Hong Kong 1967 riots
Encyclopedia
The Hong Kong 1967 riots began in May 1967. They were caused by pro-communist
leftists in Hong Kong
, inspired by the Cultural Revolution
in the People's Republic of China
(PRC), who turned a labour dispute into large scale demonstrations
against British colonial rule. Demonstrators clashed violently with the Hong Kong Police Force
. Instigated by events in the PRC, leftists called for massive strikes
and organized demonstrations, while the police stormed many of the leftists' strongholds and placed their active leaders under arrest. These riots became still more violent when the leftists resorted to terrorist
attacks, planting fake and real bombs in the city and murdering some members of the press who voiced their opposition to the violence.
with strong ties to Beijing
.
The political climate was tense in Hong Kong in the spring of 1967. To the north of the British colony's border, the PRC was in turmoil. Red Guards
carried out purges and engaged in infighting, while riots
sponsored by pro-Communist leftists erupted in the Portuguese
colony of Macau
, to the west of Hong Kong, in December 1966. Despite the intervention of the Portuguese army
, order was not restored to Macau; and after a general strike
in January 1967, the Portuguese government agreed to meet many of the leftist demands, placing the colony under the de facto control of the PRC. The tension in Hong Kong was heightened by the ongoing Cultural Revolution
to the north. Up to 188 protests were held.
. Picketing workers clashed with management, and riot police were called in on 6 May. In violent clashes between the police and the picketing workers, 21 workers were arrested; many more were injured. Representatives from the union protested at police stations, but were themselves also arrested. The next day, large-scale demonstrations erupted on the streets of Hong Kong. Many of the pro-communist demonstrators carried Little Red Books
in their left hands and shouted communist slogans including demands of "blood for blood". The Hong Kong Police Force
engaged with the demonstrators and arrested another 127 people. A curfew
was imposed and all police forces were called into duty.
In the PRC, newspapers praised the leftists' activities, calling the British colonial government's actions "fascist atrocities". In Beijing, thousands of people demonstrated outside the office of the British chargé d'affaires. In Hong Kong's downtown Central District
, large loudspeakers were placed on the roof of the Bank of China Building, broadcasting pro-communist rhetoric and propaganda, while students distributed newspapers carrying information about the disturbances and pro-communist rhetoric to the public.
On 16 May, the leftists formed the Hong Kong and Kowloon Committee for Anti-Hong Kong British Persecution Struggle
(港九各界反抗港英迫害鬥爭委員會) and appointed Yeung Kwong
(楊光) of the Federation of Trade Unions as the chairman of the committee. The committee organised and coordinated a series of large demonstrations. Hundreds of supporters from various leftist organizations demonstrated outside Government House
, chanting communist slogans and wielding placards. At the same time, many workers took strike action, with Hong Kong's transport services being particularly badly disrupted.
More violence erupted on 22 May, with another 167 people being arrested. The rioters began to adopt more sophisticated tactics, such as throwing stones at police or vehicles passing by, before retreating into leftist "strongholds" such as newspaper offices, banks or department stores once the police arrived.
from the PRC fired at the Hong Kong Police at Sha Tau Kok
.
Five policemen were killed in the brief exchange of fire. The People's Daily
in Beijing ran editorials supporting the leftist struggle in Hong Kong; rumours that the PRC was preparing to take over control of the colony began to circulate. The leftists tried in vain to organise a general strike
; attempts to persuade the Chinese
serving in the police to join the pro-communist movement were equally unsuccessful.
The Hong Kong Government imposed emergency regulations, granting the police special powers in an attempt to quell the unrest. Leftists newspapers were banned from publishing; leftist schools were shut down; many leftist leaders were arrested and detained, and some of them were later deported to the PRC.
The leftists retaliated by planting more bombs. Real bombs, mixed with even more decoys, were planted throughout the city. Normal life was severely disrupted and casualties began to rise. A seven-year-old girl and her two-year-old brother were killed by a bomb wrapped like a gift placed outside their residence. The family, like many others, eventually resettled in America to escape the misery. Bomb disposal experts from the police and the British military defused as many as 8,000 home-made bombs. Statistics showed that one in every eight bombs was genuine.
