TROOPS AND ITALIAN CIVILIANS CLASH

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5278, 13 December 1946, Page 5

TROOPS AND ITALIAN CIVILIANS CLASH

(Press Assn-

TROUBLE AT PADUA TENSE sfTUATION SAID , TO BE UNDER CONTROL

-Rec. 9.30 p.m.)

\ LONDON, Dec. 12. There has been more trouble between British troops and Italian civilians in Padua, foliowing Tuesday's incident when British military cars were attacked. Some troops left their barracks against orders to make a protest to fhe local British army headquarters. A headquarters' statement says their passage through the town attracted hcoligans and there were scuffles. The troops returned to their barracks in military vehicles after they had lodged the protest. Fcljowing the disturbances, in which 30 were reported to be injured, mostly slightly, Padua has been declared out of bounds for all off-duty troops. British general headquarters announced that the Prefect of Padua has been told that he must maintain order or stern measures would be tPken. * Reuter's correspondent, in giving a fuller version of the disorders of yesterday which continued to-day, said that they broke out when a car, driven by a British soldier, passed a red traffic light and ran down a traffic policgjnan and also a motorcyclist who was awaiting the green light. Another policeman jumped on the running-board but ,the car was out of control and ran into a cafe. Crowd Attacks Police An indignant crowd dragged out tl.e driver and badly beat hina until he was saved by a British military policeman. When several British military cars tried to pass along the crammed streets the crowd beat the occupants. They also beat a British captain who addressed them. Many more military and police cars arrived. The crowd attacked them also, snatching bato'ns from the military police, and using them against the policemen. Another contingent of military police, with tommy-guns and revolvers, intervened and enabled the occupants of the cars to retreat. The crowd then overturned and set fire to the cars. The disorders flared up again when an Italian car collided with a British motoT-cyclist 'who was killed. Soon afterwards a British military lorry and an Italian motor coach collided, killing one passenger. Meanwhile the demonstrators were besieging British military headquarters in a hotel in another part of the town. They tore down the Union Jack at the entrance and ill-treated a number of British officers. British General Headquarters says that the situation appears to be-under control to-day.