BRITISH FASCISTS IN COURT

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 19959, 17 November 1934, Page 17

BRITISH FASCISTS IN COURT

OSWALD MOSLEY SENT TO TRIAL SERIOUS CHARGES OF RIOTOUS ASSEMBLY United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, November 15. Sir Oswald Mosley and three Black Shirts, including Mr William Joyce, Director of Fascist Propaganda, and Captain Budd, West Sussex District Officer, were committed for trial on charges of a riotous assembly arising out of the Fascist meeting at Worthing on October 9. Yesterday an assault charge against Sir Oswald Mosley, arising out of the same affair, was dismissed. All pleaded not guilty. There were TO witnesses, and the case occupied five days. The prosecution alleged that the Black Shirts, under the leadership of the defendants, brutally attacked a crowd which hooted and cheered when they departed for the pavilion in which Sir Oswald Mosley addressed his sup- ! porters. Sir Oswald, giving evidence in the ■' assault case, aroused a strong protest j when he said the prosecution was the result of political influence and false police evidence. Series of Charges Nine Black Shirts were charged variously with assault, damage, and inciting to committing a breach of the peace at Fascist meetings at Plymouth. The prosecution alleges that the meeting on October 5, addressed by Sir Oswald Mosley, developed into a free fight, as did also an open-air meeting on October 11. The crowd heckled the speakers, who signalled to their colleagues to attack. The victims allegedly included an octogenarian and a cripple. It was also alleged that the assailants were wearing metal body protectors and knuckles bound with tape.