IRISHMEN BURN UNION JACK

Southland Times, Issue 23199, 14 May 1937, Page 5

IRISHMEN BURN UNION JACK

Anti-British Display

In Dublin

STATUES OF KINGS BLOWN UP

CORONATION REPUDIATED BY REPUBLICANS

(United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright)

(Received May 14, 12.20 a.m.) DUBLIN, May 13.

The chief Coronation excitement in Dublin was the blowing up of an equestrian statue of George H at St. Steven’s Green and also a statue of William 111 at College Green. High explosive were used, but only the stone bases of both statues were damaged.

Loud cheers greeted the burning of a Union Jack at a meeting of former members of the Irish Republican Army, 400 of whom marched in a procession through the streets, demanding complete independence The cutting of telephone and telegraph wires isolated Londonderry on Coronation morning, and the wires crossing the border of Ulster near Strabane were also cut. Nevertheless an Irish Free State band of boy scouts, carrying a Union Jack participated in the celebrations at Strabane.

Yesterday Civil Guards clashed with Republicans who were attempting to hold a banned parade to repudiate the Coronation of the British King as King of Ireland. The disturbances spread to the whole oi central Dublin, which was filled with shouting mobs. Four hundred police, in order to keep the demonstrators out of St. Stephen’s Green, repeatedly made baton charges in which many were injured. . The police also prevented the holding of a mass meeting o* College Green, and when Republicans attempted to hold it elsewhere shots were fired before they dispersed.