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Gallery security guard arrested over Zuma painting incident

A charge of assault was laid

A security guard who arrested a man who allegedly defaced a controversial painting of President Jacob Zuma at a Johannesburg gallery has been taken into custody.

  “He was arrested a short while ago,” police spokesman Colonel Vishnu Naidoo said.

  The guard was filmed head-butting and flipping Loius Mabokela onto the floor after he had allegedly defaced “The Spear” with black paint in the Goodman Gallery.

  Naidoo said a charge of assault had been laid by Mabokela on Tuesday night.

  Outrage has greeted the treatment of Mabokela.

  A second man, Barend la Grange, who made red crosses over the painting was arrested with no apparent violence.

  The picture depicted Zuma with his genitals exposed.

  Further details of the arrest and court appearance for the guard were not immediately known.

  The gallery stayed closed on Wednesday.

  A third man, George Moyo, has also appeared in court on a charge of malicious damage to property after allegedly trying to spraypaint the word “respect” on a wall outside the gallery.

  All three were released on bail after appearing in the Hillbrow Magistrate’s Court.

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