CUBAN VIOLENCE

Taranaki Daily News, 19 June 1934, Page 7

CUBAN VIOLENCE

“SANGUINARY WARFARE” BUTCHERY IN THE CAPITAL VOLLEY SPRAYS PARADERS MACHINE-GUNS IN MOTORS ATTACKERS’ SUDDEN END By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright Rec. 9 p.m. Havana, June 17. Since early morning political factionalists have been carrying on sanguinary warfare throughout the streets of the capital. At least, thirteen have keen killed, scores wounded seriously and perhaps hundreds slightly in the scuffling and by tear gas bombs. " The police and soldiers used rifles and machine-guns freely, but later in the afternoon the disorders were continued. The trouble started when the political organisation A.B.C. (young revolutionaries), which supported the Government, called a convention for to-day. The Communists and other Left wing workers retaliated by declaring a transportation strike. Six deaths occurred when unknown people fired a volley into an A.B.C. parade. A terrific outburst of machine-gun and rifle fire directly into the ranks of A.B.C. paraders occurred on one of the busiest corners in Havana and came as a climax to the reign of terrorism which began on Saturday night with the opening, of the A.B.C. fiesta, a two-day gala which the Radicals had sworn to break up. A complete check of the attack on the A.B.C. shows that 12 were killed and 60 seriously injured. Over 50,000 marchers, at least a fifth of whom were women, lined for miles the principal streets. The attackers, who operated from automobiles instead of buildings as at first reported, had at least three machineguns. After they had raked the paraders with deadly fire they tried to escape but on turning a corner at high speed the car overturned. A group of A.B.C. men shot and killed four of the occupants. Despite the attack the parade was reorganised after the dead and wounded had been removed and continued through the streets. The casualties included several women.