More than thirty Jews were wounded today when police fired upon a crowd demonstrating against the Government after the funeral of a Jew killed Wednesday in a hold-up by Arab brigands.
The Hadassah hospital and the Red Mogen David (Jewish red cross) tonight reported that fourteen persons had been registered as wounded during the demonstration. Four were seriously injured.
With the beginning of Sabbath, the city became quiet, Police said ten persons had been arrested.
The police fired when a mob greeted an order to disperse with a barrage of stones. Among the wounded were M. Samet, reporter for the Hebrew daily, Haaretz, and a Jewish policeman who was struck by a stone.
In an effort to restore order, steel-helmeted non-Jewish police invaded homes in this all-Jewish city, dragging out residents suspected of having participated in the demonstration and handling them roughly.
Police truncheons were seen covered with blood. One of the bearers of a black-bordered Zionist flag of mourning was beaten into unconsciousness. A number of the demonstrators were arrested, including several of the wounded.
Numerous street fights continued for an hour after the demonstration had ended. Tension was increased by a report that one of the Jews wounded in the hold-up, Zvi Dannenberg, had also died.
Police threw cordons around Allenby Square to prevent further disorders, as enraged speakers continued to shout:
“If the police are unable to guard the Jews, let us guard ourselves.”
The rioting started when, following the funeral, speakers addressed the crowd. Among the speakers was a young Salonica Jew, who demanded that the crowd go to Jaffa, an Arab center, to avenge the death of Israel Chazan, the victim of the brigands, also a native of Salonica.
Instead, the mob proceeded to City Hall, where municipal officials addressed them from the balcony, appealing for order and requesting them to disperse. The officials promised to bring to the attention of the Government the crowd’s protests against the “one-sided policy” which was blamed in leaflets for the fatal hold-ups.
“Nothing must hinder the Jews from the peaceful upbuilding of Palestine,” declared Israel Rokach, acting mayor. Dov Hos, a City Councillor, also spoke.
The crowd went to City Hall after police had prohibited eulogies at Chanzan’s funeral. A procession to the Great Synagogue was permitted, where “kaddish,” the Jewish memorial prayer, was intoned. During the funeral leaflets of unknown origin were distributed demanding the resignation of High Commissioner Sir Arthur Grenfell Wauchope. Many of these were seized by the police.
Hebrew newspapers appearing before the funeral demanded immediate suppression of brigands’ activities.
It was learned, meanwhile, that the tracks of the brigands lead to the tents of Arab workers near Nur el Shmash, close to which the hold-up took place. No arrests had been made tonight.
Another Jew, Joshua Napcha, had been wounded in the hold-up of a caravan of ten automobiles between Amabta and Nur el Shamsh, near Tul Karem. It was the third in recent weeks in which Jews were killed or injured.
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