WILD RIOTING

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXII, Issue 256, 12 October 1932, Page 7

WILD RIOTING

BELFAST DISORDERS

CURFEW IMPOSED

ENTRANCE BARRED TO CITY.

TRAMS AND ’BUSES STOPPED.

(United Press Association—By CableCopyright.) (Received 12, 12.45 p.m.) Belfast, October 11.

Day-long unemployed rioting culminated. in fighting between the police and the mob, in which Samuel Baxter, aged 30, wag killed. The authorities are imposing the curfew between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. and anyone found in the streets will be arrested.

The police, reinforced by county con.□tables, by repeated baton charges and patrolling by armoured cars suppressed morning attempts to organise a march of BU,UuU upon the workhouse to demand Higher unemployed relief. The rioters attempted to stop trams and ’buses by barricades, stoning and injuring the drivers and conductors. The mob, by stone-throwing, attempted to rescue three leaders who were being conveyed to the police station by armoured car. They were dispersed by police charges.

The disturbances were more serious in the afternoon, when Fall’s road was barricaded and the police were bombarded by numerous missiles. Many shop windows were broken and looting was widespread. Armed reinforcements arrived and fired in reply to sniping from the mob, which dispersed, leaving Baxter, who is reported not to have shared in the rioting, dead. The fighting was renewed in the evening, when many were taken to hospital, including 12 suffering from bullet wounds, two of whom are in a critical- state. Non-partieipants in the rioting were shot, including a man taking his son to school and a boy from a workshop. The mob dug trenches, barricaded the streets, seized a Corporation ’bus and ejected the passengers and then drove off in the vehicle. They also looted a lorry carrying stout. Six armed civilians seized a policeman and stole his revolver and ammunition. AU trams and ’buses are stopped, and thousands are congregated in the streets, which 2000 armed police are patrolling. A cordon has been thrown around the city preventing entrance. INCENDIARY FIRES. Three incendiary fires broke out after ten o’clock at night. Many women, shouting: “We must have bread!” participated in a terrific onslaught of stones in the Falls district. In the afternoon rioters burned the Corporation’s huts and smashed sewer pipes and repairing implements. Fighting in the evening was followed by further attempts at looting. One hundred and fifty police armed with rifles and bayonets marching in the disturbed areas were sniped at and they replied with rifle fire, being aided by armoured cars with searchlights which were necessary as the _ street lamps were smashed. Four pojieemen were stoned.

The Lord Mayor called a special meeting to demand that the Government promptly relieve distress and starvation among the unemployed, who contend that the wages under the relief schemes are inadequate.