MR CHURCHILL HECKLED

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25741, 1 March 1949, Page 5

MR CHURCHILL HECKLED

SPEECH IN BRUSSELS ON EUROPEAN UNITY DEMONSTRATORS CHECKED BY POLICE BRUSSELS, February 27. Cheers and boos greeted Mr Churchill when he told a crowd of abotit 15.000 that the United Europe Movement was “the sole means of preventing another hideous war.” About 50 hecklers were arrested. The Belgian Prime Minister (Mr Paul Spaak) stood beside Mr Churchill, who spoke from the steps 'of the Brussels Stock Exchange. Hundreds of policemen armed with sten guns, rifles, pistols, and truncheons, and carrying gas masks, blocked all approaches to the Stock Exchange, and were stationed in small groups among the crowd in preparation for an expected Communist demonstration during Mr Churchill’s speech. As Mr Churchill appeared, thousands of Communist leaflets bearing slogans “They Want War,” were thrown into the air. Hecklers repeatedly jeered Mr Churchill and other speakers, and often broke into chants. Mr Churchill said: “One half of Europe is in prison to-day, and the other half is on its guard and is justified in taking precautionary .measures.”

But Mr Spaak stole the show when he bellowed: “The Communists represent war. We represent peace.” He drew the loudest cheers at the end ot the meeting. The Communists, who began singing the Internationale, were drowned by a 50-man Belgian Army band. The Belgian police later released all those arrested. Among those held were Mr Raymond Dispy, a Communist member of the Chamber of Deputies, and two Communist Senators. Mr Isedore Fonteyne and Mr Fernand Minnaerts.