TNAG-0016-FCO40-52-Kowloon-disturbances-1968 — Page 7

CONFIDENTIAL

2

3. A CROWD OF ABOUT 400 WHICH WAS JUDGED TO BE AN ILLEGAL ASSEMBLY

AS WELL AS A NUISANCE WAS TOLD TO DISPERSE. A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER

OF THOSE INVOLVED DID DISPERSE BUT HARD CORE COMMUNISTS REMAINED.

CHANTING AND SHOUTING CONTINUED AND ACTION WAS TAKEN TO DISPERSE

CROWDS IN THE NEIGHBOURING STREETS WHICH REFORMED 3 TIMES BEFORE

FINALLY DISPERSING. ONLY FOUR RIOT PLATOONS WERE INVOLVEO

AND IT WAS SIGNIFICANT THAT THERE WAS NO SPREAD OF THE DISTURBANCE

IN A VERY HEAVILY POPULATED AREA WHERE THE COMMUNISTS MIGHT HAVE

HOPED FOR A DEGREE OF INVOLVEMENT OF THE GENERAL POPULATION.

FOREIGN OFFICE PLEASE PASS PRIORITY PEKING AS MY TELEGRAM NO. 284.

SIR D. TRENCH

[REPEATED AS REQUESTED]

DEPARTMENTAL DISTRIBUTION

C.O.

H.K. DEPT.

F.E. & P.D.

I.P.D.

I.R.D.

DEFENCE DEPT.

NEWS DEPT.

O.P.A.

O.L.A.

F.0.

F.E.D.

S.E.A.D.

FFFFF

NEWS DEPT.

D.I.S. M.O.D.

CONFIDENTIAL