RIOTING IN BELFAST

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21774, 13 October 1932, Page 9

RIOTING IN BELFAST

MOBS OF UNEMPLOYED SERIOUS CLASH WITH POLICE ‘t' . _ A NUMBER OF CASUALTIES , (United Press Association.) f . (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) BELFAST, October 11. Rioting by the unemployed, which lasted all day, culminated in fighting between the police and the mob, in which Samuel Baxter, aged 30, was killed. The authorities are imposing curfew between 11 p.m. and 5 . a.m. Anyone -found on the streets will be arrested. The police, reinforced with country constables, by repeated baton charges and patrolling in arriioured cars, suppressed the morning attempts to organise a march of 80,000 upon the workhouse to demand higher unemployed relief. The rioters attempted to stop the trains and buses by barricades, - stoning and injuring the drivers and conductors. . ■,...

A stone, throwing, mob attempted to rescue 1 three leaders who were being conveyed to the police station by an armoured car. * They were dispersed by police charges..... : The disturbances were more serious in thri' afternoon when Falls road was barricaded. The police were bombarded with numerous missiles; Many shop winfip.wa.;were broken, and looting was widespread.

Armed reinforcement arrived and fired in reply to sniping from the mob, ■which dispersed, leaving Baxter, who ,was, reported to have taken no part in the rioting, dead. Fighting was renewed in the evening. Many were taken to hospital, including 1,2 . with- bullet wounds. Two of the injured are in a critical, condition. Non-participants in the. rioting, who were shot, include a man who was taking his son to school and'a boy'from a workshop. ■ The- mob dug trenches and barricaded the streets. They seized a corporation bus, ejected the passengers, and drove off in- the vehicle. They also looted a lorry that was carrying stout. Six armed civilians seized, a policeman and stole his revolver and ammunition. ■ ' ; - All trams and buses, wore, stopped*. Thousands congregated in the streets, which 2000 armed police are patrolling. A cordon has been drawn round the city, preventing anyone from entering. THE POLICE SNIPED. BELFAST, October 11. Three incendiary fires broke out after. 10 o’clock at night. , ... Many women, *. shouting. “We must, have bread,” participated in a terrific onslaught with stones in the, Falls district, in, the afternoon. ... j■'■■■ ■ . ’ Rioters burned the corporation’s huts, and smashed sewer pipes and road-re-pairing implements* Fighting in the evening waadollowed by further attempts , at looting. One hundred and fifty police, armed with rifles and bayonets, were marching through, the disturbed areas when they were sniped at. They replied with rifles, aided by armoured cars and searchlights, which were necessary as the street lamps were smashed. The casualties, .include- 14 suffering from bullet wounds and four policemen who were stoned. The Lord Mayor has called a special meeting to demand that the Government should promptly, relieve distress and starvation among the unemployed,. who are Contending that the wages ,under relief schemes are inadequate. ; SPECIAL COURT SUMMONED.- ' ; ' 11 MIDNIGHT SITTING. LONDON,'October 11. (Received Oct. 12, at 10 p.m.) A special court tfas summoned at midnight, arid , 34 men wete charged with - riotbus assembly and remanded. Two were charged with attempted murder of a policeman. The situation is quieter/ except in the Falls road area, where policeman who showed themselves were, sniped at. Armoured cars continued to patrol the streets aIT night long. During the riots four pawnshops were pillaged, a lorry laden with beer was looted, three houses-were burned to the ground, and 31 persons were injured and treated,at hospitals. ' The police Used cars mounted with machine guns and equipped with birdcage tops to protect the crew’s from showers of stones.