ANOTHER SOLDIERS' RIOT

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 142, 11 March 1919, Page 5

ANOTHER SOLDIERS' RIOT

OVER ARREST OF AMERICAN SAILORS FIGHT WITH POLICE IN LONDON By TeJegraph—Press Association-Copyright (Rec. March. 10, Bpjn.) London, March 9. As the result of a constable attempting to anrest American sailors who were gambling outside the Y.M.C.A. refreshment hut, the sailors resisted the constable, who summoned assistance. A melee followed, in which several American, Canadian, and Australian soldiers fought. When the police were reinforced from Bow Street an American policeman drew a revolver, threatening the civilian police, who rushed and overpowered him. The soldiers then attempted a rescue, but the police, using their batons, felled many of the soldiers, forcing the others along alleyways, and so gradually broke up the; rioters. The police arrested seven, including one military policeman. Owing to a subsequent rumour that -the latter was dead, three thousand soldiers and sailors proceeded to Bow Street, breaking the station windows and boo-hooing. Thirty of the police rushed out and charged the mob, batoning right and left. Mogt of the riotea-s fled towards the Str.and. The police, reinforced from the neighbouring stations, drew a cordon across Bow Street. A mob of soldiers assembled twenty yards away, and, answering their leaders' call, rushed the police, who simultaneously charged and dispersed the rioters after five minutes' vigorous fighting. Twenty men were arrested. Subsequently the mounted police patrolled the approaches to Bow Street.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.