On 19 July, leftists set up barbed wire defences on the 20-storey Bank of China
building (owned by the PRC government).
In response, the police fought back and raided leftist strongholds. In one of the raids, helicopters from HMS Hermes
– a Royal Navy
carrier – landed police on the roof of Kiu Kwan Mansion. Upon entering the building, the police discovered bombs and weapons, as well as a leftist "hospital" complete with dispensary and an operating theatre.
The public outcry against the violence was widely reported in the media, and the leftists again switched tactics. On 24 August, Lam Bun
, a popular anti-leftist radio commentator, was murdered by a death squad posing as road maintenance workers, as he drove to work. Lam Bun was barred from getting out of his car and was burned alive. Other prominent figures of the media who had voiced opposition against the riots were also threatened, including Louis Cha, then chairman of the Ming Pao News
, who left Hong Kong for almost a year before returning.
The waves of bombings did not subside until October 1967. In December, Chinese Premier
Zhou Enlai
ordered the leftist groups in Hong Kong to stop all bombings; and the riots in Hong Kong finally came to an end. The disputes in total lasted 18 months.
It became known much later that, during the riots, the commander of PLA
's Guangzhou Military Region Huang Yongsheng
(one of Lin Biao
's top allies) secretly suggested invading and occupying Hong Kong
, but his plan was vetoed by Zhou Enlai
.
– many times greater than the 1956 riot
. Confidence in the colony's future declined among some of Hong Kong's populace, and many residents sold their property and relocated overseas
. Some 2000 people were convicted after the arrests.
, in particular, outraged many Hong Kong residents. The credibility of the PRC and its local sympathizers among Hong Kong residents was severely damaged for more than a generation.
during the early 1990s. Tsang Tak-sing
, a communist party supporter and riot participant, later became the founder of the pro-Beijing camp The Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong. Along with his brother Tsang Yok-sing
, they continued to acknowledge Marxism
in Hong Kong.
In 2001, Yeung Kwong
, a pro-Communist party activist of the 1960s, was awarded the Grand Bauhinia Medal
under Tung Chee-hwa. The event was a symbolic gesture that raised controversy as to whether the post-1997 Hong Kong government of the time was approving the riot.
). This riot resulted in laws that prohibit fireworks without obtaining permission from the government.
The Hong Kong Police Force was applauded for its behaviour during the riots by the British Government. In 1969, Queen Elizabeth
granted the Police Force the privilege of the Royal title. This title was to remain in use until the 1997 handover
.
Hong Kong tycoon Li Ka-shing amassed his fortune by buying properties at rock-bottom prices at the height of the riots.
Hong Kong's own French restaurant, Amigo
, was opened during the riot, but it survived and flourished to this day.
Chinese philosopher and educator, Ch'ien Mu
, fled to Taiwan
in October 1967 after accepting an invitation from the then President Chiang Kai-shek
in response to the Hong Kong 1967 Leftist Riots.
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
leftists in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, inspired by the Cultural Revolution
Cultural Revolution
The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, commonly known as the Cultural Revolution , was a socio-political movement that took place in the People's Republic of China from 1966 through 1976...
in the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
(PRC), who turned a labour dispute into large scale demonstrations
Demonstration (people)
A demonstration or street protest is action by a mass group or collection of groups of people in favor of a political or other cause; it normally consists of walking in a mass march formation and either beginning with or meeting at a designated endpoint, or rally, to hear speakers.Actions such as...
against British colonial rule. Demonstrators clashed violently with the Hong Kong Police Force
Hong Kong Police Force
The Hong Kong Police Force is the largest disciplined service under the Security Bureau of Hong Kong. It is the world's second, and Asia's first, police agency to operate with a modern policing system. It was formed on 1 May 1844, with a strength of 32 officers...
. Instigated by events in the PRC, leftists called for massive strikes
Strike action
Strike action, also called labour strike, on strike, greve , or simply strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to work. A strike usually takes place in response to employee grievances. Strikes became important during the industrial revolution, when mass labour became...
and organized demonstrations, while the police stormed many of the leftists' strongholds and placed their active leaders under arrest. These riots became still more violent when the leftists resorted to terrorist
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
attacks, planting fake and real bombs in the city and murdering some members of the press who voiced their opposition to the violence.
