KEEPING THE PEACE

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 93, 17 October 1934, Page 18

KEEPING THE PEACE

POLICE EFFICIENCY

RIVAL DEMONSTRATIONS

FASCISTS AND THE BEDS

(From "Tho Post's" Representative.) LONDON, September 1-1.

After it had been announced that a great Fascist meeting would bo held in Hyde Park, the Communists planned a counter-demonstration. In order to provent what might have developed into a serious riot, for the two factions arc deadly opposed to ono another, the Commissioner of Police took special precautions, with the result that the demonstration and counter-demonstra-tion passed off without any serious disturbance. An impassive number of police, foot and mounted, was present, a police autogyro hovered overhead, and a police observation post was established on top of the Marble Arch with a system of telephones and wireless communication that suggested a military operation rather than a Sunday afternoon political demonstration. Each party was allowed to hold its meeting, though separated by a strong cordon of police. Large crowds gathered in and around the park, and there was much enthusiasm on the part of the demonstrators. Booing by a section of the crowd at Sir Oswald Mosley's meeting prevented the speeches being heard by a largo number of thoso round the platform, but there was no breaking through the police cordon by the opponents without. As the two processions left the park by separate entrances there was some disorder, and 18 arrests wero made —13 in tho park and five in the neighbourhood. Several persons suffered minor injuries. Five were taken to hospital and two women were detained; one had concussion and the other a fractured thigh. A mounted police-constablo who had been kicked on the leg by his horse was taken to St. George's Hospital. SIR OSWALD MOSLEY'S ADDRESS. It is truly said that Sir Oswald's followers bore themselves with monumental restraint. Though the Reds had shouted the show down the moral honours clearly rested with the Black Shirts, who maintained their dignity and their heads. Sir Oswald Mosley's appearance on a Black Shirt platform was the signal for a concerted rush by thousands of sightseers. Anti-Fascists were freely sprinkled among this crowd, and set up catcalls and boos in a successful endeavour to prevent the speaker from being heard. With him -was Lady Maud Mosley, his mother, and there were some hundreds of women Black Shirts in his audience. In tho course of his speech Sir Oswald said that tho opposition with which tho Black Shirts mot was a tribute to their strength. The movement spelt doom to tho old political parties. They knew that an organised attempt would be made to interfere with tho meeting, but it had failed. "From Baldwin to Pollitt," Sir Oswald stated, "the front against Fascism now stretches unbroken. . . . Today they seek to suppress us. They will fail, but tomorrow we shall succeed in suppressing them." Tho Black Shirts could tako "the fury of the opposition against them as the best tribute they could have to the strength of the Black Shirt movement." After proclaiming that it was to.tho heart and soul of the British people that tho Fascists were appealing, Sir Oswald Mosley asserted that once again the Black Shirts had done tho impossible and held a mighty rally in tho face of terror and corruption. THE ANTI-FASCISTS. Tho anti-Fascist processions wero conspicuous for the hundreds of banners carried, bearing inscriptions such as "Defend tho Trade Unions Against Fascism" and "Workers Unito Against Fascism." There were also caricatures of Sir Oswald Mosley and Herr Hitler. Ono of the slogans most frequently shouted by the marchers was: "Unite to Fight tho Fascist Terror." Mr. Harry Pollitt, one of tho speakers, said that Sir Oswald Mosley was using tho same methods in this country that Hitler used to gain power in Germany. Dospito tho ban placed by tho Labour Party and the Trades Union Congress on the anti-Fascist demonstration that day, there wore in tho contingents representatives of over 30 trade union branches, and in addition of various trade union executives and district committees. It was proof that tho basis of a nationwide anti-Fascist movement was already in existence. Mr. J. McGoyern said that Sir Oswald was trying to impose Fascism on the working classes, and the National Government was actively putting it into effect. Fascism was associated with revolting cruelties, concentration camps, the suppression of liberty, and the driving underground of every militant working-class organisation.