STREET FIGHTING IN BERLIN.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 140, 7 March 1908, Page 10

STREET FIGHTING IN BERLIN.

UNEMPLOYED RIOT. TOLICE USE OP, SWORDS. i - " Berlin, January 21. Political riots of a pronounced revolutionary character and attended' with bloodshed took place again, this' aftcrnpoii in tho very heart of Berlin, Hear , tho Reichstag, and within a st-ono's-t-hrow. of tho Eoyal Palate of Bellevue. Theso 'disturbances wero tho sequel to mass meetings of tho unemployed convened by tho Socialist party,- which evidently .intonded that outbreaks of violence should ensue. Tho ■ speeches.. delivered by the ■ Socialist orators wero unusually, inflammatory, and the thousands who left tho meet' ings early in tho/'afternoon were worked up to a'condition of'daiigerous oxcitenicnt and hatred of authority. ■■ ' ;. -i"-'; An oxoited mob: of three thousand revolutionary Socialists collected in tho Invaliden-strasse,'-in tho .north of-Berlin, and marched towards tho centre of tho - city, with tho intention .of: reaching tho Emperor's palace, which, at an early hour in tho morning, was surrounded by, a strong forco of. police, who remained on duty there,throughout the day. Strong . forces .of", polico guarded, the oj.her pialaces, Prince Bulow's residence, : the Ministries, and all other public, buildings., , ~ The. angry , moh: was mot by tho polico at the northern end of the Friedriohstrasso, 'where the first I .fight,took placei ,Tho' police stood their, ground,, but the mob; by a flank and. approached the centre of the , capital.: ; |)y .making a deto.ur westwards; . Another fight with' . .the polico ensued,on the ■northern baiiks.of,.tho Spree, riot far, from:,.the ,'Lehrter. B.ailway Statipn, the tcririinusi of :tho'line: from. Hamburg-, arid. Bremen. • .The pt>lio,o,' ,were repulsed,: and withdrew to tho southern* bank of tho river, while reiriforcenients V'ere summoned.,. -.

', Meauwhile/. tho mob,' passing a' ,upw building, obtained possession of numerous spades, pickaxes and other., heavy implements, sides largo slabs of .. stone, bricks, mortar boards, and so forth. . Tho smaller .poles oinployed' in scaffolding .wero, also seized, for •u'so as;,weapons. Tho,mob,',now grown to iiioarly. 5000,. rushed ;.oyer tho 'bridge and. came in collision with' a .strong' force.- of mounted police' southern-bank of the Spree, where .a pitched ' ; battler'' took place, tho .police:using'-their swords, 1 and' the':Socialists ...their rough, and''ready weapons. . ~": The struggle'was: short and . 'sharp.' Tho mob , broke' and .fled,,: and 1 tho'polico.pursued,' •still 'slashing!/right': and : left, 'with their iswords; Many Socialists, sought;'refugo in the/surriitindirig , houses,' but' tho: bolted andi barred ' their ..doors to ..keep them

out. . : Tlio i list' of -casualties, issued'.this ''evening 'stows .that, about a ' hundred "Socialists received" injuries '} necessitating medical treat.mont,'and tnat about thirty of their number ; wei'o dangerously wounded. -'Eight policemen, had'to bo medically ' , and many others jarb' suffering-froin : bruises and'slighter' wounds .from the - Socialist weapons'and' missilos. .Eight arrests! have been made;-'