TNAG-0292-FCO40-328-Disturbances-in-Hong-Kong-bomb-attacks-and-threats-1971 — Page 19

BRITISH CONSULATE GENERAL

COMMERCIAL DEPARTMENT

33 N. Dearborn Street, CHICAGO, Illinois, 60602 Telephone: 346-1810 Telex: 254432

Ref: 61/68

J.D.G. Boyd, Esq. British Embassy

3100 Massachusetts Avenue Washington, D. C. 20008

Dear Jotin,

Tiao-uy-t'ai Islands

10 August 1971

Chicago Demonstration

We spoke last Thursday about the demonstration to be staged outside this Consulate-General on Friday, 6 August by Chinese students in Mid-West American Universities. Notice was given in a letter of 3 August from one S. S. Lin, a copy of which is attached. Before the event, we took the routine precaution of advising the Chicago Police as to what was to take place. However, the organisers had already informed the police as to where and when they intended to demonstrate and to ask for their co-operation.

2.

Things turned ont peacefully on the day. About 50 young Chinese gathered at the Picasso sculpture in front of the Civic Centre, in line of sight from my window, at about 12:30 pm. After a few speeches, those attending the meeting paired off and shuffled off in a 'crocodile' for a few turns around the Civic Centre Plaza. Some carried boards bearing slogans "Crash (sic) the British" was one of the messages and others were chanted. Leaflets were handed out to passers-by (a copy of one is attached) but the local populace took little interest in the proceedings.

3. Before the demonstration, I had agreed with the police lieute- nant assigned to keep an eye on the event to receive representatives of the demonstrators in my office if they so desired. Three young

men eventually appeared and Ken Syrett and I chatted to them on

(One of the visitors claimed predictable lines for 15 minutes or so. Hong Kong as his homeland, one said that he came from Taiwan and the

All had been at American Univer... third from the Chinese mainland. sities for several years). As one would expect, they tried to

I simply undertook, persuade us to express sympathy with their cause. without further comment, to pass to the British Embassy in Washington the letter which I had received the previous day. Before leaving, they pressed me quite hard as to when they could expect a reply. I

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