Tensions
The initial demonstrations and riots were labor disputes that began as early as March 1967 in shipping, taxi, textile, cement companies and the Hong Kong Artificial Flower Works. These companies had a substantial number of pro-communist leftists. The unions that took up the cause were all members of HK Federation of Trade UnionsHong Kong Federation of Trade Unions
The Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions is a pro-Beijing labour and political group in Hong Kong. It is the largest labour group in Hong Kong with over 341,000 members in 181 affiliates and 62 associated trade unions.-Policies:...
with strong ties to Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
.
The political climate was tense in Hong Kong in the spring of 1967. To the north of the British colony's border, the PRC was in turmoil. Red Guards
Red Guards (China)
Red Guards were a mass movement of civilians, mostly students and other young people in the People's Republic of China , who were mobilized by Mao Zedong in 1966 and 1967, during the Cultural Revolution.-Origins:...
carried out purges and engaged in infighting, while riots
12-3 incident
The 12-3 incident refers to a riot in Macau that happened on December 3, 1966, inspired by the Cultural Revolution in the People's Republic of China.-Tension:...
sponsored by pro-Communist leftists erupted in the Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
colony of Macau
Macau
Macau , also spelled Macao , is, along with Hong Kong, one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China...
, to the west of Hong Kong, in December 1966. Despite the intervention of the Portuguese army
Portuguese Armed Forces
The armed forces of Portugal, commonly known as the Portuguese Armed Forces encompasses a Navy , an Army and an Air Force...
, order was not restored to Macau; and after a general strike
General strike
A general strike is a strike action by a critical mass of the labour force in a city, region, or country. While a general strike can be for political goals, economic goals, or both, it tends to gain its momentum from the ideological or class sympathies of the participants...
in January 1967, the Portuguese government agreed to meet many of the leftist demands, placing the colony under the de facto control of the PRC. The tension in Hong Kong was heightened by the ongoing Cultural Revolution
Cultural Revolution
The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, commonly known as the Cultural Revolution , was a socio-political movement that took place in the People's Republic of China from 1966 through 1976...
to the north. Up to 188 protests were held.
Outbreak of violence
In May, a labour dispute broke out in an artificial flower factory in San Po KongSan Po Kong
San Po Kong is an area in New Kowloon in Hong Kong. South of Wong Tai Sin and Diamond Hill, and north of the former Kai Tak International Airport, the area is bounded by Choi Hung Road and Prince Edward Road. San Po Kong is largely industrial and partly residential. Administratively, it belongs...
. Picketing workers clashed with management, and riot police were called in on 6 May. In violent clashes between the police and the picketing workers, 21 workers were arrested; many more were injured. Representatives from the union protested at police stations, but were themselves also arrested. The next day, large-scale demonstrations erupted on the streets of Hong Kong. Many of the pro-communist demonstrators carried Little Red Books
Quotations from Chairman Mao Zedong
Quotations from Chairman Mao Tse-Tung , is a book of selected statements from speeches and writings by Mao Zedong, the former leader of Chinese Communist Party, published from 1964 to about 1976 and widely distributed during the Cultural Revolution...
in their left hands and shouted communist slogans including demands of "blood for blood". The Hong Kong Police Force
Hong Kong Police Force
The Hong Kong Police Force is the largest disciplined service under the Security Bureau of Hong Kong. It is the world's second, and Asia's first, police agency to operate with a modern policing system. It was formed on 1 May 1844, with a strength of 32 officers...
engaged with the demonstrators and arrested another 127 people. A curfew
Curfew
A curfew is an order specifying a time after which certain regulations apply. Examples:# An order by a government for certain persons to return home daily before a certain time...
was imposed and all police forces were called into duty.
In the PRC, newspapers praised the leftists' activities, calling the British colonial government's actions "fascist atrocities". In Beijing, thousands of people demonstrated outside the office of the British chargé d'affaires. In Hong Kong's downtown Central District
Central, Hong Kong
Central is the central business district of Hong Kong. It is located in Central and Western District, on the north shore of Hong Kong Island, across Victoria Harbour from Tsim Sha Tsui, the southernmost point of Kowloon Peninsula...
