STUDENT RIOT

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16200, 25 November 1926, Page 12

STUDENT RIOT

“RAG” AT CAMBRIDGE GRIM EIGHT FOR LAMP LONDON, November 7. •Scenes reminiscent- of Tony Tandy's worst riots were enacted in the market square of Cambridge, where the police, reinforced' by 30 special constables and supported by many civilians who responded to the calls for assistance, fought a pitciied battle with the under graduates for the possession of tin* lasi street lamp remaining alight at the conclusion of the Guy Fawkes rag, in the last phase of which the students set about darkening the whole town. The undergrads launched a -final assault, accompanied by an indiscriminate discharge, of crackers, rockets, and color ed lights. They bombarded the defenders with showers of missiles, including handfuls of coppers and bags of flour.

The police, half of whom in the end lost their helmets, and were roughly handled, were, ordered to charge. They met with a stubborn resistance.

in the melee in which fists and batons were freely used, one constable was trodden underfoot, and severely hurt, and many of the undergraduates had their gowns, coats, and even tlicit shirts torn off their backs. Fiftv of them were arrested.

UNDERGRADUATES FINED LONDON’, November 8. Fines totalling over £SIOO were imposed at Cambridge when 49 undergraduates,' a journalist, .a grocer’s assistant and a. laborer filled the duel;. The defendants overflowed into Hie public seats, and were, called upon to answer various charges in connection with the Guy Fawkes rag. All were convicted. The solicitors’ table was tilled with confiscated fireworks, and the magistrates instituted a tariff for various offences, which included £5 for attempting to secure a- policeman’s helmet, which was a, popular form of souvenir. Another £5 was imposed for obstructing the police, £2 for putting out. and damaging street lamps, and bs fur letting off fireworks.

The highest fine was £l9, which was imposed on an undergraduate for assaulting a policeman. The University authorities will take the strongest, disciplinary action, aiid it is possible that the convicted undergraduates will he expelled.