Prosecution Of Rioters By Negro

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30535, 2 September 1964, Page 17

Prosecution Of Rioters By Negro

I (N.Z.P.A.-Reuter —Copyright) PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 1. Nearly 400 persons arrested during Philadelphia’s week-end of racial rioting and looting have appeared in Court on charges ranging from burglary to violation of the Mayor’s order to keep off the street in the city’s Negro quarter. The District Attorney, Mr J. Crumlish, said the cases arising from the violence would be in charge of his Negro aide, Mr Thomas Reed. About 200 stores wrecked in the looting are still closed. The police say that 1292 men will stay on patrol on 12hour emergency shifts. Today, the police raided the headquarters of a Negro nationalist '“freedom” movement in the heart of the city’s slum area called “the jungle.” 100 policemen smashed down the doors of the buildings known as Muhammad’s African-Asian Cultural Centre.

The centre’s 35-year-old spiritual leader, Shaykh Muhammad, was arrested in a dry cleaning shop he operates next door to the centre, and was taker away while his wife and children watched. Police said Muhammad refused to tell them anything about his group. An inspector who led the raid said among the articles found there were a loaded revolver, two bayonets and two bottles filled with petrol and prepared as Molotov cocktails.