{"id":416106,"date":"2021-12-03T02:00:51","date_gmt":"2021-12-03T02:00:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/asiapacificreport.nz\/?p=67200"},"modified":"2021-12-03T02:00:51","modified_gmt":"2021-12-03T02:00:51","slug":"solomon-islands-police-arrest-217-riot-suspects-but-no-instigators-so-far","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/radiofree.asia\/2021\/12\/03\/solomon-islands-police-arrest-217-riot-suspects-but-no-instigators-so-far\/","title":{"rendered":"Solomon Islands police arrest 217 riot suspects, but no \u2018instigators\u2019 so far"},"content":{"rendered":"
By Robert Iroga in Honiara<\/em><\/p>\n Solomon Islands police have arrested 217 suspects connected to the three days of rioting and looting in the capital Honiara last week, but no alleged instigators so far.<\/p>\n Thirty three of the arrested people were juveniles — those under 18.<\/p>\n Police Commissioner Mostyn Managau appealed to members of the public to come forward and support police with evidence.<\/p>\n The riots and looting started on November 24 when a crowd of demonstrators broke into the Parliament grounds. They were then forced out from the Parliament area.<\/p>\n Their retreat into the city sparked three days of riots and looting that saw Chinatown razed, and several other properties in the eastern city set on fire, police stations attacked — one set ablaze, and Honiara High School torched to the ground.<\/p>\n The riots were subdued with the arrival of an international force led by Australia, PNG and Fiji with reinforcements from New Zealand arriving yesterday and over the weekend<\/a>.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Commissioner Mangau said there were two ongoing investigations — one into the looting and rioting, while the other probes the alleged perpetrators.<\/p>\n So far there have still been no arrests of key players allegedly behind the riot.<\/p>\n Robert Iroga<\/em> is editor of SBM Online<\/a>. Republished with permission.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n