Street and at various other points along Nathan Road. Stones were thrown at banks, hotels and other prominent buildings. The Post Office at Bute Street was set on fire and there were fires at two other buildings in Nathan Road. Both private and Police vehicles were stoned and two private cars were set on fire. A curfew was imposed at 7.30 p.m. but fires and violence continued until midnight.
33. The next day, 18th May, was quiet. Demonstrations outside the courts continued but they were orderly for the most part and the demonstrators dispersed without incident.
CHAPTER 4
DEMONSTRATIONS IN VICTORIA
34. The scene now shifted to Hong Kong Island. The rioting in Kowloon had provided a pretext for renewed attacks on the Govern- ment, and to back up the poster and press campaign, delegations from various communist organizations made their way to Government House to protest at the Government's 'brutality' and to insist that the com- munist demands be accepted. The first delegation, consisting of four men and a woman from one of the communist newspapers, had appeared at Government House on the morning of 13th May, and they were followed by others on the 14th and 15th.
35. On 15th May a statement was issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at Peking protesting at the events in Hong Kong. It referred to the 'sanguinary brutality of the British imperialists', and it expressed full support for the demands made on the Government by the com- munist organizations in Hong Kong and insisted that these demands be immediately accepted. On 19th May the Foreign Secretary delivered an equally strong protest verbally to the Chinese Chargé d'Affaires in London. While the latter did much to raise morale in Hong Kong, the statement from Peking, which was given considerable publicity in the communist press, was taken as evidence of full support for confrontation and gave equal encouragement to the communists.
36. On 16th May it was announced with considerable publicity in the communist press that an 'All Circles Anti-Persecution Struggle Com- mittee' was to be formed. The number of delegations to Government House increased in an organized exercise in intimidation. Groups of people, both men and women, uniformly dressed in white shirts and
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