POLICE CHARGE

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXII, Issue 271, 31 October 1932, Page 7

POLICE CHARGE

HUNGER-MARCHERS' DEMONSTRATION OfIOWDB OLOC TRAFALGAR SQUARE. ■ HOOLIGANS ARMED WITH STICKS. (United Press Association—By CableCopyright.) (Received 31, 11.30 a.m.) London, Oct. 30. Crowds clogged Trafalgar Square all Sunday afternoon, having assembled to see the hunger-marchers’ demonstration. Drizzle and sleet made conditions unpleasant. Many marchers attended church in the morning. Trouble did not develop for two hours, after which a demonstration by hooligans armed with sticks in Whitehall, Northumberland Avenue and Charing Cross compelled the police to charge. Several arrests resulted. Columns and processions headed by pipers and other bands arrived in good order. Speakers scrambled on the plinth of the Nelson Monument but their speeches failed to hold the crowd, who cheered when the church bells of St. Martin’s created a diversion by chiming a hymn tune. A timely charge followed by the closing of the iron gates at Admiralty Arch defeated the attempt of 300 who, with shouts of: “Smash the Palace windows!” tried to rush down the Mall towards Buckingham Palace. Railwaymen stood ready to close the gates of the underground station and the doors and grilles of neighbouring hotels were •hut. The processions reassembled and marched off at sunset escorted by foot police. All was quiet by 6 o’clock. Nine who were slightly injured in the clashes were treated at hospitals and then discharged.