FIERCE RIOT IN PARIS.

New Zealand Times, Volume LXX, Issue 3825, 22 August 1899, Page 6

FIERCE RIOT IN PARIS.

STREET FIGHTING. SACRILEGE AND ANARCHY. (Received August 21. 11 p.m.) PARIS, Monday. The leniency shown by the authorities towards M. Guerin, of the League nl Patriots, who has barricaded himself, with some 'sympathisers, in his residence, has been the cause of a serious Anarchist outbreak in Paris.

During Sunday afternoon a number of Anarchists and Socialists gathered in the- Place de la Ronublique. The police were on the alert, and watched the development of the gathering, which gradually assumed a serious character.

M. Sobastieh Faure harangued the crowd under the statue of the Republic in the Square, In the course of his address M. Faure declared that the Anarchists ought to be masters, and he added that the Nationalist party monopolised the streets.

The police then ordered the crowd to disperse, but the order was not voluntari.y obeyed. , The Guards cleared the Square, driving Before them some three thousand persons, wfio rushed and scuffled in various directions.

Many of the people went towards die Place tie Nation. A fierce fight ensued, and revolvershots were exchanged between the Guards and police and the mob. The Commissary of Police and two gendarmes were injured in this way, M. Fame’s arrest was, however, effected by the authorities, though the latter were unable to prevent the rioters from committing great excesses. Armed with hatchets and knives, the rabble smashed the winnows of St. Joseph’s Church. The pictures on the walls, the altars, the font, the statues, and the great crucifix wore destroyed. Whilst engaged in their work of destruction, the sacrilegious invaders 'tang atid danced ‘'the .Carmagnole, which, with its chorus, “Dansons la Carmagnoio; vivo le son du canon; was so* popular during the Reign of Terror. , Chairs from buildings were piled m the streets, and formed fqod for bonfires. into the flames were) thrown the broken statues of tho Saviour and tho Virgin. The Republican Guard was summoned, and on arrival was fiercely attacked -by (the mob, who, armed with knives, stood in line of defence. ' In tho end the Anarchists were compelled to take refuge in a neighbouring house and in the belfry of the church, whence they hurled missiles at the police and military. The parapet of the church was set fire to by some of the miscreants, and pictures of great value were lost. The exc tement spread eastward during tho evening. Two kiosks were burned by tho Anarchists. ■

Driven on by the police, the riotous crowds gave conflicting cheers, now for the Army and again for the Republic. Forty-six persons were' arrested. Of these twenty-six were taken in charge in the east, where the disturbance was quelled; In all seventy-five persons were in- ■ erl m the riot, which was largely due to the presence of members of the League) o? Patriots, Royalist youths uTlu' afiti-Semitics.