RIOTING IN HALIFAX

Southland Times, Issue 25668, 10 May 1945, Page 4

RIOTING IN HALIFAX

Canada’s “Biggest Victory Hangover”

(Rec. 8 p.m.) OTTAWA, May 8. Halifax has probably the biggest victory hangover in Canada. The major part of the city’s downtown section looks as though a cyclone has passed through, with shattered glass and broken liquor bottles strewing the streets—the aftermath of the rioting that ended only after three, liquor stores had been looted. A police patrol wagon and a tramcar were burned and at least 20 other trams were damaged. A few people were injured, mainly by flying glass. Tlie evening began quietly, but at midnight the mob tried to overturn a tram and finally set fire to it. When a police wagon appeared, tire mob overturned it with three policemen inside and later set fire to it. The mob smashed window's -of liquor stores, and, as a policeman said, “They drank whisky by the case.” The riots died down at 5 a.m., but fresh rioting broke out this afternoon when a mob of about 500, mostly sailors, marched along one street and literally smashed every window on one side. Naval and civilian police broke up the mob and patrolled the downtown district. They also took over control of the traffic at main intersections in an attempt to prevent more outbreaks.

Comparative calm descended late tonight on Halifax where the citizens began reckoning the damage caused by the victory riots, states a later message. During the riots two buildings were set on fire and gutted, and the business section was looted. A curfew was imposed at 7 p.m. Five hours later a civilian service and police quelled the worst of the disturbances, and afterwards the disturbances were described as sporadic. It is unofficially estimated that the damage will run into 1,000,000 dollars.