Nelson Police Have To Take Pacifists Into Custody

Wanganui Chronicle, 23 July 1949, Page 5

Nelson Police Have To Take Pacifists Into Custody

Move Made To Protect Them From The Attentions Of An Opposing Crowd

■ NELSON, Last Night (PA). —Members of the Christian Pacifist Organisation, who conducted an open-air meeting at the foot of Church Steps this evening were taken into protective custody by the police when a section of a large crowd of several thousand closed in on them and, using tactics of packing in tightly, forced the speaker and other members of the party away along the street.

Several policemen who were nearest the pacifists when the crowd closed in were also swept along by the crowd as it surged towards Church Street, about 40 yards away.

As the police escorted the first two trom the pacifist party to the police station they were followed by a procession of about 200 people. Other speakers who attempted to address the crowd were also mobbed and forced away from the scene.

The police took six into protective custody.

During the first half-hour the speakers could not be heard above the noise of the crowd and the sounding of horns on cars driven slowly to and fro along the road in front of the meeting. Wartime songs were sung to drown the speakers’ voices. It was a good humoured crowd, out the tactics adopted effectively broke up the meeting.