Kenyans condemn the use of tear gas on children protesting grabbing of their school grounds

   Chaotic scenes at the Langata Primary School   Photo: Twitter

What was expected to be a protest against the grabbing of a playground at Langata Primary School ended up in tears. This was after pupils and activists were tear gassed by anti-riot police who had been deployed to the school early Monday morning.

The protesters using the #OccupyPlayGround slogan were demonstrating against the fencing off of the school playground by a private developer. The pupils has returned from the December holidays only to find the fence erected.

It is the scenes from the chaos that erupted that have enraged Kenyans. Images of pupils running from the police and trying desperately to clear their eyes of the effects of the tear gas are making rounds on the internet and local media channels. Some pupils have been rushed to hospital after sustaining injuries in the chaos.

Kenyans have come out to condemn the use of tear gas on children.

@FrankYawa: Anyone who's smelled and chocked on teargas before would understand the magnitude of this incident #OccupyPlayGround

@Nthugbinghi: Children versus the system that is supposed to protect them #OccupyPlayGround

@TehillahB: Lobbing tear gas at children? Those must be the most cold hearted, evil and wicked people on earth! Unbelievable! #OccupyPlayGround

@emsykay: You know we have failed as a nation when you hear talk of arresting and charging an 8 year old for destruction of property #OccupyPlayground

@Kigoth0: Children crying and protesting for their rights.. a wake up call for all the oppressed that suffer silently.. #OccupyPlayGround

@CMainga: #OccupyPlayGround Highlights the systematic failure of policy reforms and change in key govt institutions and the social economic sphere.

@slicker_son: Am really disappointed by the govt, this kid will grow up knowing police are not good people at all #OccupyPlayGround

@hndirangu: What does it profit a man (policeman) to use teargas against children? #OccupyPlayGround #LetChildrenPlay

@MarthaKarua: Shame on the government for assaulting children with tear gas to protect the corrupt #OccupyPlayGround

@Nyagah_Stellah: No! You do not tear-gas children, no! Whichever way I look at it, there is no justification. #OccupyPlayGround

@MagungaWilliams: The real ninjas today were those kids. Langata Primary School children who stood to protect their own #OccupyPlayGround

@Lt_Caesa: I pity the government that brought tears of terror and fear onto the cheeks of these children. #OccupyPlayGround