The group were charged and remanded in custody to Tuesday over the anti-government protest which was against some restrictions on importation of basic commodities.
The accused, who include 16 men and one woman, appeared before Beitbridge Magistrate Gloria Takundwa.
Last Friday’s protests saw angry residents blocking roads while a warehouse belonging to the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority was set ablaze.
Police who watched as the protests went on, later swooped on the local townships and forced residents to clean up the roads and in the process arrested 17 people, charging them with public violence.
There were fears that the residents’ constitutional rights would be bridged as they faced more than 48 hours in detention without appearing in court. But judicial officials, who hardly convene court sessions during Sundays, held a hearing for the 17 accused people.
Reason Mutimba of Mawadze and Simwango Legal Practitioners, a member of Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), has made a bail application for the 17 residents who were arrested.
ZLHR Sunday said Mutimba accused police officers of assaulting 10 of the detained residents.
Government has since blamed the Friday protests on what it calls a “Third Forceâ€.
The protests came after government banned the importation of items such as bottled water, furniture, building materials, steel products, cereals, potato crisps and dairy products.
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