Emboldened after their demonstration at the hospital, the alliance fishermen marched on the factory to again demand negotiations. The company refused and the fishermen forced their way in and rioted, attacking many buildings and significantly damaging company property. Riot police arrived and serious fighting continued sporadically for the rest of the day until the fishermen dispersed around 9 pm. Injuries included 30-40 fishermen, two company employees, factory manager Nishida himself, 64 policemen and the chief of police. Damages to company property amounted to JPY10 million (USD27,800). Before the riot the Minamata disease issue had been skirted by the national media and had been chiefly a local issue. The violent riot however was covered widely in the national media and for the first time since the discovery of the disease in 1956 the issue of Minamata disease had nationwide coverage.