Police in Knysna have arrested 42 people who looted shops in the town's CBD during a violent protest on Thursday.
Spokesperson Malcolm Pojie says the protest started outside the court building in the morning where the murder trial of Knysna ANC councillor and the chief whip, Victor Molosi, was set to start.
Community members were seen blocking the road with rubbish bins and later moved to Woodmill lane, preventing residents from entering shops.
He says stores in the Main mall also had to shut doors due to the protest action and stun grenades had to be used to contain the crowd.
Pojie says the 27 women and 15 men will be charged with public violence as some structural damage was also reported.
Public Order police members are still on scene monitoring the situation.
The accused in Molosi's murder made a brief appearance in court where the trial was postponed until May.
The State indicated that they were not ready to proceed.
