Chaos erupted in Hanover Park on Tuesday night after a missing nine-year-old girl was found at a local residence - leading to an angry mob demanding vigilante justice, Cape town Etc reports.
According to SAPS spokesperson Sergeant Wesley Twigg, Philippi police were acting on a lead regarding the missing child and located her at a house in Johnvlei Road on the evening of 13 May 2025.
But what started as a breakthrough in a missing child case quickly spiralled into a volatile scene, with around 200 community members swarming the premises, calling for the suspect to be handed over to them.
'Police members came under attack when a riotous crowd gathered around the premises and demanded that the suspect be released to them,' said Twigg.
To prevent the situation from escalating further, officers were forced to act swiftly to disperse the crowd, which had grown increasingly aggressive.