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afternoon when a welcoming party, which had earlier left to meet the Mission on the border, returned to Hong Kong. Crowds at first began to disperse peaceably but a series of incidents subsequently occurred and quickly developed into large-scale rioting, possibly owing to false rumours that the Mission had arrived and was being held by the police in the border area. There is evidence that among the crowd there were many who were ready to take advantage of any opportunity of creating a disturbance. Order was restored about two hours later. Total casualties were no more than 30, mostly minor injuries. Two Chinese demonstrators were wounded when a Chinese police officer was compelled to use his riot gun during a mob attack on a police station.
7.
On
Left wing organisations in the Colony have since remained very quiet and have presumably been awaiting instructions from Canton as to their further actions. 3rd March Peking broadcast a lurid account of the disorders in which it was alleged that the police and military attacked peaceable demonstrators and this, no doubt, indicates
propaganda line which will be followed.
8.
2,639.
Excess of departupés over permitted entries
general
No change in general border situation.
(Copies sent to Foreign Office Bag Room
for Washington)
Hong Kong Weekly Intelligence Report Distribution sent.
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