In this framegrab of a video circulated on social media, riot police can be seen beating an un-armed protester with rubber batons. Photo: Facebook
Home Affairs Minister Mathias Chikawe cited a viable terror threat as a reason why police beat and arrested opposition members earlier this week.
Speaking to Parliament in Dodoma, the minister stated that it was in the interest of safety that police officers beat opposition members.
Police detained and charging 30 people, including CUF National Chairman Ibrahim Lipumba, with illegal assembly and incitement.
On Tuesday, members of the Civic United Front (CUF) were attempting to hold an annual commemorative march in honour of a massacre in Zanzibar, which saw 21 CUF members killed in 2001 post-election violence.
The situation came to a head in Temeke, where police attempted to block the route the CUF members were taking.
Video footage posted to Facebook, shows police firing volleys of tear gas and men in plain clothes beating civilians in the back of police vehicles with rubber batons and the butts of guns.
In parliament, the debate was divided on party lines: ruling CCM endorsed police actions while the opposition called for legal reform to end police brutality.
According to The Citizen, the Commission for Human Rights and Good Governance as launched an inquiry into the incident.
There has been no word on the injuries sustained in the beating.