TNAG-0292-FCO40-328-Disturbances-in-Hong-Kong-bomb-attacks-and-threats-1971 — Page 49

IMMEDIATE

CYPHER CAT/A

FM HONGKONG 080908Z

CONFIDENTIAL

CONFENTIAL

VED IN REGISTRY No.51 - 8 JUL 1971

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TO IMMEDIATE F C O TELEGRAM NO.465 OF 8TH JULY 1971

IMMEDIATE INFO WASHINGTON PEKING AND HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE

LONDON.

SENKAKU ISLANDS DEMONSTRATION.

VARIOUS STUDENT GROUPS MADE PLANS TO DEMONSTRATE AGAINST THE RETURN OF THE SENKAKU ISLANDS TO JAPAN ON JULY 7TH, THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE OUTBREAK OF THE SINO JAPANESE WAR. HAVING ON EARLIER OCCASIONS BEEN REFUSED PERMISSION FOR MEETINGS IN THE CITY CENTRE, THEY APPLIED TO THE POLICE TO HOLD THIS ONE IN VICTORIA PARK, A LARGE OPEN AREA ON HONG KONG ISLAND RUN BY THE URBAN COUNCIL. THEY WERE TOLD THAT THERE WOULD BE NO POLICE OBJECTION, BUT THAT THEY MUST OBTAIN THE URBAN COUNCIL'S AGREEMENT TO USE THE PARK FOR SUCH A PURPOSE (AS IS REQUIRED BY STATUTE).

HAVING

2. THEY WERE LATER TAKEN ABACK WHEN THE COUNCIL WITHHELD THIS ON THE GROUNDS THAT PERMISSION MIGHT INTERFERE WITH THE PUBLIC'S ENJOYMENT OF THE PARK. THEY WERE TOLD THEY COULD INSTEAD USE THE GOVERNMENT STADIUM, WHICH THE COUNCIL ALSO RUNS. APPLIED VERY LATE, THEY COULD NOT THEN CONVENIENTLY CHANGE THEIR PLANS: PAMPHLETS HAD, FOR INSTANCE, ALREADY BEEN DISTRIBUTED INVITING THE PUBLIC TO VICTORIA PARK. SOME THEN DECIDED TO WITHDRAW SUPPORT FROM THE DEMONSTRATION, BUT THE LESS RESPONSIBLE GROUPS WERE DETERMINED TO PERSIST EVEN THOUGH THE MEETING

WOULD BE UNLAWFUL.

3. IN THE EVENT DEMONSTRATORS BEGAN TO ARRIVE AT THE PARK ABOUT 1700 HOURS YESTERDAY, JOINING PEOPLE ALREADY WATCHING A FOOTBALL MATCH THERE. LATER IN THE EVENING THE SIZE OF THE CROWD GREW TO 3,000 OR MORE, OF WHOM PERHAPS 1,300 WERE DEMONSTRATORS AND THE REMAINDER SPECTATORS.

CONFIDENTIAL

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