“Red Head Police Station.” Does that ring a bell? That was a nickname for the Louza Police Station. Today we stand before the Old Site of Louza Police Station in Shanghai. It was once a vital part of the Shanghai Municipal Police. The Shanghai Municipal Police was a police force within the Shanghai International Settlement.
Let’s journey back to 1860. Taiping rebels were advancing toward the city. Many Chinese refugees sought shelter in the Shanghai International Settlement. This influx strained the settlement’s resources. More police were needed to maintain order.
Thus, the Old Site of Louza Police Station was established. It was founded in October 1860. It became the first sub-station in the settlement. The station initially had a small team. There was one deputy inspector. One patrol leader. Sixteen constables.
The station’s first location was not ideal. It was in the northeast corner of its district. This made management difficult. So, in 1887, the authorities bought new land. The new site was at the intersection of Nanjing Road and Guizhou Road. Today, this is Nanjing East Road number 772.
Construction began in 1888. The new police station opened in 1890. The total cost was 46,000 taels of silver. The station was well-equipped. It housed 19 foreign officers. Thirty-one Indian officers. Eighty Chinese officers. There were cells for prisoners. Thirty for Chinese prisoners. Ten for foreign prisoners. Twenty for vagrants. A stable was also on site. Indian officers, many of whom were Sikhs, were stationed here. Their red turbans led to the nickname “Red Head Police Station.”
In 1905, the station’s district was defined. It stretched from Shandong and Shanxi Roads in the east. To the city’s moat in the west. From Suzhou Creek in the north. To Yangjingbang in the south.
December 18, 1905, was a day of turmoil. Protesters gathered outside the station. They were angry about a court case. The crowd set fire to the building’s lower levels. Indian officers opened fire on the protesters. Dozens were killed or wounded. In 1906, a high wall was built around the station. It was ten British feet tall. This was to prevent future attacks.
By the early 20th century, the station was in a busy area. It became a hub for anti-government activity. During the 1911 Revolution, officers hunted suspected revolutionaries. In 1928, police arrested 30 communists meeting on Beijing Road. In 1931, more communists were arrested at local travel agencies.
May 30, 1925, marked a tragic event. Foreign officers guarding the station shot at peaceful protesters. Four people died. Nine were injured. This became known as the May Thirtieth Massacre.
In the early 1930s, the station’s main entrance was moved. The Nanjing Road entrance was closed. The Guizhou Road entrance became the main access point. The site of the May Thirtieth Massacre was redeveloped. It became the site of the Da Guangming Clock and Watch Shop.
After 1949, the Old Site of Louza Police Station had a new purpose. It became a school. First, it was Peiguang Middle School. Later, it was the Shanghai Commercial and Technical School. Today, the school still stands. It retains the old prison cells from the police station.
In 1985, the Old Site of Louza Police Station was recognized. It became a Huangpu District Cultural Relic Protection Unit. A stone monument marks this historic location. This Old Site of Louza Police Station stands as a reminder. It reminds us of Shanghai’s complex past. It was a site of law enforcement. Of political unrest. Of tragic events. Today, it is a place of learning. A place of historical significance. A place of remembrance.