, large loudspeakers were placed on the roof of the Bank of China Building, broadcasting pro-communist rhetoric and propaganda, while students distributed newspapers carrying information about the disturbances and pro-communist rhetoric to the public.
On 16 May, the leftists formed the Hong Kong and Kowloon Committee for Anti-Hong Kong British Persecution Struggle
Hong Kong and Kowloon Committee for Anti-Hong Kong British Persecution Struggle
The Hong Kong and Kowloon Committee for Anti-Hong Kong British Persecution Struggle or the Anti-British Struggle Committee was a committee established by pro-Communist Party of China activist Yeung Kwong in 1967. The party was established during the 1967 Hong Kong riot...
(港九各界反抗港英迫害鬥爭委員會) and appointed Yeung Kwong
Yeung Kwong
Yeung Kwong, GBM is a Hong Kong Communist activist and murderer in the 1960s. He was awarded the Grand Bauhinia Medal in 2001, when the Hong Kong government was under chief executive Tung Chee-Hwa, who has close ties to the PRC government...
(楊光) of the Federation of Trade Unions as the chairman of the committee. The committee organised and coordinated a series of large demonstrations. Hundreds of supporters from various leftist organizations demonstrated outside Government House
Government House, Hong Kong
Government House , located on Government Hill in the Central District of Hong Kong Island, is the official residence of the Chief Executive of Hong Kong...
, chanting communist slogans and wielding placards. At the same time, many workers took strike action, with Hong Kong's transport services being particularly badly disrupted.
More violence erupted on 22 May, with another 167 people being arrested. The rioters began to adopt more sophisticated tactics, such as throwing stones at police or vehicles passing by, before retreating into leftist "strongholds" such as newspaper offices, banks or department stores once the police arrived.
The height of the violence
On 8 July, hundreds of armed militiaMilitia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
from the PRC fired at the Hong Kong Police at Sha Tau Kok
Sha Tau Kok
Sha Tau Kok or Shataukok or Sathewkok is a town in the northeastern corner of Hong Kong. Located on the border with mainland China, there is another town of same Chinese name, Shatoujiao, romanized using Hanyu Pinyin, across the Sham Chun River-defined border in Shenzhen of mainland...
.
Five policemen were killed in the brief exchange of fire. The People's Daily
People's Daily
The People's Daily is a daily newspaper in the People's Republic of China. The paper is an organ of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China , published worldwide with a circulation of 3 to 4 million. In addition to its main Chinese-language edition, it has editions in English,...
in Beijing ran editorials supporting the leftist struggle in Hong Kong; rumours that the PRC was preparing to take over control of the colony began to circulate. The leftists tried in vain to organise a general strike
General strike
A general strike is a strike action by a critical mass of the labour force in a city, region, or country. While a general strike can be for political goals, economic goals, or both, it tends to gain its momentum from the ideological or class sympathies of the participants...
; attempts to persuade the Chinese
Zhonghua minzu
Zhonghua minzu , usually translated as Chinese ethnic groups or Chinese nationality, refers to the modern notion of a Chinese nationality transcending ethnic divisions, with a central identity for China as a whole...
serving in the police to join the pro-communist movement were equally unsuccessful.
The Hong Kong Government imposed emergency regulations, granting the police special powers in an attempt to quell the unrest. Leftists newspapers were banned from publishing; leftist schools were shut down; many leftist leaders were arrested and detained, and some of them were later deported to the PRC.
The leftists retaliated by planting more bombs. Real bombs, mixed with even more decoys, were planted throughout the city. Normal life was severely disrupted and casualties began to rise. A seven-year-old girl and her two-year-old brother were killed by a bomb wrapped like a gift placed outside their residence. The family, like many others, eventually resettled in America to escape the misery. Bomb disposal experts from the police and the British military defused as many as 8,000 home-made bombs. Statistics showed that one in every eight bombs was genuine.
