ABSTRACT
In April 1966, the Star Ferry Riots began with an incident at the Hong Kong Star Ferry terminal. The trigger for the 1966 riots was a small increase in the first class fare for the Star Ferry cross-harbour ferry, proposed in October 1965. This occurred in the midst of public concern about other transport fare increases, as well as complaints about cost of living increases more generally–school fees and water charges had also been raised by the government. There was, therefore, already opposition to such increases when the Star Ferry Company imposed its rise in fares. In May 1967, Hong Kong experienced more serious and prolonged rioting. Because these riots developed into an overt challenge to the government by communists in the colony, they assumed a wider political significance and attracted the intervention of both the British and Mainland governments. On 18 May, large numbers of demonstrators converged on Government House, the symbol of colonial power in Hong Kong.
