WINDOW SMASHING.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVII, Issue XLVII, 4 March 1912, Page 5

WINDOW SMASHING.

HOW THE SUFFRAGETTES PROTEST. SERIOUS DAMAGE DONE. (Press Association.— LONDON, Saturday. The suffragettes made an unexpected window-smashing raid in London. Hundreds sallied out carrying large muffs concealing hammers. At a pre-conccr'.'d signal they smashed 100 windows from the. Strand to Bond-street. There were 121 arrests, including Mrs. Pankhur.st, who broke the Premier's windows. After smashing the windows Mrs. Pankhurst wrenched her arms free ficm a constable and broke the Home Oflic_ windows. Meanwhile other women had broken the Colonial 'Office windows. Various parties made a rapid descent upon private premjses, and large stores at different points, and wrecked the windows. The damaged premises included Stewart Dawson and Co.'s, the Canadian Pacific, Kodak Companies, and Civil Service Stores, Duveen Bros., and Libertys, and all the leading drapers and fumituie warehouses in Oxford-street, and the post offices in Regent-street and Charing Cross.

The women arrived in fashionable vehicles and entered the shops ostensibly to purchase, and suddenly smashed the windows of rows of shops. In Bond-street carpenters were employ ed throughout the night barricading ibe broken fronts. It is estimated that damage to the extent of £4OOO was caused. Miss Ghristabel Pankhurst stated that as the miners were getting legislation because they made themselves a nuisance the women were incited to act similarly. TERMS OF IMPRISONMENT. (Received March 4, 8.5 a.m.) LONDON, 'Sunday. Mistress Pankhurst has been sentenced to two months' imprisonment, and others to from. 14 days to two months. The majority of those arrested were remanded or committed for trial for doing damage of over £IOO each. SENTENCES MUST BE INCREASED. (Rec. March 4, 8.30 a.m.) LONDON, Yesterday. There is an outcry against the Suffragettes' demonstrations. The newspapers urge a prosecution under the Conspiracy Act, thus giving heavy punishments. • • Mr Edward Fordham. a London Magistrate, complains of the tendenncy tb inflict light punishment. In sentencing Mrs Pankhurst the Magistrate said that the Suffragettes brought the" country to a state which was not allowed in aiiy other civilised land. If the law was ineffective it must be amended.