EIGHT SHOT AS NEGROES RIOT

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31409, 30 June 1967, Page 11

EIGHT SHOT AS NEGROES RIOT

t.V.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

BUFFALO (New York), June 29. At least eight people, including two policemen, were shot last night as gangs of rock-throwing Negroes stormed through Buffalo’s East Side, the Associated Press reported.

The wave of violence also touched the city of Niagara Falls, 25 miles north-west of Buffalo.

Rampaging Negro gangs roamed Buffalo’s East Side looting, smashing windows and overturning cars.

The outburst was the first major outbreak of racial un-

rest in northern New York State since the Rochester riots in 1964.

In Nigara Falls about 200 Negro youths gathered late last night and smashed several shop windows in the north-east section of the famous resort city. Niagara Falls’ police chief, Mr John Collins, who rushed 50 helmeted policemen to the area, said the violence had ebbed by early today. However, the youths were still on the streets in the area at that time, Mr Collins said. Teen-agers Hurt Four of the eight who suffered shotgun pellet wounds in Buffalo were teen-agers. The police were not immediately able to give the total of those injured other than by gunfire, but said that the figure was a score or more. The police declined to say whether any of those shot, other than the policemen, were Negroes or whites. Repeatedly the police fired tear-gas to break up gatherings. In some instances the muffled boom of the explosions drew Negroes from as far as

four blocks away, only to be dispersed by the police.. The number of injuries began to mount rapidly when darkness fell and Negro gangs, some as large as 200, poured out of the area they rocked on Tuesday night The roaming bands upturned cars, smashed windows and hurled petrol bombs. At least 30 persons were arrested and more arrests were expected.