New Trouble In Middlesbrough

Press, Volume C, Issue 29599, 23 August 1961, Page 15

New Trouble In Middlesbrough

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter —Copyright) MIDDLESBROUGH, August 22. Ten persons, including two women, were arrested late last night after further disturbances in Gannon street, Middlesbrough. Two policemen were injured by flying bottles, but the disturbances were not on the same scale as those over the week-end.

At first the police were able to disperse the crowds, but after a crowd formed at the junction of Cannon street and Gladstone street, egged on by a screaming woman, beer bottles were thrown and police charged three times with truncheons.

The two injured policemen, Detective-Constable Frank Munsey and Police Constable Austin Berry, were taken to hospital, with several civilians. Within 10 minutes the street was practically cleared and police ordered the few stragglers home. In Moscow, the Soviet news agency, Tass, said yesterday that “Middlesbrough has become the arena of wild race riots organised by the English racialists.” Tass, quoting a correspondent’s report, said: “The English racialists have organised a real programme against the Arab and Pakistani people living there.” “Literally thousands of people” were involved in the week-end riots in Middlesbrough, a Magistrate’s Court hearing charges, arising out of the disturbances, against 36 persons, was told today. The disturbances could be regarded as the “most serious outbreak of disorder and riotous conduct ever experienced in this borough.” said the prosecutor, DetectiveInspector John Dennison. He said an incident in which a local youth lost his life on Friday night was “no doubt” the cause of the trouble. However, the police were satisfied “there is no serious black and white hostility but that quite a lot of hooligans took advantage of the opoortunity of behaving violently. Detective-Inspector Dennison said police injuries in |he disturbances included a constable with a fractured skull and another with a fractured spine. “Bricks, bottles and other

missiles have been thrown and damage amounting to hundreds of pounds done to a cafe occupied by a Pakistani family,” the inspector said “The cafe was finally set on fire.

“The occupants had to hide in the cupboards and eventually were able to get away from the premises. The occupants of premises which have been damaged have in some cases left the town for their own safety. “On Friday night there was an incident in that area in which a local youth lost his life and certain action was taken by the police," the inspector said. “There is no doubt that this was the cause of the trouble the following afternoon and night.” He said that local residents, many “inflamed by drink,” unlawfully assembled in that area and “many young irresponsible thugs regarded this as an opportunity to indulge in the sort of violent behaviour which cannot be tolerated in this country.” Reuter said the 36 persons appeared on charges which included using threatening and abusive language, conduct conducive to a breach of the peace, obstructing the police, wilful damage and carrying an offensive weapon. The Court today looked like the casualty ward of a big hospital with bandaged policemen and battle-scarred prisoners. The public gallery was packed.

Inspector Dennison said: “The police do not regard these outbursts as racial riots. Prior to Friday night there have been no racial troubles in the area.” The Court sentenced 21 persons to a total of 50 months

in prison or detention centres and imposed a total of £4l sterling in fines. A man and woman were given conditional discharges. Four juveniles (under 17) were remitted to the Juvenile Court.