FEELING IN FRANCE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 168, 18 July 1942, Page 5

FEELING IN FRANCE

Angry Demonstrators March Through Marseilles CHEERS FOR AMERICA United Press Association.—Copyright. Rec. 1 p.m. LONDON, July 17. Shouting "Vive Le Republique" and "Laval to the Gallows." 100,000 demonstrators marched through streets black with people in celebration of Bastille Day in Marseilles, says British Official Wireless in quoting reports which have reached General de Gaulle's headquarters. Crowds were particularly hostile outside the labour recruiting office for workers for Germany, and also in front of the headquarters of the Tricolour Legion and the military prison. As they passed the United States consulate there were prolonged cheers for America. Some supporters of Doriot's party opened fire on the crowd with tommy-guns, killing two men and two women and wounding six other people, including a child. The funeral of the victims, which was arranged for to-morrow, was cancelled by the police, evidently in fear of further demonstrations. Thousands of people gathered at Chambery, in Savoy, shouting, "Savoy is French!" and singing the Lorraine March and the Marseillaise. The police vainly tried to break up the crowd. When demonstrators clashed with members of Petain's Legion, who tried to organise a coun-ter-demonstration, the latter had to be taken into protective custody to protect them from the crowd, which waited for them outside the police station. They escaped by a back way. The Vichy radio has announced that forest fires are blazing in the Rhone estuary. New fires have broken out at Lancon and along the Marseilles-Paris railway, but communication has not been interrupted.