SYRIAN RIOTS

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30129, 13 May 1963, Page 9

SYRIAN RIOTS

(N.ZJ’.A.-Reuter—Copyright) ■ DAMASCUS, Blay 10. Police used canes to break up demonstrations by teenage students in Damascus yesterday. The students hurled stones at the police and chanted pro-Nasser and antiBa ’athist slogans. The city was in a state of tension as troop reinforcements were rushed in. Three armoured cars stationed in front of the "broadcasting station were reinforced with sten guns and troops surrounded the building to prevent demonstrators reaching it. Trouble began when steelhelmeted police surrounded one'of the biggest secondary schools in Damascus while the Tajhiz students on the roof were shouting anti-Gov-abuse. Police hit the students with canes'and arrested everyone leaving thd building. Students stoned the police. They were believed to be protesting against the detention of 100 students who paraded outside the Jordanian Embassy .denouncing King Hussein’s regime 11 days ago. Security measures have been taken against all schools to preyent pro-Nasser demonstrations. The Ba’athists, who are Democratic Socialists, now hold power in Syria and Iraq. Egypt, the most powerful partner in the United Arab Republic, is a one-party State. About 40 students were arrested in Damascus the day before after a clash between demonstrators and police. A curfew was enforced in the northern Syrian town of Aleppo after pro-Nasser demonstrations. Several people were reported shot. Syria's Interior Minister (Brigadier Amin Al Hafez), accused “hired agents” of causingthe riots. He said they wished to “drown the city in a sea of blood" and that the riots were a premeditated plot. The Minister said one policeman was knifed to death and other policemen and rioters were seriously injured. Several arrests were made and the National Security Court in Aleppo had already begun to try the head plotters.