BRS270 CONFIDENTIAL
CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG 260307Z DEC 81
HK KOST 2
310. 37
RECONED DS ARCVETRY NO.
10TESPO
TO PRIORITY F C O
TELEGRAM NUMBER 1676 OF 26 DECEMBER
INFO HONG KONG GOVERNMENT OFFICE LONDON
INDEX
DISORDER
ALONSTRY
*ction Tuken
16~AFI
IN THE EARLY HOURS OF 25 DECEMBER THERE WAS SOME DISORDERLY BEHAVIOUR IN THE CENTRAL DISTRICT AND WANCHAI ON HONG KONG ISLAND
ON THE PART OF SOME SECTIONS OF THE LARGE CROWDS THAT HAD GATHERED THERE ON CHRISTMAS EVE TO SEE THE LIGHTS. THE AREA HAD BECOME VERY CONGESTED WITH CARS AND PEDESTRIANS, MANY OF WHOM HAD TRAVELLED FROM KOWLOON BY M.T.R.
THE TROUBLE BEGAN ABOUT 1.15 A.M. WHEN TWO PERSONS STARTED FIGHTING. WHEN POLICE INTERVENED A STONE WAS THROWN HITTING A POLICE SERGEANT. THE ARREST OF THE STONE THROWER LED TO SOME PARTS OF THE CROWD BECOMING UNRULY, WITH STONES, TINS ETC BEING THROWN AND CARS BEING HAMMERED AND ROCKED BY ABOUT 500 YOUTHS, MANY OF
WHOM HAD BEEN DRINKING.
AT 3.15 A.M. THE POLICE TACTICAL UNIT WAS BROUGHT IN TO DISPERSE
THE CROWDS, OF WHOM ABOUT A THOUSAND THEN HEADED FOR WANCHAI DOING SPORADIC DAMAGE TO PARKED CARS ON THE WAY. THREE CARS WERE OVERTURNE
AND FOUR WERE DAMAGED. BY ABOUT 5 A.M. THE CROWDS HAD DISPERSED.
12 PERSONS WERE ARRESTED AND WILL BE BROUGHT TO COURT AS SOON
AS POSSIBLE. 10 CIVILIANS WERE HURT, 2 OF WHOM WERE KEPT IN HOSPITAL WITH HEAD INJURIES, NOT THOUGHT TO BE SERIOUS.
APART FROM THE LIMITED DAMAGE DONE TO CARS THERE WAS NO OTHER DAMAGE TO PROPERTY AND NO INCENDIARISM. ALTHOUGH THERE WAS ONE MINOR SCUFFLE IN WHICH THREE EUROPEANS WERE INVOLVED, THERE WAS NO SIGN OF ANY RACIAL MOTIVATION. THE TROUBLE SEEMS TO HAVE
ARISEN FROM BOISTEROUS AND UNRULY BEHAVICUR BY A MINORITY AMONG THE LARGE NUMBERS WHO HAD GATHERED.
ON THE NIGHT OF 25/26 DECEMBER THE POLICE WERE STANDING BY IN FORCE TO DEAL UNOBTRUSIVELY BUT QUICKLY WITH ANY FURTHER OUTBREAK.
OTHERWISE NO SPECIAL PRECAUTIONS WERE TAKEN. IN THE EVENT THERE WAS NO TROUBLE. DISCREET PRECAUTIONS WILL HOWEVER BE MAINTAINED,
MACLEHOSE
LIMITED
COPIES TO
HKS & D CONS D
NEWS D
PS/MR LUCE PS PUS STR.E. YOUDE
MR DONALD MR URE
LAST PAPER HONG KONG GOUT: OFFICE,
CONFIDENTIAL
LONDON
1
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