43. Mr. CHANCELLORasked whether, in the case of meetings held in Hyde Park by persons with the permission of the authorities, the police accept responsibility for maintaining order and protecting the speakers?
§ Mr. McKENNAThe police do whatever is possible to secure the maintenance of order and to protect speakers, and my information is that, on the whole, they have been successful in so doing.
44. Mr. CHANCELLORasked the Home Secretary whether at a meeting held in Hyde Park last Sunday by the Men's League for Women Suffrage, a non-militant society, under a permit front the First Commissioner of Works, the police failed to protect the platform from an attack of about 100 persons in a crowd of about 6,000 who were giving a sympathetic hearing, in consequence of which attack the meeting was abandoned at the request of the police, although the force in the 1364 park was more than sufficient to prevent the disorder and to arrest the disturbers, not one of whom was arrested; and what steps he will take to ensure the right of public meetings which have not been prohibited?
§ Mr. McKENNAThe police cannot secure a hearing for Hyde Park speakers when the audience is so entirely out of sympathy with their views, as was the case on the occasion referred to, according to my information. The police were in strength sufficient to intervene upon the appearance of disorder, and their intervention ensured that no speakers were roughly handled. The police will give similar protection on any future occasion, but I cannot undertake that they will provide a sympathetic audience for speakers on controversial topics.
Mr. CHANCELLORIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that his information is all wrong in regard to this meeting?
§ Mr. McKENNANo, Sir.
§ 53. Mr. WEDGWOODasked the Home Secretary whether his attention has been called to the breaking up of the meeting held in Hyde Park on Sunday last by the Men's League for Women Suffrage; and whether he contemplates putting into operation the recent Act of Parliament for the protection of public meetings should such action be repeated by persons who disapprove of freedom of speech on the suffrage question or any other?
§ Mr. McKENNAIt is for the promoters of meetings to take proceedings under the provisions of the Act referred to. The police have no power of arrest under this Act.
§ Mr. WEDGWOODHas this Act ever been put in operation in connection with open-air meetings?
§ Mr. McKENNAI must ask for notice of that question.
§ 54. Mr. WEDGWOODasked the Home Secretary whether there has been any and, if so, what reduction in the number of police employed in Hyde Park on Sunday afternoons by reason of the prohibition of the meetings; and how long he intends this prohibition to remain in force?
§ Mr. McKENNAThe answer to the first part of the question is in the negative. I am unable at present to answer the latter part of the question.