However, a roadblock was mounted to prevent people coming to disturb peace in the Mashonaland East town. The roadblock also served to prevent people from relaying goods looted in Harare to their rural homes. MUTOKO, MUREWA & RUWA Some shops at Mutoko, Murewa, and Ruwa service centres had their window panes smashed and goods looted during the disturbances. NORTON In Norton, a CABS building had window panes shattered and an automated teller machine vandalised when the rioters tried to steal money. Two people were arrested. Officer-in-Charge for Norton Inspector Sam Chionyere said those arrested would appear in court. BEITBRIDGE In Beitbridge hundreds of residents took to the streets on Wednesday, 21 January, to demonstrate against escalating food prices. The commercial business sector of this small town shut down but police sealed off the border post. The demonstrations started at the Dulibadzimu bus terminus where about three buses were pelted and damaged while a police Santana had its windscreen damaged extensively. Taxis were hurriedly driven away from the terminus which was deserted within a few minutes. Led by touts and slogan-chanting women the crowd besieged Dulibadzimu police base before attempting to march to town. Police and members of the National Army formed a human wall along the road dividing Dulibadzimu high-density suburb and the town. All demonstrators were turned back and started blocking the roads with stones. Police used teargas to disperse crowds. “We have made sure the border post remains functional", Chief Inspector Shoko said. It was suspected to the demonstrators were bent on going to the border post to loot the State warehouse. Police said that those arrested would be charged with public violence. Chief Inspector Shoko said some houses had been hit and damaged by demonstrators who at one time moved from door to door demanding that people join the demonstration. Although police were in control, reinforcements were expected from Gwanda and other Matabeleland South stations. GWERU In Gweru, property worth more than $400 000 was either destroyed or looted on Tuesday, said Midlands police spokesman, Inspector Godfrey Madzikanda. He said 49 shops and 41 cars were damaged during the demonstration. By Thursday Police still had not identified the person shot dead by police in Mkoba on Tuesday. MUTARE In Mutare, police arrested 74 people in connection with Wednesday's spontaneous demonstration in which goods worth thousands of dollars were looted at one of the city's supermarkets and several cars had their windscreens smashed. Human rights violations There were reports in the press of human rights violations being perpetrated by the security forces, although these were described in the press as cases of “Manhandling”. Although there were isolated cases of the military manhandling suspects and members of the public, the situation had mostly reverted to normal. Staff from the Herald saw a group of suspected looters alighting from an army truck at Old Tafara shopping centre. They were in the company of 10 soldiers and three police officers. One soldier ordered those alighting to do so with their loot on their heads, in this case empty crates of beer, and empty beer bottles in their mouths to jump out of the truck. In another incident, the soldiers stopped a commuter omnibus and ordered the eight passengers to alight before telling them to proceed with their journey on foot.