CLASH WITH POLICE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21250, 2 August 1932, Page 10

CLASH WITH POLICE

'COMMUNISTS IN SYDNEY \ VIOLENT STREET SCENES PROTEST AGAINST WAR ' THIRTY-TWO ARRESTS MADE Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received August 1, 7.45 p.m.) SYDNEY, August 1 Many exciting and violent scenes occurred to-day when Communist anti-war demonstrators clashed with the police. Altogether, the police made 32 arrests. Official permission to hold a mass meeting was refused the Communists. However, it was believed early in tho day that the organisers would attempt to carry out their programme, and hundreds of policemen were on special duty to preTent a march proposed to bo made by the Communists. Tho city had been placarded with notices, calling on workers "to mobilise against the war-mongers." Five thousand persons congregated in Railway Square, near the Central Station, but the police sternly suppressed the attempt of the Communists to form a procession. ' Several of tho leaders wore arrested amid great excitement, during which a Communist banner was torn to ribbons. ,Women wero prominent in the disturbance. The demonstration then resolved itself into small battles with the police throughout the city, A party of seven, led by a red-haired woman, attempted to raid the Japanese Consulate, and the police had to usei their batons to disperse the gathering crowd. Pour persons were arrested. Many arrests were made in other localities on charges of riotous behaviour and assaulting the police. The police, who were splendidly organised, were always triumphant.