Скачать или смотреть WEST BANK: VIOLENT PROTESTS AT HEBRON MUNICIPALITY (V)

(23 Oct 1999) Natural Sound
VOICED: PHILIPPA MEAGHER

Hundreds of Palestinians have stormed the Hebron municipality, breaking windows and wrecking the mayor's car, in protest at death of 14 workers in fire in an unlicensed lighter factory.

Just before Saturday's protests erupted, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat paid a condolence visit to families of the victims and told them that those responsible for the fire would be punished.

VOICE-OVER:

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Saturday's protest was the second in two days.

It began when more than 400 Palestinians marched toward Hebron's City Hall.

The demonstrators were incensed at the deaths of fourteen people in fire at an unlicensed cigarette lighter factory two days ago.

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As their anger grew they began to stone the building, smashing most of the windows.

The mayor and his staff took shelter inside.

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Some City Hall employees retaliated by throwing stones from the roof, injuring two protesters.

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The scale of the unrest grew rapidly

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Palestinian riot police armed with clubs and semiautomatic weapons arrived at the scene and scuffled with demonstrators.
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The police eventually took control of the building and monitored the street from the roof

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Earlier the Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat visited the burnt out shell of the factory and promised to punish those responsible.

The demonstrators had called on the Palestinian Authority to hold the mayor accountable for the fire, and accused him of not doing enough to close down sweatshops that operate without permits and lack basic safety features.

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Four Palestinian cabinet ministers will investigate the tragedy.

An initial investigation showed that some doors were locked when the fire broke out in the factory, located on the ground floor of a three-storey apartment building.

The mayor said the owner of the building had a permit to sell fruit and vegetables, but not to produce cigarette lighters.
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