MELBOURNE MELEE

Northern Advocate, 1 December 1925, Page 5

MELBOURNE MELEE

POLICEMEN ATTACKED,

MELBOURNE, This Day. Two policemen were severely handled by a crowd when on their way to assist another constable, who had been attacked by a man whom he was about to arrest. Constables Forbes and Pringle, of Richmond, boarded a tramcar on which were several men under the j influence of liquor, who .were arguing about the elections and were using obscene language. Constable Forbes, who was in plain clothes, called, on one man to cease using such language. This action the men resented, and the policemen were referred to in vile terms. When an attempt was made to arrest one man the others rushed to defend him, and the constables were subjected to attacks from four men. Two uniformed constables went to their assistance. By this time a large crowd had gathered, and eight or nine men interfered when the constables in uniform arrived, and a general melee ensued. Two men wove eventually arrested, but only after an exciting struggle, during which the crowd grew to about 100 people. Another constable in Richmond, who was called to a house where a drunken i man was attacking his sister, was as- | saulted and kicked. An arrest was j made also in this case.