On 19 July, leftists set up barbed wire defences on the 20-storey Bank of China
Bank of China (Hong Kong)
Bank of China Limited is the second-largest commercial banking group in Hong Kong in terms of assets and customer deposits, with more than 300 branches in Hong Kong. It was established on 1 October 2001 from a merger of 12 subsidiaries and associates of the Bank of China in Hong Kong, and listed...
building (owned by the PRC government).
In response, the police fought back and raided leftist strongholds. In one of the raids, helicopters from HMS Hermes
HMS Hermes (R12)
HMS Hermes was a Centaur-class British aircraft carrier, the last of the postwar conventional aircraft carriers commissioned into the Royal Navy.-Construction and modifications:...
– a Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
carrier – landed police on the roof of Kiu Kwan Mansion. Upon entering the building, the police discovered bombs and weapons, as well as a leftist "hospital" complete with dispensary and an operating theatre.
The public outcry against the violence was widely reported in the media, and the leftists again switched tactics. On 24 August, Lam Bun
Lam Bun
Lam Bun was a radio commentator at Commercial Radio Hong Kong who was fiercely critical of leftists. He was assassinated during the Hong Kong 1967 riots, and has become an icon for free speech in Hong Kong.-Biography:...
, a popular anti-leftist radio commentator, was murdered by a death squad posing as road maintenance workers, as he drove to work. Lam Bun was barred from getting out of his car and was burned alive. Other prominent figures of the media who had voiced opposition against the riots were also threatened, including Louis Cha, then chairman of the Ming Pao News
Ming Pao
Ming Pao is a Chinese language newspaper published by Ming Pao Group in Hong Kong. In the 1990s, Ming Pao established four overseas branches in North America, each provides independent reporting on local news and collect local advertisements. Currently, only the two Canadian editions remain: Ming...
, who left Hong Kong for almost a year before returning.
The waves of bombings did not subside until October 1967. In December, Chinese Premier
Premier of the People's Republic of China
The Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China , sometimes also referred to as the "Prime Minister" informally, is the Leader of the State Council of the People's Republic of China , who is the head of government and holds the highest-ranking of the Civil service of the...
Zhou Enlai
Zhou Enlai
Zhou Enlai was the first Premier of the People's Republic of China, serving from October 1949 until his death in January 1976...
ordered the leftist groups in Hong Kong to stop all bombings; and the riots in Hong Kong finally came to an end. The disputes in total lasted 18 months.
It became known much later that, during the riots, the commander of PLA
People's Liberation Army
The People's Liberation Army is the unified military organization of all land, sea, strategic missile and air forces of the People's Republic of China. The PLA was established on August 1, 1927 — celebrated annually as "PLA Day" — as the military arm of the Communist Party of China...
's Guangzhou Military Region Huang Yongsheng
Huang Yongsheng
Huang Yongsheng was a general of the China's People's Liberation Army.Huang Yongsheng was born in Xianning prefecture of Hubei province....
(one of Lin Biao
Lin Biao
Lin Biao was a major Chinese Communist military leader who was pivotal in the communist victory in the Chinese Civil War, especially in Northeastern China...
's top allies) secretly suggested invading and occupying Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, but his plan was vetoed by Zhou Enlai
Zhou Enlai
Zhou Enlai was the first Premier of the People's Republic of China, serving from October 1949 until his death in January 1976...
.
Tolls
By the time the riots subsided at the end of the year, 51 people were killed, including five police officers. Eleven officers were wounded. A British Army explosives disposal expert (Sgt. Charlie Workman of the Royal Army Ordnance Corps) and a firefighter were killed in the riots. In addition, more than 800 people sustained injuries, including 200 law enforcement personnel; 5000 people were arrested. Bombings killed 15 people, and injured 340 others. There were millions of dollars in property damage, measured in USDUnited States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
– many times greater than the 1956 riot
Hong Kong 1956 riots
The Hong Kong 1956 riots began with looting and attacks by pro-Nationalist on pro-Communist citizens and property in Hong Kong during Double Ten Day 10 October 1956, and soon developed into large, and violent, riots.-Tensions:...
