dark trousers, formed up in the vicinity of Statue Square and marched to Government House, chanting slogans as they went. After the first two or three days delegations became disorderly and were not allowed into the forecourt of Government House but were received at the en- trance gates by the Aide de Camp. Each group presented its protest, chanted in unison suitable slogans punctuated by flourishes of the red book, and affixed posters to the outer walls and gates of Government House. As the crowds, both of delegations and onlookers, increased the Police were forced to close the roads leading to Government House to other traffic and to form cordons to pass the singing and chanting pro- cessions through one by one. As some delegations arrived by car, a special car park was reserved for petitioners while, to save the time of the Aide de Camp, a box suitably labelled was kept at the gates for the reception of protests.
37. The crowds both at Government House and in the vicinity of Statue Square grew daily in size. The number of delegations increased and they were attended by large numbers of onlookers. Loudspeakers were set up at the Bank of China and at other communist buildings which broadcast a stream of virulent propaganda, including vicious personal attacks on the Governor. The communists encouraged their own supporters and attempted to intimidate or cause unrest and panic among the rest of the population by a succession of rumours, mainly on the theme that the Peking Government was about to take over the Colony. The Police were constantly urged to turn against their officers 'before it was too late' and, while the Police ignored these threats, there were many people who believed them in the air of tension and ex- pectancy that prevailed. A man in Statue Square was overheard to say "If we read "The Thoughts" the Police will be afraid of us' and this feeling of confidence and expectation of victory was general among the communist demonstrators. Their behaviour grew increasingly arrogant and abusive; they jeered at the Police and they shouted for the Governor to come out. The garden walls and the main gate giving entry to the Government House grounds were completely covered by posters using the most violent and inflammatory language.
38. On 20th May there were at one time as many as 3,000 persons in the vicinity of Government House behaving in a most disorderly and aggressive manner. Crowds had also collected near the Bank of China and the Hilton Hotel, and there was another hostile crowd near the Supreme Court. The Police were shouted at and abused and attempts were made to block the tram tracks but, although the situation was
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