How and when did the riot started?

On 12 May 1955, large numbers of workers and students congregated in the Alexandra Road area around the bus depot in preparation for an island wide protest the following day, timed to commemorate the anti-National Service clashes of the previous year.

1.45 pm: A Hock Lee bus was attacked by a gang of hooligans and the Commissioner of Police immediately ordered a full stand-by of all police on the island. He rightfully feared that the incident would lead to general rioting.

3 pm: The remaining drivers of the buses were intimidated into stopping the service and large crowds of workers, strikers and students converged in growing numbers in the Hock Lee Bus Company area.

5 pm: From this time onward, Radio Malaya and Redifussion, at the request of the police, interrupted programmes to give frequent warnings to citizens that the area was dangerous and asking motorists and others to avoid entering it.

7 pm: For three hours, there were incidents of stones and bottles being thrown at police on duty in the danger area, and on three occasions hostile mobs of up to 1,000 persons attacking the police were dispersed by tear smoke.Some arrests were made, and as was expected, it was not till dark that the mobs made determined efforts to attack police posts, road blocks, individual policemen and radio patrol cars.Throughout the night up till 3 am on May 13, repeated hit and run attacks were made on police.