The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-12-13
Gendarmes and the Mob
in Conflict.
THE BLOOD RED FLAG
1t FIaunts Defiance Even in the Nevsky
Prospekt Where Women Them
selves, Their Faces Streaming
with Blood. Shrek Down
with Autocracy."
'(By the Associated Press. i,

{ by the Associated PfeSS.l
ST. Petersburg, Dec IA popular
anti-government demonstration, the
participants in which included large
numbers of students of both sexes,
Nevslky Prospect and lasted about two
hours. Hundreds of police and
mounted gendarmes, who We're hid
den in the court yard of the public
buildings emerged and suddenly
charged the crowd at fun gallop. driv
ing the demonstrators in headlong
confusion and screaming with terror
upon the sidewalks and into adjacent
streets. This led 10 serious encOunt-
ers fifty persons being more or less
severely injured Large numbers
were arrested. The authorities Sat
urday night got wind of the big anti
government demonstration planned
for by the Social Democratic party 10
demand an immediate end of rhe war
and the conVOcatton of a national as
sembly in every paper in black-face
type was an explicit warning 10 the
people at thefr peril, 10 deSist from
congregatng in the NevSky Prospect
near the KaScan Cathedral At the
same time extensive preparations
were made 10 quell any disturbance.
The police on the NeVSky Prospect
we're increased six times over and the
lvorniks. or house porters. We're mar
shaled in front of their respective
buildings Hair g. dozen sqtladr0ns
Of mounted gendarmes We're massed
in the rear of The Cascdn Cathedral,
ana battalfons of reserve police were
stationed in several court yards out
Of si@ht
The newspaper warnings, however,
by giving notice TO those not apprised
Of the prospect of demonstration,
defeated the very object of which they
were designed. attracting seemingly
the whole population Of this vast city
to the broad thoroughfare, and long
before the hour fixed. despite the
pieading OF the police. who literally
lined the sidewalks the throngs on
the naVements We're SO dense that
movement was almost impossible,
while the snow-covered boulevard
was black with a tangled mass OF
sleighs. filled mostly with the curious
In throngs on the sidewalk. We're
practically the whole student body of
the capital. including many young
women, who have always been promi-
nent lin Russia in revolutionary move
ments, and also thousands of work
men belonging to the Social Labor
party
Towards one o'clock the workmen
and students seemed 10 swarm to-
ward the corner of the Hotel Europe
opposite the Kascan Cathedral The
police recognizing that the critical
moment was approaching. rtied in
vain to keep back the human tide.
then when there was not a single
mounted policeman in sight. on the
stroke of one o'clock. from the heart
of the thickly wedged crowd blood
red flag, like a jet of fame suddenly
shot up 1t was the signal. Other
flags appeared iii the crowd. waving
frantically overhead, and they We're
greeted With a hoarse roar, Down
with autOcracy." The students surg
Ell into the street singing the Mar
seillaise" While innocent spectators,
seeking TO etricate themselves crowd
ed into doorways and hugged walls.
Dismounted police. made single
attempt 10 force their way into the
crowd 10 wrest the ags from the
demonstrations, but the students and
Norkmen, armed With sticks, stood
close and eat back their assailants.
Then. like flash. from behind the
Kascan Cathedral. came 2 squadron
of gendarnes. The doors OF adJoin-
ing court yards We're thrown back
and battalions of police came out. a
double SQUADRON charged the ffallk OF
tha demonstrators with drawn sabres.
Fiya other seuadrons circled the mob
cutting through the fringe OF specta-
tors who gladly scurred TO cover.
These was q sharp rattle of cud-
gels and sabres. though the wounds
showed that the police struck prtncl-
pally with the flat fotheir sabres.
The women were especially fierce III
their resistance. MANY We're struck
and trampled. and blood streameo
down their faces.
While the mob stood, those within
managed 10 throw hundreds of revo-
4 Iutionary Droclamations over th'
| heads Of their fellows The police
Iurged their horses fierceiy into tbs
| crowd driving those who resisted int
| the court yards, the Hotel Europe ant
| the Catholic church. The intens
| excitement lasted about ten minutes
| after which mounted squadrons Of tn
| gendarmerie Jatrolled the streets, am
| the policemen devoted themselves +
/ keeping the crowd moving.
There were probably a hundred
broken heads, and several were seV
erely wounded { though none fatally
so far AS is ascertainable. SO IA
( there have been over 1o0 arrests
! The ferment continued all day am
far into the night. but only one %
4 two abortive attempts were made a
demonstrations, the police being !
such force that they had no difficult
| in seizing the ringleaders, no resist
ance being made in any case.
Tonight the students fthe oliti
technique and other Institutes hell
meetings, at which fiery speeches wer