TNAG-0010-FCO40-46-Kowloon-disturbances-1986 — Page 153

May

15th May

A curfew was imposed from 19.00 hours, 13th May to 04.00 hours

on the 14th May. During the period from 08.00 hours 13th May to

06.6) hours 14th May 110 arrests were made bringing the to try since the

disturbances started to 391. The Governor asked the U.h. Consulate-

General to arrange with the U.S. Naval authorities for the postpone-

nuclear

ment of the visit to Hong Kong of the U.S.Warship "BAINBRIDEE" which

had been scheduled for 19th May. The line taken by the left-wing moabers

was that "the violence of the Hong Kong British continues to escalate,

The area, steeped in blood, continues to spread". A great deal of space

was devoted by the Members to calls for the formation of anti-

persecution struggle committees on the lines of that organised by the

7.T.U. One left-wing newspaper (*ren Wei Pao")editorial alleged that

the Hong Kong British authorities were carrying out "med racialist

suppression", that is to say, "we are now faced with not only a class

struggle but also a racial struggle". Up to 6 p.m. there had been

only one minor incident during the day: one arrest had been made

bringing to 392 the total number of arrests male since the disturbances

started.

A left-wing member Press editorial contained a reference to the

"impermissibility" or prosecuting the 21 workers arrested in the

incident of 6th May and due to appear for trial on the 16th May,

Information was received from Peking that the British Charge d'Affaires

there had been summoned to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that

morning and handed a copy of a statement by the Chinese Ministry of

Foreign Affairs, which is being published. The statement in effect

declared the solid support of the Chinese Government and people

for "their compatriots in Hong Kong"; demanded that the British

Government should instruct the British authorities in Hong Kong to accept the demands put forward by the workers (see paragraph above; offer apologies" to the victims and compensate them for all

their losses"; adding that the Chinese Goverment and people were

determined to carry the struggle through to the end and that should

the British Government and the British authorities in Hong Kong cling

to their "averse course" they must be held resp nsible for all the