CAUSE OF THE TROUBLE

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14658, 6 May 1913, Page 7

CAUSE OF THE TROUBLE

AN' HOUR'S FIERCE CONFLICT

POLICE BEHAVE ADMIRABLY

(Received May sth. 10.30 p.m.) LONDON, May 5. There wero 30,000 people present at the Trafalgar square demonstration. Mr Keir Hardie, Mr J. . Wedgwood, I and Mr J. Martin, members of the ' House of Commons, and Mrs Despard, delivered speeches against tho restriction of freedom of speech owing to tho prohibition of suffragette open-air meetings. The arrival of a trades' procession, in whioh was a group of suffragettes carrying flags, started tho trouble. The women attempted to mount tho plinth of the Nelson Column, but the police prevented them from doing so. A couple of Socialists essayed to climb the plinth, but the police threw thorn down. Thereafter for an hour there were serious conflicts between the police and the mob. A solid mass of men and women j hurled itself against the constables surrounding the Column. Mr Keir Hardie urged the mob to disperse. There was much screaming from tho women -wedged in the struggling mass. The police showed the greatest forbearance, but wore compelled to hit in self-defenco. Some wore badly handled in the fighting by the hooligan clement. A squadron of mounted police cleared the Square. Seven men were arrested.