MDC secretary general Charlton Hwende on Monday said police had sealed off their headquarters following the reported discovery of 256 police and municipal helmets at Robinson House.

“According to the police, anyone breaking the law in the CBD is MDC? Our head office is Morgan Richard Tsvangirai House at the corner of Nelson Mandela and Angwa Street. We have no office or basement at Robinson House. Our offices were attacked early this year by known Zanu PF thugs and to date no one was arrested,” Hwende said on Twitter.

Police spokesman Paul Nyathi said: “A group of rowdy elements attacked a police officer who was about to meet his relative at Robinson House. These elements have declared the area a no-go area for police.

“Some officers who were nearby came to intervene but were also attacked, forcing them to call for back-up from Harare Central Police Station. When the hooligans saw that they were now being overpowered, they ran into the basement with the officers in pursuit.

“It was during the chase that they came across the helmets stashed in one of the rooms in the basement.”