COPY FOR REGISTRATION
CONFIDENTIAL
OUTWARD TELEGRAM
FROM THE COMMONWEALTH OFFICE
(The Secretary of State)
TO HONG KONG (0.A.G.)
Cypher
Sent 25 July 1967. 232OZ
117
CONFIDENTIAL No.1534
Following telegram of 24 July from Peking addressed to Foreign Office No.944 repeated for information to Ottawa, Washington and Hong Kong No.629.
Begins.
'Toronto Globe and Mail' correspondent, Oancia, was involved on night of 23 July in an incident with the masses. At about 7 p.m. he was driving with the Swedish Cultural Attaché, Sigurdson, and Scandinavian correspondent, Munthe-Kaas, as passengers along main Chang An boulevard. Munthe-Kaas was using
tape recorder to record sounds of demonstration which was in progress. P.L.A. men stopped the car and confiscated tape recorder and Oancia's car was surrounded by angry masses. P.L.A. men secured their release by telling the masses that the foreigners would be taken to the Foreign Ministry for the case to be investigated. However on arrival at the front gate of the Ministry, P.L.A. vehicle stopped and prevented Oancia's car from driving in. Another mob then gathered and proceeded to smash the windows of the car whilst the three men were still inside. Munthe-Kaas and Sigurdson were cut by glass and all were pummelled and spat on. They were taken to Public Security Bureau where they were interrogated separately. Oancia was held for several hours whilst Public Security tried to get him to confess that he had provoked the masses and to recognize that for the masses to damage the car was "justified" punishment. Oancia refused to accept this and signed nothing. He was eventually allowed to return home.
20
spirits.
Oancia is well and although shaken is in reasonable His car is just usable.
3. Oancia has cabled a report to 'Toronto Globe and Mail' but no doubt Ottawa will wish to pass the above to the Canadians.
Ends.
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