Blucjackets Partly Wreck Isis Theatre, Beat Russian Employees and Route Adience OUTING their indignation a gainst the film which has been censored twice, a party of Italians, largely composed of bluejackets, created havoc on Febr uary 20 at the Isis Theatre at! the re-showing of "Abyssinia,"
'a Soviet news film depicting the conquest of Ethiopia by Italian f The sailors, acting with preci performance and well-nigh wri signal they caused a panic by sei forces a year ago.
jon, started a riot during the first ocked the theatre. On a given ater ammoni throughout the audience of more than 1,000 persons, thus inducing a stampede to North Szechuen Road. They furt ther entered the projection room, smashed the projection-machine, Seized the film and beat three Russian employees, breaking the arm of one apparently with an Iron bar.
Having smashed chairs, woodwork and the windows of the ticket office, they left the theatre and continued their destructive activity outside, breaking the panes of-the front entrance, the glass over the advertising outside the building, and even a part of the canopy projecting into North Szechuen Road.
It is estimated that 100 Italians, presumably from the scunbost Lepanto took part in the disturbance which recalls a similar demonstration at the Capitol Theatre during the showing of the American film "Street Angel" several years ago. According to reports made by witnesses, the sailors were armed "with pistols, batons and other weapons. One of the three Injured men Informed the authorities that he was struck on the head with the butt of a gun, The ammonia was contained in small bot~ jes which the bluejackets cmashed fon the floor in all parts of the thea-{re. "Tt could not be learned where the men had obtained that much ame mani, Attack Starts In Balcony The attack started at 3.15 pin, in the balcony. Wielding chairs and the weapons they had themselves introduced into the theatre," the sailors there made for the project tion room, beat the Russian operator. smashed the projecting machine bad= ly and seized the film. Simultanoonsly other members of the ate tacking force broke the bottles of ammonia on the floor, causing acrid fumes to fill the theatre. The terri-fled spectators—the downstairs section was full—started to run and a serious panic was narrowly averted.
Dixwell Road Station, led by Insp. H. J, Jefferson, and' members of! Police Headquarters. Members the Japanese Naval Landing Party were also there in steel helmets and flourishing bayonets.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.