TNAG-0012-FCO40-48-Kowloon-disturbances-1967 — Page 36

LAST

REF.

CONFIDENTIAL

INWARD TELEGRAM

296

COPY POR REGISTRATION

TO THE COMMONWEALTH OFFICE

(The Secretary of State)

FROM HONG KONG (O.A.G.)

JUL

1967

Cypher

D. 11 July 1967 R. 11

#1

0800Z.

IMMEDIATE

CONFIDENTIAL

No.1006

Addressed to Commonwealth Office (D.T.D2)

Repeated to:

Peking No. 405

POLAD Singapore No.231 Washington No.223

Canberra No.59

(S. of S. please pass PRIORITY to all)

(294)

My telegram No.999.

Sitrep as at 11200,

RECEIVED IN

ARCHIV

1 Jonad

HWA 1/1?

As

Trouble again broke out in the Eastern District of Hong Kong Island about 2230. Once again the Wah Fung China Products Company emporium and other CPG-owned buildings in the area were involved. The pattern was similar to the previous night. The crowd, never particularly large, dispersed into alleyways on the arrival of police and reformed elsewhere. before, few, if any, members of the public joined in. Buses were stoned and a tram stopped and burned. During this incident a man was stabbed and killed. Attempts were made to set fire to buildings, including a clinic, and also to vehicles; windows were smashed. The police were constantly bombarded with stones and bottles, the latter often being dropped from above from the Wah Fung emporium and other CPG-owned buildings in the area. Some were reported to contain acid, The situation was restored by about 0200, except for a further short attack with bottles on a police working party at about 0500. Kowloon remained relatively quiet.

2. Police ammunition expenditure was mainly tear gas shells and cartridges, some of which had to be fired into buildings including the Wah Fung emporium to discourage bottle throwers. Ball ammunition expenditure was one round each from a carbine, .38 revolver and a Greener gun, Police casualties were three injured and admitted to hospital and 18 slightly hurt. One civilian was killed (stabbed) and another injured and admitted to hospital. There were eight arrests in the whole Colony, including this injured man. Among them was a NCNA journalist (see my telegram No.1002).

3。 Despite the attacks on public transport yesterday there was no decrease in the numbers of buses and trams running today. Police are providing patrols for routes.

(Passed as requested)

(Passed to DSAO for Private Office for Commonwealth Secretary,

Mr Glover (C.O. News Dept.) Messrs. de la Mare, Bolland, Wilson and Denson (F.0. F.E. Dept.)

204

PAP

CONFIDENTIAL

/Distribution

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