WILD WOMEN.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 13395, 1 June 1914, Page 8

WILD WOMEN.

ATTEMPT TO SEE THE KING

VICIOUS ATTACKS ON POLICE

(Sydney Sim Specials.) LONDON, May 22. The suffragettes' attempt to interview the King ended m one of the liveliest scrimmages m. which the militants have yet figured. ; In view of their threatened obtrusion upon his Majesty, the grounds of. Buckingham Palace were thoroughly searched previously to the return, of the King and Queen from Aldexsh'ot. At 3 o'clock the main gates were closed, and the traffic, both vehicular ad pedestrian, was deviated, m order to keep the approaches clear. This was achieved by stretching 2000 police at right angles on either side from the Palace to the Queen Victoria Memorial, ■at the top of Constitution Hill. Mounted police were drawn up inside the gates at the top. of Grosvenor Place, and a strong force of plain-clothes men. was present, while large numbers of , police were held m reserve. ' MARCH ON THE PALACE. Anticipating something m the nature of an outbreak, a large crowd ha<l assembled to witness the ' proceedings. The spectators were chiefly women, who could be heard expressing their disap-pi-oval of the militants and their tactics. Just before 4 o'cloclc a compact body of women, 200 strong, marched up Gxosvenor Place to the gates. A tall,; fair woman led the processionists, Mrs Pankhurst being m the second line. Admittance through the gates was demanded, but was refused. With a sudden rush, the women partly forced • a passage. A wild melee immediately ensued. The police at first used their fists, and the suffragettes promptly returned the blows they received. Koalishig that > the enemy would have to be repulised m a more energetic fashion,' the police drew their batons, and began to strike out right and left. •LIKE! MANIACS. ' Many of the women were knocked down. Others, who juiauaged to get tJrrough the gates, flung themselves upon the constablesj screeching, punching, and kicking like a. lot. of maniacs. Those who were sent to,. the ground were, quickly on their feet again to renew .the- fight, but the police threw their arms around the women, and. lifting them bodily, carried them away. Mrs Pankhurst w"as seized m this manner by a burly inspector, and having, been bundled into a taxi-cab, was rushed away to Holloway gaol. Those outside the gates continued to behave like tigresses. Climbing the rails, they shrieked "Beasts!" "Cowards!" at the constables, many of whom were bleeding about their faces and had. their tunics torn. Several of the more daring women rushed up to the mounted men, and^ grasping the bridles of .their horses, per. sisted m holding on until the riders drew their truncheons. One suffragette went behind a police-' man and knocked off his helmet. An- r 1 other who came up was promptly kicked across the road, and the next minute both women were lying on their baclcs on the ground. ' . Many women had brought with them little boxes of red and green paint, and scattered, the contents over the police, one officer having his face smothered with the green liquid. In the 'caretaker's room at the gates the conditions were something like those m the Black Hole of Calcutta. Into this room, measuring only a', few feet square, were crowded a score of women, all screaming, shouting, and struggling with their captors, by whom they were being held. , The Kinft and the Queen and Princess Mary did not make their appearance, but some members of the royal household stood outside the palace watching the riot. Another interested spectator was theDuk© of Norfolk, who moved about among the crowd unrecognised. ENFORCING LAW AND ORDER. \ Replying to a question m .-the House of Commons, the Home Secretary, Mr McKenna, said that the King did not intend to receive any . deputation of women that day.

Mr McKenna added that if any women should improperly attempt to approach his Majesty the police would enforce law and order. (Cheers.)