Police deny causing fracas

Press, 30 May 1983, Page 1

Police deny causing fracas

An assertion that the police had caused the disturbance at the Caledonian Hall on Friday night was yesterday described by Inspector M. D. Griebel as ridiculous. Inspector Griebel was hit on the head by a flying bottle as he tried to reason with a crowd of about 200 “flunk rockers” and other young people. A detective had his face badly cut in the barrage of bottles, and several other policemen were injured in the incident. After about 25 police using long batons had dispersed the crowd, groups of teen-agers sprinted through inner-city streets, breaking a total of eight shop windows. The dance had been organised .for the unemployed by a group called the Alternative Entertainment Bureau. A spokesman for the

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organisers, who declined to be named, said there would have been no problems if the police had not closed the dance. The police had “beaten up” people, he said. It was “absolutely ridiculous” to suggest that the police had started the trouble, said Inspector Griebel. The police had responded only after calls from the public, he said. At 9.11 p.m., the police had received a telephone call saying that five “punk rockers” from the dance had broken a window at the Methodist Central Mission Hall. Ten minutes later, a car parked near, the Caledonian Hall had its doors kicked in. A person who had been at the dance was arrested. Half an hour later, there had been more complaints about broken glass spread over Kilmore Street, and disorderly behaviour.

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Inspector Griebel said that after this, two team policing units had been sent to the hall. Broken glass, bottles, and cans littered the floor, windows were broken, and numerous teen-agers were drinking liquor. “The police attempted to deal with the situation by way of offences under the Sale of Liquor Act, but without success. There were too many offenders and too few police,”, said Inspector Griebel. The police had then got in touch with the secretary of the Caledonian Hall Society, Mrs N. J. Keller, who asked that the dance be closed. “The time for the dance to finish (midnight when the permit ended), had nearly expired, and so we waited until it had,” said Inspector Griebel. “The organiser of 'the dance was asked to close it, but he declined.” “The band then started up again and the crowd be-

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came agitated and unruly. Bottles were thrown at the police who were standing on the floor below the band. Someone was calling out over the loudspeakers to ignore the police because they had no right to be there,” said Inspector Griebel. The police had then drawn long batons and moved the crowd of about 200 out of the hall. Inspector Griebel denied that the band had been “dragged” off the stage, or that the organisers of the dance had not been told why it was being closed. Outside, the crowd hadmilled about in Kilmore Street, blocking the road. Two cars, unable to get through, were kicked and had their windscreens smashed. Inspector Griebel said he had tried to talk to the • crowd, but was drowned out, by the noise. A continuous

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stream of bottles was being thrown at the police, and he was struck on the side of the head. “I was knocked out for a 1 few seconds before another policeman helped me up. I had to get the senior-ser-geant to take over,” he said. Detective Lionel Barkle, who had his face cut by flying glass, was taken to hospital by ambulance. Several other policemen suffered cuts and bruises. After that, about 25 police, with long batons but no other riot gear, forced the crowd along Kilmore Street. The crowd rapidly dispersed, but some then went on a window-breaking spree. Weapons found in the hall included a pistol, complete with holster, and several steel bars. About 15 people have been arrested on a number of charges, including disorderly behaviour, assault

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on the police, and possession of a pistol. Friday had been a busy night for the police with routine work, and staff had had to be recalled from offduty when violence erupted at the hall. As it turned out, they were not needed. Inspector Griebel said he believed that much of the trouble had been caused by “a few ringleaders, usually the same people we deal with regularly. “Unfortunately, through the actions of these ringleaders, some usually lawabiding people find themselves in a position where they get involved and get arrested,” he said. Inspector Griebel said he had feared for the safety of his staff. Anyone who attacked the police in such a situation must expect to face the consequences, he said.

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