JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA – There are always things about government we don’t like: does this make taking hostages ok?
‘You can’t fight city hall’, or so the saying goes. The reasons why this is believed, I suppose, is that some things are simply too big to attack (figuratively at least!) and hence doing so is a massive waste of time.
Nevertheless, frustrations over measures taken – or not taken – by large entities do grow and at times those who are increasingly angry at what is not working to their satisfaction may entertain taking drastic steps. Even more drastic than Howard Beale (played by British/Australian actor Peter Finch) in the 1976 film Network.
Yet on occasion this outburst of anger in an effort to get a message across is iffy at best and ends badly.
On this day in 1975
24-year old David Protter, a South African Jew and assistant security officer at the Israeli Consulate in Johannesburg, took 20 people hostage at the diplomatic representation. By the time the incident ended four were dead and 32 more were wounded.
Protter apparently had a ‘grudge’ against the Israeli government and wanted to be flown to Tel Aviv, with the hostages of course, to explain some “principles”. There were allegations that the dead and wounded hostages might have been hit accidentally by police snipers who returned the gunman’s fire with bursts into the consulate.
Dealing with a super-crazy person was very difficult. At least he did not want to commit suicide and kill all the hostages.
Israeli security official at the Consulate
Protter apparently had ‘pro-Palestinian sympathies’ according to some hostages. In the end he was sentenced to 59 years in prison for his crimes.
I wonder if he ever resolved his ‘grievances’?
Read More Today in Terrorism
May 31, 1906: Spanish anarchist bombs royal wedding
On May 31, 1906 a Spanish anarchist threw a bomb hoping to hit King Alfonso XIII, killing 24 and wounding more than 100.
May 30, 2009: Anti-government group bombs TV station in Ecuador
On May 30, 2009 two pamphlet-bombs exploded outside an Ecuadorian TV station and ministry: no victims or significant damage ensued.
May 29, 2016: ISIS uses chlorine gas in terrorist attack
On May 29, 2016 35 civilians were wounded in an ISIS attack using rockets containing chlorine gas in Iraq’s Nineveh Province.
2 replies on “April 29, 1975: Hostage taking in South Africa”
Phil
Jihadis the most brutal terrorists? I can think of a comparison. Although their reign of terror was short, were not the Nazis every bit as brutal? I’m not talking about the Wehrmacht, but for certain the state agencies of the SS and Gestapo.
They were brutal Doug, but they were not ‘terrorists’ in the classic sense of the word