | By 0200 (0400 GMT), the last of the detainees were being herded into trucks and taken away for processing. |
| Stiffening attitude to refugees | Stiffening attitude to refugees |
| Wednesday night's raid is the first time the police have targeted the Central Methodist Church, which is widely respected as a shelter for some of Johannesburg's most desperate people. | Wednesday night's raid is the first time the police have targeted the Central Methodist Church, which is widely respected as a shelter for some of Johannesburg's most desperate people. |
| Until recently, the authorities had adopted a relatively tolerant approach to the hundreds of thousands of Zimbabweans seeking refuge from the political and economic meltdown in their home country. | Until recently, the authorities had adopted a relatively tolerant approach to the hundreds of thousands of Zimbabweans seeking refuge from the political and economic meltdown in their home country. |
| But as South Africa's own economy starts to strain, the government has begun to stiffen its attitude to refugees. | But as South Africa's own economy starts to strain, the government has begun to stiffen its attitude to refugees. |
| An estimated three million Zimbabweans are believed to be living in South Africa. |