MARCH AS PROTEST

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26177, 13 June 1946, Page 5

MARCH AS PROTEST

REPUBLICANS IN ROME PROCLAMATION DELAY ROME, June 11. A mob of enraged Monarchists in Naples tried to burn down the sixstorey Communist headquarters after two hours’ fighting against the police, in which at least two persons were killed. The crowd used Molotov cocktails, to which the police replied with more than 100 rounds of rifle fire, most of them directed over the heads of the crowd. The Associated Press correspondent, who was watching the scene from adjoining police headquarters, says that the crowd erected barricades against armoured cars. He saw 10 to 12 wounded carried off, and trails of blood in the street. Police headquarters received reports of several smaller riots going on elsewhere in Naples. Nearly 100,000 Republicans inarched on the Viminale Palace in Rome, seat of the Government, to protest against Cabinet’s delay in proclaiming the end of the Monarchy. The marcfr began after the Socialist Minister of the Interior, Signor Romita, addressed the crowd, and declared that Cabinet was merely talking and not acting. He enjoined the crowd not to march against the Royal palace. “We shall march there another time to the tune of “ The Marseillaise," he said Heavy cordons of troops, tanks, and police surround the Royal palace. “ We are under heavy fire,” states the Associated Press correspondent in a later despatch from Naples police headquarters. “ Someone in the Commonist headquarters just threw two bombs on to the crowd, and all hell broke loose.”

The correspondent adds that there was a crowd of probably 10.000 when the fighting began. Most of the women and children later withdrew. Firing was coming from buildings all around the Communist headquarters when the corresDondent cabied. Several police were killed with hand grenades. American military police, whos° headquarters are in the basement 'f the police buildings, are heavily armed, but they have been ordered not to fire unless the building is attacked. Firing snpeared to be going on throughout NaDles to-night. Reuter’s correspondent says that three people have so far been killed in to-night’s Naples rioting, including a sailor and a woman. The trouble began when Monarchists entered the Communist headquarters and ordered the Communists to lower the Republican flag. A three-cornered battle then began between Monarchists and Communists and the police.