BATTLE WITH POLICE

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 8178, 20 July 1912, Page 9

BATTLE WITH POLICE

JUGS AND BOTTLES AS WEAPONS': INSPECTOR STABBED. A dozen men were arrested in Bermondsey, London, on June 2nd, as the result if a fight with the. police in the neighbourhood of Dockhead. In the course of the fight, Inspector Maun"; of the M Division, was stabbed in the shoulder, and sergeant Freeman received a blow, apparently from a bottle, which cut, his face, and both officers had to /be attended to by the divisional surgeon at Tooley ' street police station. The police themselves say that they did not connect the fight with the dock strike in any way, and the people of these mean streets allege that it was caused by unwarrantable interference on the part" of the police. An officer found it necessary to interfere with a group of men who were quarrelling and fighting at the corner of Wolseley street and Hickman’s Folly after the closing of tho public houses. He attempted to arrest ono of the men, and the rest of the group at once seriously assaulted the officer, and tried to prevent the arrest.' More police were quickly present, and found themselves in the midst of a fighting crowd which used belts, beer jugs, and bottles, so that they wore forced to draw their truncheons. Hurrying to the scene, Inspector Alann and Sergeant Freeman stopped a man who was running from tho row, and as he could not explain himself they detainrd him. He struggled and called on the crowd for rescue, which the crowd at once attempted. The man was held, but he drew a knife and stabbed the inspector in tho shoulder, then escaping through the crowd,. The sergeant had his face cut. Alen who had been conspicuous in the fight were then arrested, and there were attempts at rescue and sporadic tussles all the way to Tower Bridge Station. Five of the police were knocked about and lost helmets and truncheons. Neither the inspector nor the sergeant was seriously hurt.