OLYMPIA BATTLE RECALLED.

Horowhenua Chronicle, 8 February 1936, Page 7

OLYMPIA BATTLE RECALLED.

MOSLEY AS PLAINTIFF IN SLANDER CLAIM.

“ORDERS” TO FASCISTS.

(By Telegraph-Press Assn.-Copyright) LONDON, Feb. (3.

Stories of the Olympia “battle” in June, 1934, were recalled in evidence, when Sir Oswald Mosley, in the King’s Bench Division, sued John Marchbank. secretary 1 '6f the National Union of Railwaymeh; for slander, alleging that Marchbank in July, 1934, in a speech, used words to the effect that Sir Oswald Mosley secretly instructed Fascists to discover how many officers of the Forces would join the Fascists, and recommended members to use rubber clubs filled with shot, knuckle-dusters, •and knives, and also alleged thin Fascists were assembling in the guise of a military machine to overthrow the ■Government.

George Cameron Simpson stated in evidence that he was a member of the Fascist organisation from 1932 to .1935 as a propaganda research officer, after which he was reduced to the rank of a Fascist. Simpson exhibited a heavilybuckled belt, with which he demonstrated how he alleged ho saw Fascists using such belts at Olympia, and also how he alleged he saw Fascists striking several people. He said he heard •one say, “That’s the fifty-fourth I’ve bumped off.”

Fred Dodd, a member of the Lancashire County Council, su'd that when speaking from the platform Sir Oswald Mosley denied that Fascism was antiSemitic. A Black Shirt struck with something like a rubber truncheon a man who shouted, “What about your beating Jews recently}-’ Jacob Miller, a student, gave evidence that at Olympia he rose and protested, whereupon several Fascists dropped him over a gallery. Ho fell on his hands and knees, and other Fascists carried him outside, where they belaboured his head and face, necessitating his spending nine days in hospital. Dr. Peter Gorer, who attended Olympia, said that a house nearby became a dressing station, where between GO and 70 non-Fascists were treated.

Bir Oswald Mosley said in evidence that unfortunately the inceung was a very great battle. They had instituted dressing stations because it had tßeen intimated that Communists would attack the meeting. About a hundred Fascists, including eight women, were injured.

Eric Piercy, a Fascist official, denied having received instructions from Sir Oswald Mosley to carry weapons at meetings. The hearing was adjourned. •

There were lively scenes at Olympia on June 7, 1934, when (Sir Oswald Alosley addressed a large gathering of Black Shirts and met with continuous interruptions. The audience was estimated at 15.000, and included a large number of non-sympathisers with the Black Shirt movement. These were largely passive observers, but there were several hundred active opponents and they came into active conflict with the Black Shirt stewards and many free fights occurred while they were being ejected. Kumbcrs or imt-rrupiom n«-i stewards received minor injuries and the police made 23 arrests. The struggle necessitated the presence of 200 foot police and squads of mounted policemen with drawn staves. There was general expression of disgust after the meeting, and letters to the Press and interviews reyealed unwarranted brutality, wonder being expressed that some people were not killed by being hurle 1 downstairs by ruthless kicking. Mr. Geoffrey Lloyd, M.P., said that he saw several cases of one interrupter being attacked by 20 Fascists.