The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-05-05
WILD DISORDER AT
DEMONSTRATIONS
TRAF ALGAR SQUARE
London Police Fight With
Crowd at Socialists
Demonstration
FIGHT LASTS FOR
ALMOST TWO HOURS
Labor Organizations Demonstration
Ends in Wierd Disorder-Suf-
fragettes Figure Prominently
in Fiasco-SeriOus Riot

London, May Avid scenes of dis
order occurred today at the demonstra-
tion in Trafalgar square under the aus
pices of the free speech defense COM
mittee. The police tried to prevent
speeches from the Whitehall side of
plinth of the Nelson column and only
the intervention of James Kier Hardie
socialist and independent labor leader
of the house of commons, who was
chairman of the meeting, prevented a
serious riot.
As it was. the disorders many times
eliminating In fisticuffs between the
crowd and the police, continued for al
most two hours.
BY the time the marching socialist,
labor and other organizations, with
bands playing the Marseillaise, reached
Trafalgar square, 10000 persons had
gathered there and as many more in
the surrounding streets
Permission to hold a meeting was
given at the last moment on the under
standing that no suffragettes should be
allowed to speak. Unable to secure per-
mission to march as an organization,
the supporters of the Woman's Social
ana Political union marched with the
lockers, their colors flying, preceded by
huge banner inscribed: 'Where
there's a will. there's a way" Fla gs
of the Womens Social and Political
union were hoisted on the plinth from
which they waved during the meet
ing.
Trouble Begins
Trouble began when socialist
sneaker started to address the crowd
from the Whitehall side of the column.
The promise had been given that no
speaking should take place on this side
because of interference with traffic.
A husky police sergeant, standing on
the plinth, hurled the speaker down on
the heads of the crowds below.
The crowd then rushed the plinth and
endeavored to replace the speaker. r.
looked for a time as If their efforts
would prove successful, but mounted
police rnthlessly rode down the rioters
james Kier IIardie then intervened and
the socialist speaker was allowed to
regain his place.
In moment suffragette attempted
u climb to the plinth. The police be-
low tried to pull her back, but sympa-
thizers on the platform succeeded in
dragging her up after she had sacri-
feed some clothes left in the hands of
police.
Snatch Suffragette Banner
In retaliation policeman snatched
a suffragette banner from a girl who
was waving it from the back of one
of the Landseer lions She struck the
policeman in the face and her friends
regained the banner, minus the starr
The struggle angered the crowd and
the disorder became so general thai
commissioner Wells, commanding the
mounted police ordered the Whitehall
side cleared. The order was carrier
out so roughly by the horsemen thar
Commissioners Wells, noting the tenn
per of the crowd. retired in favor of
another commissioner. As he WAS leay-
ing Wells was showered with eggs
and oranges and other missiles
rights between the policeA and the
people then became general, the chief
results of which were battered faces
ana minor injuries on both sides Many
rioters were arrested, but the crowds
succeeded In rescuing most of the pris-
oners. There was a large number of
isolated encounters
Requested to do so by the police.
James Kier Hardie asked the crowd 10
disperse. which they reluctantly did
Mrs. Despard and other suffra gettes
SPOKE without Interference in spite of
interdiet Any attempt to arrest the
women, in the temper of the assem-
blage, probably would have resulted in
a dangerous situation.
Addresses denouncing the govern
inents alleged Interference with the
right of free speech were made by sew
raj members of parliament, including
nr. Hardie, Josiah Clement Wedgwood
and Joseph Martin, liberals, and Rob-
crt Cunningham Graham. A letter from
George 1.ansbury, former socialist MEM
Der of parliament and now a militant
leader in the suffrage cause who was
bound over yesterday in the sum of
$40, 900 to keep the peace. was read, de-
the right of free speech at
all times