Large scale riots erupted in Hong Kong in May, 1967. Pro-communists leftists in Hong Kong, inspired by the Cultural Revolution in China, turned a labor dispute into large scale anti-British colonial rule demonstrations. Demonstrators clashed with the police and turned violent. Instigated by events in China, leftists called for massive strikes and organized numerous demonstrations, while the police stormed the leftists' strongholds and put their active leaders under arrest. Riots turned more violent when the leftists resorted to terrorist attacks, planting fake and real bombs in the city and murdering members of the press who voiced opinions against their actions. When the riots finally subsided at the end of the year, 51 people were killed, over 800 were wounded.

A labor dispute sparked by a revolution

Political climate was tense in Hong Kong in the spring of 1967. To the north of the British colony's border, China was tearing itself apart. Red Guards purged the authority and fought at each other. Soon the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution started a year before would be felt in Hong Kong.

In May, labor dispute broke out in an artificial flower factory in ShamPoKong. Picketing labors clashed with management, riot police were called in. The police arrested 21 workers, and many workers were wounded. Representatives from leftist union protested at the police stations and they themselves were also arrested. The day after that, demonstrators appeared on the streets. With Little Red Books (Mao's Quotations) on their left hands, they called out Communists slogans and demanded "blood for blood". Riot police arrested another 127 people. A curfew was announced and all police were called into duty. Newspapers in Beijing fumed the leftists activities, calling the British government actions "facists atrocities". In Beijing, thousands of people demonstrated outside the British charge d'affaires office. The news was carried by leftists-controlled newspapers in Hong Kong. Students from leftists schools were assigned to hand-out the newspapers to the public. In down-town Central district, large loudspeakers were placed on the roof the Bank of China building, giving out Communists rhetoric slogans.

On May 16, the leftists formed a "Hong Kong and Kowloon Committee for Anti-Hong Kong British Prosecution Struggle" (港九各界反抗港英迫害鬥爭委員會)。Yeung Kwong (楊光) of the Federation of Trade Unions (工聯會) was appointed chairman of the committee. The committee was swift in action, series of demonstrations were quickly organized. Hundreds of supporters from various leftist organizations demonstrated outside the Governor's House, calling out Communists rhetorics and posting posters on the Governor's house.

Demonstrations were quickly followed by strikes. Transport services were disrupted when their labor went on periodic strikes.

More violence erupted on May 22. Riot police arrested another 167 people. Leftist rioters soon switched their tactics. They would stage in leftist newspaper offices, banks or department stores, appeared on the street at the same time, stoned at the police and bypassing vehicles, then retreated into their strongholds immediately after the police arrived.

More violence

On July 8, hundreds of militia from across the border fired at the Hong Kong Police at ShaTauKok . Five policemen were killed in the brief exchange of fire. The People's Daily in Beijing ran editorials supporting the leftists struggle in Hong Kong. Rumors that China was planning to overtake Hong Kong started circulating in the colony. Leftists attempted to organize a massive total strike in Hong Kong, but did not gather enough support. Their propaganda urging the Chinese serving in the police to uprise against their British superiors also fell to deaf ears. Rioters upgraded their violence and started to attack police stations with home-made explosives. Laboratories of the some leftists schools were turned into bomb making workshops.

The police fought back by raiding the leftists strongholds. In one of the raids, helicopters from the British Navy were called in to land police on the roof of a 20-plus-storey building. The police discovered bombs and weapons in the stronghold, and to their surprise, there was even a hospital complete with dispensary and an operation theatre. Emergency regulations were passed by the government, granting the police with sweeping authorities. Leftists newspapers were banned from publishing; their schools were closed; many leftists ringleaders were arrested and detained, some of them would be deported into China later.

The leftists revenged by planting more bombs. Real bombs, mixed with even more fake ones, were planted around the city. Citizens normal life were severely disrupted and casualties began to rise. A pair of children, one seven year old girl and her two year old brother, were killed by a bomb wrapped like a gift placed outside where they lived. Bomb disposal experts from the police and the British military worked long, tense hours to defuse the life-threatening bombs.

When revulsion against the violence were easily seen in the media, the leftists turned their target to prominent figures who spoke against them. On August 24 Lam Bun, a popular radio commentator, was murdered when he drove to work. A murdering squad posed as road maintenance workers stopped Lam's vehicle on the street close to where he lived. They poured petrol onto Lam and his cousin and set them on fire. Both Lam and his cousin died later in hospital. Lam had been constantly criticizing and mocking the leftist agitators in his popular radio show since the riots began. Other prominent figures of the media who had voiced opposition against the riots were also threatened. Louis Cha, chairman of the Ming Pao News, was one of those threatened. He left Hong Kong for almost one year before returning to the colony.

Aftermath

The bombing waves did not subside until October of the year. In December, Zhou Enlai ordered the leftists group in Hong Kong to stop all bombings. The riots in Hong Kong finally came to an end.

Fifty-one people, including eleven policemen, a British army bomb disposal expert, and a fireman were killed in the riots of the 1967. Over 800 people were wounded, including 200 from the law enforcement. Confidence in the colony's future was once shattered, some people sold their property and moved to other places.

Many leftist groups with close ties to Communists China were routed during the riots of 1967. Public support for the pro-China leftists dipped into all time low as the public renounced their irrational and violent behavior. Since 1967, the general public in Hong Kong had looked at the pro-Communists groups with untrusting and suspicious eyes. The same untrusting view is still carried by some people in Hong Kong today.

The Hong Kong Police was recognized of its valor and loyalty during the riots. In 1969, the Queen of the United Kingdom granted the Police force the Royal title. This title was kept until the reversion of sovereignty on July 1,1997.