En clair
INWARD TELEGRAM
TO THE COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (The Secretary of State)
FROM HONG KONG (Information Services)
D. 19 May, 1967.
R. 19
#1
03352
HUA 1/1
(86
191000 Standard Editorial.
For information.
"Hong Kong Standard" in editorial headed
"Mobs and the People" said today (Friday):- "Playing a leading role in disturbances in Kowloon are young stone-throwing and car-burning hooligans at forefront of mobs and agitators inciting them from rear.
Their law-breaking activities are however being given support by large numbers of people who are neither ruffians nor criminals and who in ordinary course of life are law-abiding members of community.
It is to be presumed that these people are taking part in mob action because of resentment against authority.
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As in 1966 riot many appear to take satisfaction in making some gesture of defiance by ignoring appeals to disperse or by throwing a single stone in general direction of police.
These people may have genuine grievances. What they have failed to realise however is that it is one thing to seek to bring about improvements in a faulty system, it is quite another to strike at the foundations on which the system is based.
If power of Police to preserve law and order is destroyed all people of Hong Kong - rich and poor alike will suffer grievously.
Most people in Hong Kong are aware of this but unfortunately minority which has not (repeat not) yet appreciated this point is large enough to have provided trouble-makers with enough crowd backing to achieve their ends.
It is to be hoped that these people will come to realise that they are inviting disaster by giving encouragement and support to rioters and that this awakening process will be hastened as much as possible by all organisations that have the public ear.
Only lawless will benefit if structure of law and order is seriously damaged.
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