NUISANCES IN BRITAIN.

Wairarapa Age, 7 October 1936, Page 5

NUISANCES IN BRITAIN.

FASCIST AND COMMUNIST DEMONSTRATIONS. HOOLIGANISM THAT SHOULD END. POLICE ACTION APPROVED. BUGBY, October 5. The proposed march of the contingent of the British Union of Fascists through the narrow streets of the East End of London yesterday was at the last moment prohibited by the police. While the Black Shirts were assembling in the neighbourhood of the Tower disorder broke out among those who had collected to oppose the Fascist march, and this resulted in a number of arrests.

The procession was escorted by the police along the Embankment opposite Temple Gardens, where a double line of police was posted across the road. Uniformed Fascists were allowed to pass on into the empty streets, but followers were forbidden access.

Altogether some 80 persons were arrested, and are being charged with obstructing the police. Most of the newspapers praise the police for their handling of a dangerous situation. 44 The Times,” in a leading article headed 44 A Public Nuisance” says: 44 This sort of hooliganism must clearly be ended. The activities of both Fascists and Communists in this country seem to most people to be tedious and a rather pitiable burlesque, but the law rightly allows them, like other people, to express their opinions and to testify to their beliefs by methods of procession and of public meetings. What can he done, and what was done yesterday, is for the police to decide at the time on every occasion whether a procession or a meeting is likely to provoke a breach of the peace, and to decide accordingly whether it is to be held or not. A decision can be taken without any regard to the relative merits of the Fascists and of the Communists. To most people there does not seem much to choose between them as dangers to public order.’’—(British Official Wireless). LABOUR CRITICISM. LONDON, October 5. The Labour Party conference at Edinburgh carried a resolution deploring yesterday’s events in the East End, condemning the Government for not banning the Fascist march, and demanding the prohibition of political uniforms and militarised politics. MEETING AT BOW CANCELLED.

LONDON, October 5. Following communications with the police, a Fascist meeting at Bow, in East London, was cancelled a few minutes before the time it was due to start. The Fascists marched 1 to another meeting at Bethnal Green.