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Among other incidents, the Police Station at Mong Kok, Kowloon, was stoned and, in the course of disorders there, two home-made grenades were thrown, which failed to explode, which caused a Chinese constable to fire his riot gun in self defence, peppering two Chinese males.
At the time of this telegram, the situation is quiet but the Police and Military are still standing by.
6.
7. Left Wing papers, in the afternoon edition, reported these incidents with commendable brevity. The situation at the frontier is quiet.
8.
After due consideration, I decided that distribution of Relief Funds from Canton might go on as arranged tomorrow, under the auspices of the Federation of Trade Unions and of the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce as in the previous instance, but Chairman of F.T.U. has expressed fear that disturbances might occur and would prefer to postpone. does not, in my view, indicate reasonableness, but fear of censure from Canton, who may not yet wish to force issue.
This
9. Total casualties, as at present known, are three European civilian males with abrasions, two European Sub- Inspectors of Police with minor injuries, one of whom has a broken arm; two Chinese civilian males slightly wounded by shot gun fire; seven other Chinese civilians with abrasions and sixteen British soldiers (incidentally in area) received minor injuries, only two of whom were detained in hospital. About 35 arrests were made.
10. My immediately following telegram contains the text of a statement which was issued here at 21.00 hours, Hong Kong time, in view of misleading nature of B.B.C. report.
(Copies to Foreign Office for transmission to Peking)
Disturbances External Distribution sent.
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Resident Clerk. H böt
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