BURNING VEHICLES DURING WEDNESDAY'S DISTURBANCES; AFTERMATH ON THURSDAY IN NATHAN ROAD, KOWLOON'S MAIN SHOPPING CENTRE; GURKAH TROOPS ON PATROL; POLICE AT MON KOK PREPARE FOR FURTHER TROUBLE.




Initials PBS/V-S/MR/PC



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Background: THE HONGKONG GOVERNMENT HAS IMPOSED A DUSK TO DAWN CURFEW IN THE MAINLAND DISTRICT OF KOWLOON FOLLOWING THREE NIGHTS OF VIOLENT RIOTING THERE.

THE RIOTS BEGAN ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT AFTER IT WAS ANNOUNCED THAT FARES ON FERRIES OPERATING BETWEEN KOWLOON AND HONGKONG ISLAND WERE TO INCREASE.

AN ESTIMATED TEN THOUSAND PEOPLE RAN WILD THROUGH THE NATHAN ROAD AREA OF KOWLOON - THE MAIN SHOPPING DISTRICT - ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT. HUNDREDS OF STORE WINDOWS WERE BROKEN; MANY CARS WERE OVERTURNED AND SET AFIRE; AND THERE WAS LOOTING ON A LARGE SCALE. MORE THAN 400 PEOPLE WERE DETAINED.

THE RIOTS, HOWEVER, CONTINUED AGAIN ON THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY. MORE THAN 8,000 HONGKONG POLICE AND MEMBERS OF AUXILIARY SERVICES, ASSISTED BY 700 BRITISH TROOPS - INCLUDING GURKAHS - HAVE BEEN MOBILISED TO DEAL WITH THE SITUATION.

DAMAGE HAS BEEN ESTIMATED AT MORE THAN 20-MILLION HONGKONG DOLLARS (GBP1 1/4-MILLION STERLING).