RIOTING IN SPAIN

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXVI, Issue 80, 16 March 1936, Page 9

RIOTING IN SPAIN

Churches Set On Fire MADRID, March 15. Communists returning from the funeral of Detective Gisbert, whom students shot in mistake for Deputy Jimenez Asua, whom he was escorting, set fire to the offices of the Monarchist newspaper “La Nacion,” which was gutted. Two were wounded in a police clash with Communists, in which 60 shots were fired at demonstrators who tried to raid a gunshop to procure arms. After that they robbed motorists of petrol to ignite’ the church of San Luis. The rioters set fire to the church of San Ignacio and many valuable paintings and sculptures were destroyed. Firemen fought desperately to prevent the flames spreading. At Puerta del Sol the police were greeted with a hail of bullets. A shock guard shot and wounded two rioters, who set fire to San Ignacio Convent, which was soon a mass of flames. The nuns saved the nunnery of Santa Isabella from destruction. The mob then attempted to set fire to the office of the Catholic newspaper ‘‘El Debate,” but guards inside repulsed them with rifle fire. All is quiet now. Scnor Jose de Rivera, the former dictator’s son, and other members of the Fascist Board of Directors, including the famous airman, Scnor Julio Kizalda, have been arrested for belonging to an illegal body.