By Adelaide Sirox Kari – EMTV News, Port Moresby
Multiple students from the University of Papua New Guinea were rushed to the Port Moresby General Hospital in critical condition just after lunchtime today, along with four others with minor injuries.
All students in a critical condition were stabilised, and two were reportedly discharged.
Students from UPNG had planned a protest march to parliament this morning, but were stopped by police.
The situation at UPNG this morning was chaotic, after police retaliated against students. It is understood that students were injured after police fired into the crowd.
Police were alleged to have been positioned inside the campus shooting at the boy’s dormitory.
A situation started escalating outside the campus as members of the public started rioting against the police, after they heard students had been injured.
Governor Gary Juffa was at the scene trying to understand the situation, but was disappointed with the police for having opened fire at students.
EMTV News then visited the St John’s Ambulance Clinic at Gerehu, where students with serious injuries were initially taken.
The situation at Port Moresby General Hospital was tense and emotional with people screaming and crying as the injured students arrived.
The situation than escalated as police drove into the hospital, with the crowd getting rowdy, screaming at the police asking why they had attacked the students.
After 20 minutes police then mobilised around the hospital, trying to calm the already mad crowd.
But the situation wasn’t about to get any better, as an Army vehicle approached police and then left, while another UPNG security car brought in another student with minor injuries.
Tear gas was dispersed.
Full confirmation on the number of injuries, and if indeed any students were shot dead, is still to come.
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