bridge at Man Kam To over which there is a regular traffic of food- stuffs and other goods entering the Colony. A number of farmers, living in both Chinese and British territory, own land on the other side of the border; by a long-standing arrangement they are allowed to cross the border at various points to cultivate their fields. At Sha Tau Kok, a fishing village on the eastern shore line, the border runs down the middle of a street and there is constant and unchecked movement between the Chinese and British halves of the village.
98. Before the start of confrontation there had been some incidents arising from a chronic dispute over the cultivation of oysters in Deep Bay in the West. The rest of the border area was quiet and, while there was little or no communication between the frontier officials on either side, there was a reasonable modus vivendi in force.
99. Soon after the disturbances at San Po Kong it became evident that the distorted accounts published by the communist press in Hong Kong had succeeded in rousing strong feeling on the Chinese side of the border. A loudspeaker was set up at Lo Wu which regularly broad- cast anti-British propaganda. Mass demonstrations were held within sight of the British frontier posts. Trains arriving from Canton were plastered with anti-British posters. This propaganda was continued with varying degrees of intensity, but there was no overt violence until 24th June.
100. The incident took place at Sha Tau Kok, a village which lies astride the border. During the morning there were signs of activity in the Chinese side of the village. The militia guards increased in strength and three light machine guns were mounted in shops facing British territory. Stones were thrown at the Police patrols. At about 1 p.m. a crowd of some 500 people armed with iron bars and sticks had gathered outside the Rural Committee Office and began to move down the road towards a waiting Police company. They were ordered to disperse but instead they attacked the Police, being at once reinforced by another crowd of about 200 people from the Chinese side. The Police used tear gas and made baton charges and within an hour they gained the upper hand, the greater part of the attackers escaping into Chinese territory. One Police landrover was burnt and another damaged and the tyres of two armoured cars, that had been stationed without being manned near the Police post, were slashed. Nine people were arrested, of whom one was injured through jumping off a roof in an attempt to escape; seven policemen were slightly injured by stones.
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