PHER/CAT A
FM HONG KONG 200893Z
CONFIDENTIAL
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riginal 2: AKK||13
This Copy fer:
'Interattien calp/Action ca
Paro(c)
TO PRIGRITY FCO TELNO 321 OF 20 APRIL.
QUOTE NEW LEFT UNQUOTE ACTIVITES.
MANY OF TO-DAY'S PAPERS CARRY REPORTS, SOME PROMINENT, OF A POLICE RAID YESTERDAY EVENING (IN EXECUTION OF A SEARCH WARRANT) ON PUBLISHING PREMISES OF MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT WEEKLY. IT FOLLOWED INFORMATION THAT THE 70S BI-WEEKLY GROUP INTENDED MAKING ATTEMPTS .TO INTERFERE WITH QUEEN'S BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS, AND THE RECENT
APPEARANCE OF POSTERS WITH ANTI-COLONIALIST SLOGANS.
2. THIRTY-EIGHT SUCH POSTERS AND A QUANTITY OF FIREWORKS WERE SEIZED DURING IT AND ELEVEN YOUNGSTERS AGED BETWEEN SIXTEEN AND TWENTY-FIVE WERE ARRESTED. FIVE WERE MEMBERS OF THE 70S BI-WEEKLY GROUP. THOUGH A CHARGE OF SEDITION MIGHT HAVE BEEN PREFERRED, ALL ARE BEING TAKEN BEFORE A MAGISTRATE THIS AFTERNOON WHEN AN APPLICATION WILL BE MADE THAT THEY BE BOUND OVER TO KEEP PEACE.
3. THE MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT WEEKLY IS A RADICAL PAPER WHICH IS PUBLISHED INTERMITTENTLY, BUT WHICH, DESPITE ITS NAME, IS NOT IN FACT THE PUBLICATION OF ANY RECOGNISED STUDENT GROUP. THOSE RESPONSIBLE FOR IT ARE NOT AT PRESENT INFLUENTIAL. MOREOVER ONLY ONE OF THE YOUNGSTERS ARRESTED WAS IN FACT ACTUALLY A STUDENT.
4. THE ARRESTS HAVE INEVITABLY LED TO PROTESTS FROM STUDENT BODIES, THOUGH THESE SHOULD SOON DIE DOWN: FEW STUDENTS ARE POLITICALLY ACTIVE AND MOST OF THOSE REMAIN MODERATE. THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS UNLIKELY TO TAKE A LASTING INTEREST IN THIS INCIDENT.
75. THE
CONFIDENTIAL