RACECOURSE RIOT

Gisborne Times, Volume LXX, Issue 11128, 11 February 1930, Page 5

RACECOURSE RIOT

SjjpQUElii TO FALSE START IRATE BACKERS ON WRECKING CAMPAIGN SET MRk”tO~MACHINB ' United Proßß Assn by El. Tel. Copyright PARIS, Feb. 9. A false start at Vincennes trotting races led to the worst racecourse riot in Franco in a quarter of a century. Ten horses in the first race dashed off and completed the course, but were ordered to rej’oin the remaining five and re-run the race. Thereupon irate backers on the parimutuel, shouting: “’’Wo want our money back’.’ surged round the offices, brushed away the police, overturned or scattered mounted police, and wrecked .everything in their path. They invaded the weighing room and the press stand, flung chairs and tables into the course, demolished lints, pulled up stakes marking the course, flung down paddock railings, and set fire to the parimutuel, which was burned to the ground. They then started fires in.. other buildings, which narrowly escaped the same fate. The stewards attempted to start tho second race, hut the rioters dug holes in tho course. . The police reinforcements quelled the disorder, hut the programme was abandoned.

M. Chiappo, Parisian prefect of police, commanded reinforoetnents which dispersed the mob. which, was greatly hampering the firemen by cutting the hosepipes. Numeous arrests were made. ELEVEN JOCKEYS FINER (Received Feb. 10, 9.10 p.m.) PARIS, Feb. 10. The stewards fined ten jockeys for making false starts, and an eleventh jockey was fined for striking the starter’s assistant.