57 SWAPO Youth League members were found guilty by the Windhoek Magistrate's Court on 26 February of demonstrating in a municipal area without the prior permission of the municipal authorities. They were discharged after being warned and cautioned by the magistrate. Warrants of arrests, however, were issued at the hearing for a further eight SWAPO members who had failed to attend the court.
The group of 65 people was arrested during a SWAPO demonstration outside the Windhoek post office on 2 December 1978 – the same day that two bombs alleged by the police to have been planted by SWAPO exploded in the city (see FOCUS 20 pp.2-3). In letter to the Windhoek Advertiser, three of those involved stated that they were "really disappointed over what the government of this country is doing to lawful organizations such as SWAPO. Its members were detained for staging a peaceful demonstration on December 2. Why? Because we did not 'have permission'. What is surprising is that many organizations in the country regularly have demonstrations without permission but are not arrested. The DTA were having a demonstration on the very same day – were they also taken to court? Where is the so-called 'Justice' in this country?" (WA 24.1.79)
