THE FRENCH RIOTS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIII, Issue 7986, 15 March 1906, Page 3

THE FRENCH RIOTS.

The acoounts to hand of the first of tfte disturbances in the cburctaes in Paris, consequent upon the Government taking an inventory of the eccleaiastical property, show them to have boeu even more disgraceful than we gathered from the cable messages. At the Church of St. Olotiide the authorities, not anticipating opposition, were at a disadvantage for a while, the first official to arrive BEING RESCUED, BaTTERED AND BRUISED, from the infuriated crowd by the police. The officials were beaten baciE in their first attempt to enter the church, but when the fire-engines arrived the deruonstrptors retired inside. The firemen then BATTEERD DOWN THE GREAT DOORS of the church with their pxes, amid loud shouts of ''Shamei" and "Scandalous!" and gave an entry to the police. The latter had to breakdown a barricade in the central aisle, and a free fight followed. Chains were freely used as weapons, and over 100 people were injured. Bat the scenes on the following day at the Church of St. Pierre du Gros Caillon WERE MUCH MORE VIOLENT. This is a fashionable church, and the congregation which crowded it at the hoar announced for the taking of the inventory contained many representatives of French aristocracy. The authorities brought troops this time, and the band of young men who 1 bad assembled to resist the carrying out of the law, ' fearing a volley, retreated precini tately. The doors of the church were beaten in by firemen, and it was then seen that the resistance inside was going to be spirited. A large barriaade had been built up behind tbe doors, and THE DEPEZn'DERS BOMBARDED the attackers with anything within reach. Finally the barricade was stormed, ttoops and police rushed into tbe church, and a free fight ensued between the defenders, armed with sticks, nanes, and everything that came to hand, and the police, who hit freely with the flat of the sword. "At half past three the scenes almost baffled description," says the Daily Mail's correspondent. "A FREE FIGHT WAS GOING ON ju&t within the doors of the ohurob, an angry crowd was being charged outside by the cavalry, while the police in a frenzy of excitement arrested everybody they oould lay their bands on." At a quarter to four the firemen started to play water into the church, and at four o'clock the final struggle began. The police rushed in by every door, and a terrific hand-to-hand fight ensued, a ■core of polioemen having to be carried out badly injured. The defenders, among whom were many women, refused to yield, and had to be hauled out, bedraggled and drenched into the street. In the church itself the scene baffled description. Pictures, smashed glass, candles, hata, utickß, an 3 clothes ' were all jumbled up together in water •evenl inche» deep.