VIOLENCE IN PANAMA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27247, 25 November 1949, Page 7

VIOLENCE IN PANAMA

Protest Against Police Coup

GUN BATTLE AT UNIVERSITY New Zealand Press Association—Copyright Rec. 9 p.m. NEW YORK, Nov. 24. A gun battle broke out between students and the National Police last night at the National University, says the Panama correspondent of the Associated Press. It was the second night of violence for Panama in the unrest which followed the ousting of President Dr Daniel Chanis by the National Police and his replacement by Senor Roberto Chiari. The police and students exchanged heavy fire but there were no reports of' casualties. The police besieged a number of students inside the university building.

The United Press correspondent says the students were meeting in the university to protest against the recent police coup. w»Many students fled to the safety of the United States Panama Canal Zone just across the street from the university buildings. The police apparently became enraged when several students began cat-calling at cruising squad cars. Earlier in the evening, the police using heavy machine-guns, prevented a mass meeting which was planned by supporters of Dr Chanis to protest against the “ military dictatorship.” The police broke up crowds forming near Santa An? Plaza in the heart of the city to attend a rally called by the Students’ Federation. Yesterday, the National Police opened fire as thousands of demonstrators, led by the ousted President, Dr Daniel Chanis, marched on the presidential residence. A boy was killed and five people wounded, including a member of Parliament. The surprise appearance of Dr Chanis 'in the, National Assembly set off the demonstration. Dr Chanis tore up the letter of resignation he signed last Sunday after the coup d’etat by the National Police. When Dr Chanis declared, “ I withdraw my resignation,” hundreds of persons in the galleries streamed from the building into the streets, shouting: “To the presidential residence.” The cry was taken up Dy others. Estimates of the crowd in the demonstration ranged from 10,000 to 30,000. Eye witnesses said the police fired rifles and machine guns at the demonstrators, who broke up before reaching the residence, where Senor Roberto Chiari was installed on Sunday. The United Press correspondent said the centre of the city became a scene of utter confusion when the firing broke out- Some demonstrators answered the police fire. Shooting also occurred near the offices of the Opposition newspaper, Panama American, the National University, police headquarters, and the prison. One politician was killed.