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Cape Town - A long line of policemen blocked around 50 members of Black Solidarity Action from marching on the US consulate in Cape Town in solidarity with the #blacklivesmatter movement on Wednesday morning.
Having been stopped a few hundred metres from the consulate in Steenberg, the members of the solidarity group shouted that this was a violation of their constitutional rights.
"Look his face, it's red. You can see the hate in his eyes," one of the marchers said, pointing to an officer in protest gear.
A Nyala and a few other public order police (Pop) unit vans stood nearby.
Pastor Xola Skosana, speaking on behalf of the group, told Pop commander Lieutenant Colonel Jimmy Lucas that their intentions were peaceful.
They wanted to march to the consulate to hand over a memorandum on the killing of black people in the United States. He said it was an emotional issue, but there would not be violence.
After some negotiation, Skosana and Lucas walked to the consulate to point out how close to the building the group would be allowed to stand.
The marchers then gathered a short distance from the main entrance, where 15 Pop officers formed a barrier line.
They held up posters that stated "stop killing blacks", "black pride", "black power" and "bring back my people" among other messages.
The group has called for the withdrawal of the US from South Africa until the killings stop.
The consulate's US flag stood at half mast following the Dallas shootings.
Lucas warned he would be forced to open a docket for an illegal gathering.
