CYPHER/CAT Á
IMMEDIATE HONG KONG
TEJ EGRAM NUMBER 2057
RE T
SECRET
TO COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
751
4 OCTOBER 1968.
ADDRESSED CC TELEGRAN NO. 2057 OF 4TH OCTOBER REPEATED PEKING
AND P.A. SINGAPORE
HiR
750
MY TELEGRAM NC. 2054 : CHINA NATIONAL DAY CELEBRATIONS IN HONG
KONG ON 3RD OCTOBER.
35 COMMUNIST FUNCTIONS WERE HELD DURING THE DAY.
CRIVED IN
•7 OCT.
40
HWB.1/17
2. GROUPS OF COMMUNIST SUPPORTERS GATHERED NEAR THE BANK OF CHINA
AND IN STATUE SQUARE DURING THE EVENING, BUT THIS TIME THE GROUPS
DID NOT COALESCE. NONE WAS GREATER THAN ABOUT 150 STRONG AND AT NO
TIME WERE THERE MORE THAN ABOUT 400 PEOPLE ALL TOLD. POLICE PATROLS
BROKE UP ANY ATTEMPTS TO FORM LARGER GROUPS. ON THE WHOLE, THE
CROWDS WERE WELL BEHAVED BUT SOME OF THE HARD CORE ELEMENTS JEERED
AND TRIED TO RESIST POLICE ATTEMPTS TO MOVE THEM ON. SEVERAL BATON
CHARGES WERE NECESSARY AND THREE MEN WERE ARRESTED AND CHARGED
WITH DISORDERLY CONDUCT. BY MIDNIGHT THE AREA HAD RETURNED TO
NORMAL AND THE TWO POLICE COMPANIES DEPLOYED WERE THEN WITHDRAWN.
PRESS REPORTS TODAY GREATLY EXAGGERATED THE SIZE OF THE CROWDS.
3. A LETTER OF PROTEST FROM THE BANK OF CHINA WAS RECEIVED AT POLICE H.6.
ON THE EVENING OF 3RD OCTOBER CLAIMING THAT THE ACTION
OF POLICE AND CUOTE ARMED SOLDIERS UNQUOTE ON THE PREVIOUS TWO
DAYS HAD BEEN DESIGNED TO RUIN C.P.G. NATIONAL DAY CELEBRATIONS.
A REPLY IS BEING SENT DENYING THE ALLEGATIONS AND POINTING CUT THAT
10 ARMED SOLDIERS WERE EVER INVOLVED. LATER THE DIRECTOR OF THE
N.C.N.A. MADE A STATEMENT PROTESTING AGAINST THE ARREST OF THE THREE
MEN AND ALLEGING ASSAULT ON THREE N.C.N.A. AND TWO OTHER REPORTERS.
NEX
RIF
750 752
PAR
SECRET
/BOTH THE
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