WILDWOMFN
ATTEMPT TO SEE THE KING. RUSH FOR BUCKINGHAM PALACE LIVELY RATTLE. VICIOUS ATTACKS ON POLICE. (Per Independent Cable Service). LONDON, May 20. The suffragettes' attempt to interview the King 1 yesterday ended in one "of the liveliest scrimmages in which the militants have yet figured. In vcw of their threatened obtrusion upon his Majesty the grounds of Buckingham Palace were thoroughly searched previously to the return of the King and Queen from Aldershot. At 3 o'clock the main gates were .closed, and the traffic, both vehicular and pedestrian, was deviated, in order to keep the approaches clear. This was achieved, by stretching- 2000 police at right .angles on either «ide from the Palaceao the Queen Victoria Memorial*, at the 'top of Constitution Hill. Mounted police were drawn up inside the gates at the top of Grosvenor-place, and a strong foTce of plain-clothes was pre-^nt, wfßfcl Wttfi numbers < police were held in reserve. MARCH ON t te PALACE. Anticipating something- in the nature of an outbreak, a large crowd had (assembled to witness 'the proceedings. The spectators were chiefly women, wiho could be heard expressing their disaproval of the militants and their tactics. Just before 4 o'clock a compact body of women,' 200 strong, marched -up Grosvenor-place to the :rates. A tall, : faii woman led the processionists, Mrs. Pankhurst being in *he =rcond line. Admitance through the gates was demanded, but >v,is refused- With a sudden rush the women partly forced a passage. ' A wild melee immediately ensued. J The police at first used their fists, and the suffragetes promptly returned the blows they received. Realising that the enemy would have to be re-| pulsed in a more energetic fashion tha , police diew the'r batons, and' began to-sinkc out right and left. LIKE' MANIACS. Many of the women were knocked down. Others, who managed, to get through the gates, flung themselves upon the constables, screeching, punch in, and kicking like a lot of maniacs. Those who were sent ,'to the ground were quickly on their feet again to renew the fight, but the police threw their arms around the women, and lifting, and kicking like a lot of maniacs Mrs. Pankhnrst was seized in this manner by a burly inspector, and hay-> ing been bundled into a taxi-cab was rushed away to Holloway Gaol. Those outside the gates continued to ehave Hke tigresses. Climbing 1 the rails they * shrieked "Beasts!" "Cowards!" at the constables, many of whom were bleeding about their faces and had their tunics torn. DARING MILITANTS. Several of the more daring- women rushed -up to the mounted men 3 and giasping the bridles of their hoTses persisted in holding on until the riders drew their truncheons. One suffragette went behind al policeman and knocked off his helmet. Anotiher who xame up was promptly kicked across the road, and the next minute both women were lying on their backs on the ground. Many women had brought with them little boxes of red and green paint, and scattered the contents over the police, one officer having (his face smothered with green liquid. SOREA'MING, SHOUTING, AND" STRUGGLING. in the caretaker's rom at the gates the conditions were something like those in tihe Black Hale of Calcutta. Into this room, measuring only a few feet square, were crowded a score of women, all _ screaming, shouting, and struggling with their captors, by whom they were being- held. The King and the Queen and Princess Mary did not make their appearance, but some members of the royal household stood outside tjhe palace watching the riot. Another interested spectator was the Duke of Norfolk, who moved about among the crowd unrecognised.
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/GRA19140530.2.5
Bibliographic details
Grey River Argus, 30 May 1914, Page 2
Word Count
607WILDWOMFN Grey River Argus, 30 May 1914, Page 2
Using This Item
Copyright undetermined – untraced rights owner. For advice on reproduction of material from this newspaper, please refer to the Copyright guide.