. Confidence in the colony's future declined among some of Hong Kong's populace, and many residents sold their property and relocated overseas
Overseas Chinese
Overseas Chinese are people of Chinese birth or descent who live outside the Greater China Area . People of partial Chinese ancestry living outside the Greater China Area may also consider themselves Overseas Chinese....
. Some 2000 people were convicted after the arrests.
| Name | Age | Date | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chan Kwong Sang (陳廣生) | 13 | 1967-05-12 | A Student barber, beaten to death by riot police squad at Wong Tai Sin Resettlement Area. |
| Tsui Tin Po (徐田波) | 42 | 1967-06-08 | A worker of Mechanics Division, Public Works Department, beaten to death at Wong Tai Sin Police Station after arrest. |
| Lai Chung (黎松) | 52 | 1967-06-08 | A worker of Towngas, shot by police in a raid, then killed by drowning. |
| Tsang Ming (曾明) | 29 | 1967-06-08 | A worker of Towngas, beaten to death by police in a raid. |
| Tang Tsz Keung (鄧自強) | 30 | 1967-06-23 | A worker of plastic products, shot by police in a raid against trade union. |
| Lee On (李安) | 45 | 1967-06-26 | A worker of Shaw Brothers, died while admitting to hospital from law court. |
| Chau Chung Sing (鄒松勝) | 34 | 1967-06-28 | A worker of plastic products, beaten to death by police after arrest. |
| Law Chun Kau (羅進苟) | 30 | 1967-06-30 | A worker of plastic products, beaten to death by police after arrest. |
| Fung Yin Ping (馮燕平) | 40 | 1967-07-08 | A Chinese police corporal, killed by militia from Mainland China at Sha Tau Kok |
| Kong Shing Kay (江承基) | 19 | 1967-07-08 | A Chinese police constable, killed by militia from Mainland China at Sha Tau Kok |
| Mohamed Nawaz Malik | 28 | 1967-07-08 | A Pakistani police constable, killed by militia from Mainland China at Sha Tau Kok |
| Khurshid Ahmed | 27 | 1967-07-08 | A Pakistani police constable, killed by militia from Mainland China at Sha Tau Kok |
| Wong Loi Hing (黃來興) | 27 | 1967-07-08 | A Chinese police constable, killed by militia from Mainland China at Sha Tau Kok |
| Cheung Tin Sang (張天生) | 41 | 1967-07-08 | A militia from Mainland China, shot to death by Hong Kong Police at Sha Tau Kok |
| Cheng Chit Po (鄭浙波) | 32 | 1967-07-09 | A porter working at Western District, shot to death when attempting to save a student from leftist school being pursued by police. |
| Ma Lit (馬烈) | 43 | 1967-07-09 | A porter working at Western District, shot to death when attempting to save a student from leftist school being pursued by police. |
| Lam Po Wah (林寶華) | 21 | 1967-07-09 | A Chinese police constable, killed by leftist protesters with a hook after Cheng Chit Po and Ma Lit were shot to death. |
| Choi Nam (蔡南) | 27 | 1967-07-10 | A leftist protester, shot to death by police at Johnston Road, Wan Chai. |
| Lee Chung Hing | 35 | 1967-07-10 | A citizen, beaten to death by leftist protesters at Johnston Road, Wan Chai. |
| Lee Si (李四) | 48 | 1967-07-11 | A leftist protester, shot to death by police at Johnston Road, Wan Chai. |
| Mak Chi Wah (麥志華) | 1967-07-12 | A leftist protester, shot to death by police at Un Chau Street, Sham Shui Po. | |
| Yue Sau Man (余秀文) | 1967-07-15 | A worker of Wheelock Spinners, shot to death by police. | |
| Ho Fung (何楓) | 1967-07-16 | A worker of Kowloon Dockyard, shot to death by police at Kowloon City Police Station. | |
| So Chuen (蘇全) | 1967-07-26 | A worker from a textile factory, shot to death by police at Mong Kok. | |
| Ho Chuen Tim (何傳添) | 1967-08-09 | A fisherman from Sha Tau Kok, arrested during a police raid against memorial meeting for killed leftist workers on June 24. Died on August 9. | |
| Wong Yee Man (黃綺雯) | 8 | 1967-08-20 | A 8-year old girl, killed by a homemade bomb wrapped like a gift with her younger brother at Ching Wah Street, North Point. |
| Wong Siu Fan (黃兆勳) | 4 | 1967-08-20 | Younger brother of Wong Yee Man. |
| Lam Bun Lam Bun Lam Bun was a radio commentator at Commercial Radio Hong Kong who was fiercely critical of leftists. He was assassinated during the Hong Kong 1967 riots, and has become an icon for free speech in Hong Kong.-Biography:... (林彬) |
