ON April 16, 1979, The Fiji Times reported on a battle between police and some men in the streets of Nausori.
Police were stoned as wild gangs of rowdies fought a street battle with officers at Nausori and then went on a rampage of vandalism through the town, smashing shop windows.
Police were stoned and pelted with bottles during the clash and a 15-man squad of mobile reinforcements was called in from Nasinu.
As the gang of about 20 youths and young men fled, and about 100 onlookers dispersed, there were three police officers left behind injured and about $4200 damage done to the town.
The injured police were Special Constable Ishwar Lal, 39, who was recovering after treatment at Nausori Medical Centre for cuts to his head and foot, and two other special constables who received bruises.
The Eastern Division Police commander, Superintendent Muniappa Swamy, said although mobile police were called, they did not operate as a riot squad. They carried batons but no shields or teargas because he told them it was not a riot.
By the time the squad arrived the violence had ended.
Six men were arrested and would face charges of being drunk and disorderly in the Nausori court, with some also on assault charges, he said, A team of police officers with a tracker dog also went to Navuso Village after information that one of the villagers there was involved.
But there were no arrests at Navuso Village, Supt Swamy said.
He added the trouble began when a special constable arrested a man outside the Ambassador Nightclub about 12.05am for being drunk and disorderly.
Two other special constables had to go to help their colleague as a mob of youths and young men partying on Saturday night attacked him. Supt Swamy was patrolling in a vehicle and arrived at the scene as the fight broke out.
“Suddenly stones and bottles were flying everywhere,” he said, “Stones hit the Landrover and we were openly challenged,” he said.
Injured policeman, Special Constable Lal said he and another officer were patrolling outside the nightclub when they saw a man assault another policeman.
“We intervened and were escorting the man to the police station when we were surrounded by a crowd of people,” he said, “Suddenly stones and bottles were thrown at us.
“I felt a huge stone hit my head and another hit my right foot.
“I fell to the ground as blood poured down my face.”
He said a fellow constable dragged him away and took him to the Nausori Medical Centre where he received stitches in a head wound.
When a The Fiji Times reporter visited the two, seven shops had their display windows broken.
A director of Gulam Nabi and Co, Mag Nabi, 40, said his company suffered $2000 worth of damage and stolen goods.
The vandals took off with about $1000 of sporting equipment after breaking his display window worth $1000.
