STREET RIOT.




Initials AA/N/JH/BB


EDITORS: SEE YESTERDAY 'S PRODUCTION NUMBER 10128/66 LIGHTWEIGHT FIGHT -- WHICH ALSO REFERS.

Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: A CROWD OF MORE THAN 2,000 ANGRY PUERTO RICANS RIOTED IN THE STREETS OF NEW YORK CITY TO PROTEST AGAINST THE DECISION IN THE LIGHTWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP FIGHT BETWEEN CARLOS ORTIZ AND SUGAR RAMOS IN MEXICO CITY. MANY OF THE RIOTERS WERE NEIGHBOURS OF ORTIZ, AND WHO LIVED IN THE PREDOMINANTLY PUERTO RICAN AREA, AND IS A LOCAL HERO.THE RIOTING BROKE OUT DURING THE SHOWING OF A FILM OF THE FIGHT AT A LOCAL CINEMA.

THE PEOPLE WERE ANGRY BECAUSE THE TITLE WAS AWARDED TO SUGAR RAMOS AFTER THE FIGHT IN MEXICO CITY BY AN OFFICIAL OF THE WORLD BOXING COUNCIL. THAT WAS AFTER REFEREE BILLY CONN HAD STOPPED THE BOUT IN THE FIFTH ROUND AND PROCLAIMED ORTIZ THE WINNER BY A TECHNICAL KNOCKOUT. LATER, RAMON VELASQUEZ OF THE WORLD BOXING COUNCIL RULED, AT RINGSIDE, THAT THE FIGHT HAD NOT ENDED AND ORDERED ORTIZ TO RETURN TO THE RING AND RESUME THE FIGHT. THE TITLE HAS BEEN DECLARED VACANT, AND THE BOXERS HAVE AGREED TO MEET AGAIN IN APRIL.

IN THE NEW YORK RIOT, 12 MEN WERE ARRESTED AND SEVERAL PEOPLE WERE CUT AND BRUISED ON THE HEAD AS BOTTLES, BEER CANS AND EGGS WERE HURLED FROM ROOFTOPS. NEW YORK POLICE SAID IT WAS A CASE OF FINDING A LOCAL TARGET FOR A LONG-DISTANCE ANGER. THE HOSTILITY SPREAD THROUGH THE PUERTO RICAN COMMUNITY WHEN IT WAS LEARNED THAT ORTIZ, A PUERTO RICAN, HAD BEEN DENIED HIS FIFTH ROUND WIN IN THE MEXICAN BOUT.

QUICKLY "DOWN WITH MEXICO" SIGNS SPRANG UP AND PEOPLE GATHERED IN THE STREET. MORE THAN 200 POLICEMEN WERE MOVED INTO THE AREA TO CONTROL THE CROWD.

SOME OF THE PEOPLE UNFURLED THE FLAG OF THE COMMONWEALTH OF PUERTO RICO AND BEGAN CHANTING IN SPANISH "ABAJO MEJICO!" (DOWN WITH MEXICO).

PEOPLE STOOD SHOULDER TO SHOULDER, FILLING THE STREETS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE THEATRE. CHIEF INSPECTOR SANFORD GARELIK OF THE NEW YORK POLICE DEPARTMENT SPED TO THE SCENE TO TAKE PERSONAL COMMAND OF THE RIOT.

REPORTERS AT THE SCENE SAID THAT, FOR A WHILE, THE SITUATION WAS EXTREMELY TENSE, AND FILM CAMERAMAN WERE ORDERED BY POLICE TO PUT ON PROTECTIVE HARD HATS.

HOWEVER, AS DUSK FELL OVER THE BRONX, THE SECTION OF THE CITY WHERE THE MOVIE THEATRE IS LOCATED, PEACE WAS RESTORED.