37 | 1967-08-25 | A radio commentator at CRHK, ambushed and burned alive by a group of leftist men posing as road maintenance workers during his way to office on August 24. Died on August 25. |
| Charles Workman | 26 | 1967-08-28 | A British Army Sergeant, killed by a homemade bomb planted at Lion's Rock Hill during defusing. |
1960s leftist groups
Many leftist groups with close ties to the PRC were destroyed during the riots of 1967. Public support for the pro-communist leftists sank to an all-time low, as the public widely condemned their violent behaviour. The murder of radio host Lam BunLam Bun
Lam Bun was a radio commentator at Commercial Radio Hong Kong who was fiercely critical of leftists. He was assassinated during the Hong Kong 1967 riots, and has become an icon for free speech in Hong Kong.-Biography:...
, in particular, outraged many Hong Kong residents. The credibility of the PRC and its local sympathizers among Hong Kong residents was severely damaged for more than a generation.
New leftist groups and legacy
Some of the members who participated in the 1967 riot have since regained a foothold in Hong Kong politicsPolitics of Hong Kong
Politics of Hong Kong takes place in a framework of a political system dominated by its constitutional document, the Basic Law of Hong Kong, its own legislature, the Chief Executive as the head of government, and of a multi-party system...
during the early 1990s. Tsang Tak-sing
Tsang Tak-sing
Tsang Tak Sing, JP is the Secretary for Home Affairs of Hong Kong. Formerly an adviser to the Central Policy Unit, he assumed office on 1 July 2007, replacing Patrick Ho. He is the younger brother of Jasper Tsang, who was the legislative councillor and former chairman of the Democratic Alliance...
, a communist party supporter and riot participant, later became the founder of the pro-Beijing camp The Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong. Along with his brother Tsang Yok-sing
Tsang Yok-sing
Jasper Tsang Yok-sing, GBS JP was the founding Chairman of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment of Hong Kong , the largest pro-Beijing political party in Hong Kong....
, they continued to acknowledge Marxism
Marxism
Marxism is an economic and sociopolitical worldview and method of socioeconomic inquiry that centers upon a materialist interpretation of history, a dialectical view of social change, and an analysis and critique of the development of capitalism. Marxism was pioneered in the early to mid 19th...
in Hong Kong.
In 2001, Yeung Kwong
Yeung Kwong
Yeung Kwong, GBM is a Hong Kong Communist activist and murderer in the 1960s. He was awarded the Grand Bauhinia Medal in 2001, when the Hong Kong government was under chief executive Tung Chee-Hwa, who has close ties to the PRC government...
, a pro-Communist party activist of the 1960s, was awarded the Grand Bauhinia Medal
Grand Bauhinia Medal
The Grand Bauhinia Medal the highest award under the Hong Kong honours and awards system, is to recognise the selected person's lifelong and highly significant contribution to the well-being of Hong Kong. The awardee is entitled to the postnominal letters GBM and the style "The Honorable"...
under Tung Chee-hwa. The event was a symbolic gesture that raised controversy as to whether the post-1997 Hong Kong government of the time was approving the riot.
Other
The legacy of the 1967 Hong Kong riots extends even to the Chinese lexicon; in Cantonese, a home-made bomb is often referred to as a Boh Loh (lit. PineapplePineapple
Pineapple is the common name for a tropical plant and its edible fruit, which is actually a multiple fruit consisting of coalesced berries. It was given the name pineapple due to its resemblance to a pine cone. The pineapple is by far the most economically important plant in the Bromeliaceae...
). This riot resulted in laws that prohibit fireworks without obtaining permission from the government.
