SUFFRAGIST RIOTS.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXV, Issue 12983, 26 January 1910, Page 3

SUFFRAGIST RIOTS.

MOB BATONED BY POLICE; Theatre Rushed. Sir Edward Grey’s meeting at Leith on ’December 4th was made the occasion of a violent Suffragist demonstration. A great crowd had collected outside the building. The gathering contained several* members of the Women's Freedom League and the Women’s Social and Political Union. Whilst the meeting was in progress Miss Hudson, of Edinburg l !!, with a party of Suffragists, haranged the mob, and incited them to follow her to the theatre in an attempt to force the house. Desperate rushes were made for the dcor, but the police were drawn up in line across the strdot, and presented the would-be inva- *i ders from gaining an entrance. Some of I the rowdier spirits in the crowd, which now | numbered some thousands, annoyed at the I repulse, made a--renewed attack -on the police, who wore badly hustled and crushed against the wall. The officers' were, obliged to use their batons, and in the melee several of the foremost offenders received wounds on the head, and had to be surgically, treated, Following the baton charge, the windows of Leith Post Office were smashed by stones wrapped in paper, with labels attached, and bearing the words, “Why does Sir Edward Grey wish to make the House of Lords representative before setting his own house in order?” and “Taxation,.without representation is tyranny!” , The stones are supposed to have been thrown by women from passing tramcars. The arrests made by the police included Miss Henderson, who will- he charged with a breach of the peace, and a Leith engineer, who resisted the police. Subsequently Nurse Elsie Rose Brown was apprehended for breaking the windows of Leith Post Office. She has admitted the charge, and explained that she though she was justified in destroying Government -property in support of Ihc cause. Miss Hudson was also arrested. . When the Suffragists were released on bail they were- loudly cheered bv their sympathisers. Sir. Edward Grey left the theatre unmolested, and got away unobserved..