HC Deb 27 June 1889 vol 337 cc897-9
MR. JAMES STUART

I wish to ask the Home Secretary what information he can give the House as to the collision between the police and the Salvation Army in the Strand on Wednesday evening, and whether the action of the police was taken under the proclamation in regard to Trafalgar Square?

MR. GRAHAM (Lanarkshire, N.W.)

May I ask also whether the damage done will be made good by the Metropolitan Police?

MR. MATTHEWS

I am informed by the Commissioner of Police that on the 24th inst. Mr. Booth, of the Salvation Army, wrote to him asking that arrangements might be made to facilitate the passage of a procession of about 1,000 strong from the City through the Strand to Exeter Hall. The Commissioner replied that this route would certainly cause obstruction and inconvenience, and he requested that the procession should go by way of the Embankment to Savoy Street, and proceed thence by twos or threes to Exeter Hall, so as not to interfere with the traffic. Mr. Booth repeated his request, and again received a similar reply. For the last two years Salvation Army processions going to Exeter Hall from the City have invariably taken the Embankment route. At 5?50 yesterday about 600 Salvationists, with bands and banners, arrived in the Strand from the City en route to Exeter Hall. They were allowed to proceed as far as Norfolk Street, being the most convenient way to the Embankment, and were there requested by the police to turn off. The leader of the procession objected, and decided to disperse the procession there and then, telling the members of it to go on the pavement to Exeter Hall. The pavement was immediately thronged, and some people carried a large banner, which threatened damage to the shops and lamps, and caused much inconvenience. The police requested that this should be taken down. This was not done, and in the attempt to prevent its being carried some confusion took place and the banner was broken. No persons were arrested, and the damage caused by broken windows was accidental. Owing to the crowd the police had some difficulty in regulating the traffic, which was impeded for about 20 minutes. I am informed by the police that the account in the papers of what took place is much exaggerated. The police only interfered with the procession in consequence of the grave public inconvenience caused by a procession at that hour along a crowded thoroughfare like the Strand, and not in consequence of any regulations issued with regard to Trafalgar Square.

MR. JAMES STUART

Under what statute did the police act?

MR. MATTHEWS

The police, under a number of statutes that I need not enumerate, have power to regulate the traffic of the streets, and a body of 600 persons marching in procession with bands and banners through a crowded thoroughfare is a public nuisance.

MR. HOWELL (Bethnal Green, N.E.)

May I ask under shat police regulations it was that the processionists were ordered to proceed in twos and threes?

MR. MATTHEWS

The suggestion of the police to this effect was a suggestion of common sense.

MR. J. ROWLANDS (Finsbury, E.)

Is it not the fact that the Salvation Army have been allowed to proceed to Exeter Hall along the Strand on this occasion in the two previous years?

MR. MATTHEWS

In the two previous years the procession proceeded along the Embankment.

MR. JAMES STUART

Was the interference with this procession in consequence of the proclamation with regard to Trafalgar Square?

MR. MATTHEWS

No; quite irrespective of any proclamation.

MR. JAMES STUART

I beg to give notice that I will put a further question on the subject.

DR. CLARK

May I ask if the right hon. Gentleman noticed that the procession proceeded quite quietly through the City, and that it only became a nuisance when it came within his jurisdiction?

EARL COMPTON

Was the action taken by the police due to the fact that this was a procession of the Salvation Army?

MR. MATTHEWS

Certainly not. That had nothing in the world to do with it. Notice was given by Mr. Booth that a body of 1,000 persons was going to proceed along the Strand to Exeter Hall, and when the procession arrived the processionists were requested to take the route by the Embankment.