The Hong Kong Police Force was applauded for its behaviour during the riots by the British Government. In 1969, Queen Elizabeth
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
granted the Police Force the privilege of the Royal title. This title was to remain in use until the 1997 handover
Transfer of the sovereignty of Hong Kong
The transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong from the United Kingdom to the People's Republic of China, referred to as ‘the Return’ or ‘the Reunification’ by the Chinese and ‘the Handover’ by others, took place on 1 July 1997...
.
Hong Kong tycoon Li Ka-shing amassed his fortune by buying properties at rock-bottom prices at the height of the riots.
Hong Kong's own French restaurant, Amigo
Amigo (restaurant)
Amigo is a restaurant in Hong Kong. It was created by owner Yeung Wing Chung and his staff. Yeung's wife came up with the Spanish name Amigo, meaning "friend".- History :The first Amigo Restaurant opened in Causeway Bay in the middle of the 1967 riots...
, was opened during the riot, but it survived and flourished to this day.
Chinese philosopher and educator, Ch'ien Mu
Ch'ien Mu
Ch'ien Mu , was a Chinese historian, educator, philosopher and Confucian considered one of the greatest historians and philosophers in 20th-century China....
, fled to Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
in October 1967 after accepting an invitation from the then President Chiang Kai-shek
Chiang Kai-shek
Chiang Kai-shek was a political and military leader of 20th century China. He is known as Jiǎng Jièshí or Jiǎng Zhōngzhèng in Mandarin....
in response to the Hong Kong 1967 Leftist Riots.
Depiction in the media
- In John Woo's action movie Bullet in the HeadBullet in the HeadBullet in the Head is a 1990 Hong Kong action crime drama thriller film written, produced, edited and directed by John Woo , starring Tony Leung, Jacky Cheung, Waise Lee and Simon Yam.-Plot:...
, the 1967 Riots are briefly shown. - In the play/film I Have a Date with SpringI Have a Date with SpringI Have A Date With Spring was a stage play originally written by Raymond To. It was later adapted into a film that was released in 1994 in Hong Kong.-Synopsis:...
, the riots (although only briefly referenced) are a key plot point. - Wong Kar Wai's movie 20462046 (film)2046 is a 2004 Hong Kong film written and directed by Wong Kar-wai. It is a loose sequel to the 1991 Hong Kong film Days of Being Wild and the 2000 Hong Kong film In the Mood for Love...
features backdrop of the riots, mentions of the riots and a few old newreels of the rioting. - The film about modern Hong KongHong KongHong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
history Mr.CinemaMr.CinemaMr. Cinema also known as Call Me Left is a 2007 Hong Kong film starring Anthony Wong, Teresa Mo, Ronald Cheng and Karen Mok.-Plot:...
depicts the riots.
See also
- 1960s in Hong Kong1960s in Hong Kong1960s in Hong Kong continued with the development and expansion of manufacturing that began in the previous decade. The economic progress made in the period would categorise Hong Kong as one of Four Asian Tigers along with Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan.-Background:Economically, this era is...
- Hong Kong 1956 riotsHong Kong 1956 riotsThe Hong Kong 1956 riots began with looting and attacks by pro-Nationalist on pro-Communist citizens and property in Hong Kong during Double Ten Day 10 October 1956, and soon developed into large, and violent, riots.-Tensions:...
- Hong Kong 1966 riotsHong Kong 1966 riotsThe Hong Kong 1966 Riots was a series of disturbances that took place over three nights on the streets of Kowloon, Hong Kong in the spring of 1966...
- Spring Garden LaneSpring Garden LaneSpring Garden Lane is a street in Wan Chai, Hong Kong. It was one of the first focal areas developed by the British in the 1840s.-History:During the early development of Wan Chai, one of the focal area of development was Spring Gardens. The name was used by the British during the early Colonial...
- Hong Kong 1981 riotsHong Kong 1981 riotsIn Hong Kong, the riots of 1981 are two riots on the Christmas Day of 1981 and the New Year's Day of 1982. Since the majority of the participants were youths, the riots were also named as the Christmas youth riots of 1981 and New Year youth riots of 1982...