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smearing themselves with as much blood as they could find.
yewitness accounts assert that small plastic packets containing
pig's blood, or red ink or the like, were also used. Numerous
left-wing cameramen were on the scene and took care to make as
;
Two
big a production of the incident as possible. Despite the fact
that this phase of the demonstration was broken up and a number of
arrests made, more groups appeared on the scene and the crowd
maintained pressure throughout the morning and afternoon.
groups of about twenty petitioners each were, in fact, permitted
to pass through the Police cordons to go to Government House where
they chanted the usual stanzas from the thoughts of MAO, but left
without affixing posters. Throughout the afternoon demonstrators
continued to roam through Central District; drivers of buses and
taxis stopped their vehicles, and in some cases abandoned them,
causing traffic jams. At 6.30 p.m. the first curfew to be imposed
on Hong Kong Island since the Japanese Occupation was brought into
effect. It was announced that no further public meetings or
processions of any sort would be allowed without the Commissioner
of Police's permission and that in future petitions must be sent by
post. The night passed without incident.
16.
The only shots to be fired during the entire proceedings
on Hong Kong Island, were directed at this time at a Bank of
Communications employee, who threw a tin of liquid, first believed
to be acid but later proved to be petrol, at a Police Constable
in Statue Square. The assailant was wounded and detained.
17.
The Bank of China loudspeaker system was again used during
the day and was again effectively countered, but numerous other
loudspeakers were in operation throughout the Colony, inciting
violence and calling upon Folice to disaffect. At the same time
a rash of posters appeared on public transport, public buildings, shops
and the like.
18.
May 22nd must be regarded as the major effort of the
left-wing to impose their will upon Government during the month.
All the while continuous meetings of the left-wing hierarchy were
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