Africans Attack Whites In Salisbury Store

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30420, 20 April 1964, Page 11

Africans Attack Whites In Salisbury Store

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) SALISBURY, April 18. A gang of about 40 Africans today entered one of Salisbury’s biggest stores and attacked white people, in what police claimed was a pre-arranged demonstration.

A police spokesman said a whistle suddenly blew in the store and about 20 Africans who were mingling with the Saturday morning shopping crowds turned on the nearest white shoppers and began pummeling them. Police said four white women and twb counter assistants were beaten. One was punched in the face and one in the side of the neck. The floor manager of the store was reported to have been slashed with a knife when he intervened. One African was arrested by a male member of the store staff. Police rushed to the store and another eight Africans were arrested. Immediately after the demonstration police reinforcements moved into Salisbury’s city centre and patrols covered all shopping blocks. The incident, like a disturbance last night in the Bulawayo townships, arose from the restriction order placed on the African nationalist leader, Mr Joshua Nkomo, and three other leaders of his People’s Caretaker CouncilPOLICE SHOOt In the Bulawayo demonstrations one man was wounded when police opened fire on crowds of Africans, who, according to police, refused to stop throwing stones after being warned. Seventeen Africans were arrested under the Law and Order Maintenance Act. In Salisbury, extra police are standing by in the African townships of Highfield and Harare, when tension is high. Yesterday a group of 200 Africans marched towards the Highfield police station, singing freedom songs and shouting pro-Nkomo slogans. However the demonstrators dispersed when ordered to do so Mr Nkomo and the three other P.C.C. leaden were restricted on Thursday to the Nuanetsi district in the southern part of Southern Rhodesia. The Government Mid

this- action followed repeated warnings that Mr Nkomo and his followers should stop dragging the country from crisis to crisis. The P.C.C. has cabled the British Prime Minister (Sir Alec Douglas-Home) asking him to use his good offices to obtain the freedom of Mr Nkomo and the others. Last Monday, Mr Wlnstqn Field resigned as Prime Minister of Southern Rhodesia and a former Minister of the Treasury, Mr lan Smith, formed a new government. African nationalists regarded Mr Smith’s appointment as a sharp swing to the Right The Ghana Government has asked the United Nations Secretary-General (U Thant) to obtain from Britain a guarantee for the safety <Jf Mr Nkomo and his aides. Ghana also seeks their immediate release and freedom of movement according to a Foreign Ministry statement in Accra today. The statement said this step had been found necessary in view of the “unholy alliance between the racist

regimes of Southern Rhodesia, South Africa and the Government of Portugal.” On Friday, Mr Reginald Garfield Todd, the New Zea-land-born former Prime Minister of Southern Rhodesia, pledged himself to help the nationalists, declaring that tragedy was the only alternative to negotiation. His support for Mr Nkomo was seen in Salisbury as an Important factor in the nationalist campaign to get Britain to prevent the Southern Rhodesian Government declaring independence under white rule.

Mr Todd’s pledge of support for the nationalists was made at a press conference in Salisbury held by the P.C.C. He said time was short, particularly time for negotiation —“the first step." He knew of a number of other whites who felt as he did about the way things were going. Mr. Todd was Prime Minister of Southern Rhodesia and leader of the United Rhodesian Party from 1953 to 1958, when he was ousted by a Cabinet revolt.