Race Riots In Three American Cities

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31116, 20 July 1966, Page 13

Race Riots In Three American Cities

(N.Z.P.A. Reuter—Copyright) NEW YORK, July 19. Hundreds of police were called into action early today to quell stone-throwing Negro crowds as racial tension flared into violence in three cities across the United States.

In Cleveland, Ohio, a 26-year-old Negro 'woman was shot dead as a wave of stonethrowing, shooting, fire-raising and looting swept a Negro slum district. Three policemen were injured by flying bricks. Hundreds of police reinforcements were sent in as the violence spread over an eight-block area. Firemen reported that crowds "prevented them from| extinguishing fires. Police, used searchlights to light ups darkened alleyways and buildings and were ready with tear! gas to flush out snipers. In New York youths show- 1

ered bricks and debris on squads of riot police who were rushed into Harlem and a slum district of Brooklyn after reports of large disorderly crowds gathering. Shots were reported in Harlem but there were no reported injuries and it appeared that the swift police action had averted any further trouble. In Jacksonville. Florida, a civil rights march on the City Hall to protest against racial discrimination in employment I ended in fist-fights and stoneI throwing. | There were several injuries, shop windows were bro|ken and one shop was set on !fire before order was restored. In Chicago last week two 1 Negroes were shot dead as

.rioting turned to full-scale gun battles between snipers and police. Only the mobilisation of the National Guard restored order after three days of bitter anarchy. Fears were that Negro frustration and the infuriating long hot summer could fan localised • outbreaks into a racial firestorm across the big city.