Group In Square Hinders Police

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30782, 21 June 1965, Page 1

Group In Square Hinders Police

A crowd of more than 1000 watched about

20 persons struggling and scuffling with eight policemen in an effort to prevent them from arresting two young men outside the United Service Hotel in Cathedral Square about 8 p.m. on Saturday. The two men will appear in the Magistrate’s Court this morning on charges of resisting arrest, obstruction and assault.

As the police tried to put the two men into a police car they struggled violently and a growing group of sympathisers joined in the scuffle. They were encouraged by onlookers who shouted abuse at the police. The disturbance lasted about eight minutes and it was not until the arrival of Constable R. D. Cumming with the police dog, Glen, that the situation was brought under control.

Held on a leash, Glen snarled and barked savagely, driving back the crowd. The two men were quickly subdued and were put in a police car. The police did not draw their batons.

Sergeant P. Downes was treated at the Christchurch Hospital for a cut under the eye. A constable was thrown to the ground and jumped on during the struggle.

The trouble started when a youth was arrested by Sergeant Downes for obstruction

near the Bank of New Zealand corner. Another youth came to the assistance of the arrested man. While Sergeant Downes held this man the other ran away but was brought down with a flying tackle by Constable M. Morressey, who was with Sergeant Downes on duty in the Square. A crowd quickly gathered and a number of persons watched the incident from the balcony of the United Service Hotel. “We did not use our batons even though we were used as punching bags until we could get the men into the car.” said Sergeant Downes. A police spokesman said the police had acted with considerable restraint and no batons were used in what was a fairly provoking situation. He said that a number of the men who had obstructed the police were young Maoris and most of them had been drinking.