Racial Tension Continues

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31094, 24 June 1966, Page 11

Racial Tension Continues

(N.Z.P.A. Reuter —Copyright) POMPANO BEACH (Florida), June 23. Armed police cleared sullen Negroes from the streets over-night when a Negropolice armistice failed to lower racial tension in Pompano Beach.

The peace treaty was drawn up by Negro leaders and the police after two days of violence in the town’s coloured quarter.

For several hours all was quiet. Then Negroes gathered on street corners and hurled stones at passing cars. Steel-

helmeted police moved in! with dogs to clear them. The treaty—in which Negroes agreed to clear the streets of demonstrators if police reduced their 150-man riot patrols—was due to end on Saturday when a white shopkeeper appears in court on an assault and battery

charge against a 10-year-old Negro boy. Racial violence flared for the first time in this town of 160,000 near Miami on Tuesday night. Hundreds of Negroes rioted, hurling stones and bottles at police and shops. Two cars were overturned

and one set alight before order was restored early yesterday. Sealed Off Hours later police sealed off the town’s coloured quarter when 600 Negroes rampaged through the streets, smashing windows and tearing down shop hoardings, after hearing reports that shopkeeper Arthur Marks, aged 42, had slapped the Negro boy. Police withdrew all but two or three patrol cars from the Negro district last night after Negro community leaders agreed to clear the streets if patrols of state and county police were reduced.