TNAG-0003-FCO40-39-Commission-of-Enquiry-into-the-Kowloon-disturbances-addition-1968 — Page 78

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PART III THE DISTURBANCES

windows and rooftops. Later, at 1.50 a.m., six shots were fired at a small mob at the junction of Temple Street and Jordan Road which was trying to set fire to a car after warnings and tear smoke had failed to disperse them.

204. The Kowloon City company dealt with an incident in Soy Street, as already described in paragraph 194 and the Headquarter company returned to base at 1.25 a.m.

205. Shortly before 1 a.m. a report was received of a fire outside the Yau Ma Tei Post Office and the Marine company dispersed two crowds in this area, making 20 arrests.

206. At 1.30 a.m. an attack was made on a fire appliance returning to Tong Mei Road Fire Station, but the crowd was held off by the escorts and a military unit sent to the scene found that the crowd had dispersed.

207. By 2.30 a.m. rioting had died down and the police companies reverted to curfew enforcement duties.

208. It is clear from the narrative in the preceding paragraphs that the disturbances on April 7/8th were confined to a more limited area and to a shorter period of time than on the previous night.

209. One reason for this appears to lie in the precautions taken. Not only were the police better prepared on this night but they had additional personnel available and the benefit of their experience in dealing with the crowds on the previous night. In addition, there was an earlier curfew and the obvious presence of troops on the streets to deter all but the more determined troublemaker.

210. A further reason, however, was the absence of the large crowds attracted to the demonstrations on the previous night by curiosity and the prospect of what they thought was only a little excitement. On this night there is no evidence of any demonstrations or banners and, consequently, the casual onlookers who may have been drawn into the rioting on the first night through support for the demonstrators or pure curiosity were less evident on the second night, after dispersal of the large crowd in the Nathan Road/Shantung Street area and the evident determination of the Police to take firm action.

211. That the participants in the disturbances on this night were more aggres sive although fewer in number, is indicated by the evidence of a number of police officers who gained the impression that the crowds on the 7/8th were composed of people who appeared more determined and more hostile to the police than on the 6/7th. The evidence of newspaper reporters and photographers confirms that this hostility extended to them also. The reason why, in spite of this, less damage to property occurred seems to lie in the greater speed with which the police moved against gathering crowds.

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