5000 JOBLESS MEN RIOT IN LONDON

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30092, 28 March 1963, Page 15

5000 JOBLESS MEN RIOT IN LONDON

Westminster Marchers Get Out Of Hand (N.Z.P.A.-fieuter—Copyright) LONDON, March 27. 1 welve people will appear in court today as a result of yesterday’s massive “siege of Westminster” by thousands of angry unemployed men. 1 hey will appear in London’s Bow Street Magistrate’s Court on charges including assaulting police. Policemen were trampled underfoot and cars kicked and battered as what started as a peaceful demonstration exploded into a riot. Reuter said the riot was as near to an invasion of Parliament as Britain has seen. Newspaper estimates of the number of demonstrators ranged from 3000 to 10,000. “ The Times” put the figure at 5000. Five hundred mounted and foot police were called to quell the disorder.

The trouble grew out of a mass lobby of members of. Parliament among delegations of unemployed from all parts of Britain. Members watched from windows of the normally staid Palace of Westminster as banner-waving rioters tried to storm their way into Parliament.

For two hours, the police fought to hold them back. Helmets were knocked off and smashed, clothing was ripped as furious scuffles developed.

Mounted police charged into the crowd against a barrage of lighted cigarettes, coins and horse dung, the • Daily Mail” said. Police on foot followed up the charge, hurling back the yelling mob. Then hundreds of seething demonstrators staged a sitdown in Parliament Square, kicked and battered cars, and threw coins at buses. Earlier, the demonstrators had marched peacefully through London in a column nearly three miles long, the "Daily Mail” said. The only incident during this march came when three men were arrested for break-

mg regulations forbidding processions within a mile of the House of Commons Nine more were arrested in the Westminster riot Trouble began about 3 p.m an hour after police had admitted several orderly parties ot 100 into the Commons to speak to members Outside. thousands remained to chant "Tones out' and ‘sack Mac.” the “Daily Mail” said Good-humouicd barracking grew less friendly as police helmets were Inst in the press towards the doorway at the St. Stephen s entrance to the Commons Soon blows were being exchanged and the mob was roaring “Macmillan out Maudling out. Tories out " Result “Unwanted” The "Guardian’ said or ganisers of the demonstration had planned “a desperately serious lobby by organised labour to protest abou' growing unemployment ” They had neither expected

nor wanted the type of pub- ' licity which resulted. The I majority of the demonstrators I were “perfectly orderly.” I There are at present 700.006 I without work in Britain ' Last month there were ; 932.939 unemployed in Britain , —the biggest figure for Iti years But a considerable proportion of it was seasonal, caused by the severe winter Unemployment figures showed a drop of nearly 20 per cent, last week. Doors Shook At the height of the struggle the doors of the House of Commons shook as police and ; demonstrators crashed into | them. the “Evening Standard” reported Above the swaying mob a policeman’s helmet was hurled A policeman’s tunic followed with no sign of the owner

Several policemen, including .an inspector, staggered inside exhausted. A breathless, young con stable muttered: “Most of them are all right but these ones in front are half full of booze.”

Some policemen were trampled underfoot Ona was carried away unconscious and others appeared to be badly injured. A man who climbed a column and appealed for "a bit of organisation” was how’ted down with a chant of “the Tories must go” Traffic passing the House of

Parliament was forced to a| halt as crowds stretched across the road When it looked as if the i police were getting nowhere I ir their attempt to enforce) order, half a dozen mounted | police formed up and charged 1 Hundreds of officers on foot | followed. This drove the crowd across the broad St. Margaret’s street to the opposite pavement This retreat ended the siege, which had gone on for almost two hours. New Violence i A van forcing its way i through the sitters was the i s.gnal tor renewed violence. Passing cars were kicked by enraged demonstrators. Headlights were broken and fenders and sides dented. Two Rolls Royces coming out ofi Parliaments parking area, were badly battered before they could' get away. Outside the Houses of Parliament was a litter of broken glass, leaflets and banners. i Most of the men had ar- i rived in the capital after L

travelling overnight from various parts of the country, particularly Northern Ireland, Scotland and the north-east of England, where I unemployment is heaviest. : Night Rally Quiet Many started back for home but more than 2000 stayed behind for a rally last night. The rally passed off quietly with occasional roars of approval for anti-Govermnent sentiments. Peace returned to Parliament Square, where two mounted police still guarded St. Stephen’s entrance. About a dozen police on foot lined the roadway. But it was an uneasy peace and the mounted police were not very far away. The “Daily Sketch” said that on the march through London a hard core of Communists sang the "Internationale.” The “Daily Sketch” said marshals of the march, mainly northern trade unionists’ admitted “the whole thing got out of hand.”