K 2
3. The first signs of active disorder in connection with the anti-Japanese movement appeared on 23rd September, when shortly after 9 p.m. an attack was made on Japanese shops in Wanchai District, and eight of them were damaged. There were no further disorders on that night. On Thursday the 24th, conditions remained quiet during the day but in the evening there were signs of rowdyism in Wanchai but nothing serious happened. On Friday the 25th September, there were a number of attacks on Japanese individuals in the Central and Eastern Districts, but the crowds dispersed rapidly on arrival of the Emergency Unit or the special Police picquets which had been put out on the 24th September. On Saturday morning the 26th, apart from a few isolated attacks on Japanese in the streets, the situation appeared quieter, but just after mid-day a fresh attack was made on Japanese shops in Wanchai, a number of which were badly damaged.
Following on this further outbreak, steps were taken to call on the Military for assistance and troops were held in readiness to turn out both in Victoria, Shaukiwan and Kowloon. Kowloon had remained entirely quiescent until Friday evening the 25th September when a demonstration took place outside Yaumati Police station where a Japanese had taken refuge from a hostile crowd. The situation in Kowloon became distinctly worse during the late afternoon of the next day and it was deemed necessary to call out the Military, and seven platoons of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders were requisitioned to support the Police in Yaumati, Mong Kok, Sham Shui Po and Kowloon City Districts.
Police and soldiers were being stoned from a safe distance from verandahs, windows and open spaces by large crowds who started looting any shop suspected of having Japanese goods. Attacks were also made on isolated Europeans. It was eventually found necessary to open fire on the mob in the Sham Shui Po District. Two rioters were shot and one was severely wounded in the arm. The crowds then began to disperse, but not before a dastardly murder had been committed in an isolated Villa at Po Kong, a mile from Kowloon City where six out of the eleven inmates were brutally done to death.
In Victoria, the Military were not actually called out on the night of the 26th September, as the Police were able to suppress such disturbances and minor rioting as occurred. As a result of the rioting in Kowloon, it was considered advisable to attach Military picquets to the principal Police Stations in Hong Kong and on the mainland from the 27th September onwards to the 10th October (the double Tenth, the anniversary of the setting up of the Republic of China) when they were withdrawn. On Sunday the 27th September, there was no serious rioting except at Hung Hom, where a mob collected and commenced to loot a shop. By Tuesday the 29th September, the populace had settled down again, and though a very careful watch was kept until after the 10th October, there were no further signs of disorder, and the Colony very soon resumed its normal aspect.
Six rioters were killed and twenty-five injured and over one hundred persons were arrested in Victoria
- K 2
3. The first signs of active disorder in connection with the anti-Japanese movement appeared on 23rd September, when shortly after 9 p.m. an attack was made on Japanese shops in Wanchai District, and eight of them were damaged. There were no further disorders on that night. On Thursday the 24th, conditions remained quiet during the day but in the evening there were signs of rowdyism in Wanchai but nothing serious happened. On Friday the 25th September, there were a num- ber of attacks on Japanese individuals in the Central and East- ern Districts, but the crowds dispersed rapidly on arrival of the Emergency Unit or the special Police picquets which had been put out on the 24th September. On Saturday morning the 26th, apart from a few isolated attacks on Japanese in the streets, the situation appeared quieter, but just after mid-day a fresh attack was made on Japanese shops in Wanchai, a num- ber of which were badly damaged. Following on this further outbreak, steps were taken to call on the Military for assistance and troops were held in readiness to turn out both in Victoria, Shaukiwan and Kowloon. Kowloon had remained entirely quies- cent until Friday evening the 25th September when a demon- stration took place outside Yaumati Police station where a Japan- ese had taken refuge from a hostile crowd. The situation in Kow- loon became distinctly worse during the late afternoon of the next day and it was deemed necessary to call out the Military, and seven platoons of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders were requisitioned to support the Police in Yaumati, Mong Kok, Sham Shui Po and Kowloon City Districts. Police and soldiers were being stoned from a safe distance from verandahs, windows and open spaces by large crowds who started looting any shop suspected of having Japanese goods. Attacks were also made on isolated Europeans. It was eventually found necessary to open fire on the mob in the Sham Shui Po District. Two rioters were shot and one was severely wounded in the arm. The crowds then began to disperse, but not before a dastardly murder had been committed in an isolated Villa at Po Kong, a mile from Kowloon City where six out of the eleven inmates were brutally done to death. In Victoria, the Military were not actually called out on the night of the 26th September, as the Police were able to suppress such disturbances and minor riot- ing as occurred. As a result of the rioting in Kowloon, it was considered advisable to attach Military picquets to the principal Police Stations in Hong Kong and on the mainland from the 27th September onwards to the 10th October (the double Tenth, the anniversary of the setting up of the Republic of China) when they were withdrawn. On Sunday the 27th September, there was no serious rioting except at Hung Hom, where a mob collect- ed and commenced to loot a shop. By Tuesday the 29th Sept- ember, the populace had settled down again, and though a very careful watch was kept until after the 10th October, there were no further signs of disorder, and the Colony very soon resumed its normal aspect. Six Rioters were killed and twenty-five injured and over one hundred persons were arrested in Victoria
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