“HUNGER MARCHERS”

Northern Advocate, 28 October 1932, Page 5

“HUNGER MARCHERS”

WILD SCENES IN LONDON

STARTED EY SYMPATHISERS.

RIOTOUS UPHEAVAL,

CONFLICTS WITH FOLICE

(Times Cable.) (Received II a.m.) LONDON, October 27,

The emergence of thousands of “hunger marchers” for the Hyde Park demonstration seriously dislocated midday traffic. Otherwise the march was uneventful. Tho men carried demanding relief or employment and sang the “Red Flag” or “Internationale'.” Strong forces of mounted and foot police tactfully kept order. Though 20,000 marchers were within Hyde Park they gave little trouble. Riotous scenes, however, marked the conflict between the police and thousands of sympathisers of tho marchers around the Alarble Arch before tho mass meeting began. One arrest outside the Park incited thousands to surge forward, snarling and hooting as a van removed tho prisoner. Twelve mounted police charged with staves, and 20 chased other demonstrators into by-strccts. Several arrests wore made.

Drapers’ shop windows were smashed, but the closing of shutters prevented looting. Other disturbances were quelled, but the home-going vehicles swelled the traffic roadways, which became chaotic. The police cleared a passage and made further arrests while the crowd threw mud at the stationary policemen. •Cars and mounted police dispersed 1000 men, who were threatening special constables, whom the crowd resented as blacklegs. The fugitives smashed windows and other demonstrators boarded lorries and snatched mops and pipes, laden with which they menaced mounted constables. Some waving red flags shouted: “To hell with the National Government!" The police galloped up and down Rotten Row quelling disturbances and further arrests were made before the procession broke up. Eight civilians and four policemen were taken to hospital. The meetings in Hyde Park wore concentrated on six platforms, widely separated. Air Saklatvala and Air Tom Mann were amongst the speakers.

Marble Arch Storm Centre,

The most serious trouble was at the Marble Arch, where Lord Trenehard, Metropolitan Police Commissioner, had stationed parties of special constables. The marchers, angry at their presence, began a threatening rush towards the specials, a number of ugly episodes resulting. Twentythree people were injured in clashes between the police and unemployed, including a policeman who was seriously hurt by an iron bar. In other cases the rioters broke windows in Oxford Street shops, using building bricks and lumber from an overturned coal cart. Apart from a few broken heads, the worst result was the frightening of women shoppers, who unexpectedly found themselves in a riot. Mounted police cleared the streets by walking their horses on the pavement. A number of innocent people were knocked down, necessitating the use of ambulances. By 5.15 p.m. all the columns of the “hunger marchers” had loft the Park and marched to the suburbs where they are billeted in the houses of sympathisers. Many were obviously suffering from extreme fatigue, but the leaders tried to cheer them by starting songs. Ton thousand unemployed demonstarted as a protest against the means test in Glasgow, but the police prevented trouble, as with similar displays in Birmingham and Manchester.

FORTY HOSPITAL CASES,

PETITION TO PARLIAMENT,

HEARING REQUESTED

(Received 2 p.m.) LONDON, October 27,

Tt is now learned that. 40 were treated in hospital in connection with the Hyde Park rioting. Twelve ar rests were made. A heavy downpour of rain in the evening ended the attempts at Communist disorder, damping the ardour even of the most pugnacious. The Houses of Parliament were strongly guarded in the afternoon and evening. Hr McGovern (Labour, Shottleston, Glasgow) will present a petition to the House of Commons tomorrow, in which the “hunger marchers” ask access to the Par of the House on November 1, to pleade the cause of 3,000,000 unemployed. Mr McGovern will then submit a motion that the House agree to hear the marchers.

SYDNEY DISTURBANCE

CHARGE INTO MOB

NIT MEROTJS CASU A LTTE S,

(Received 11 a.m.) SYDNEY, This Day

Without any preliminary warning a squad of about 50 police Avith batons draAvn, charged a crowd of 500 outside the Glebe Toavii Hall last night and in five minutes broke up a meeting called to protest against the dole questionnaire. A number of men were felled with batons and sticks. Five

nidi and Iwo women wore arrested and three were taken to hospital. Before the elm roe by the police several constables who were on duty at the meeting were attacked by the mob and struck with fists.