§ Mr. LANSBURYMay I ask the Home Secretary whether he can make any statement in reference to the disturbances arising out of the demonstration in Hyde Park yesterday?
§ The SECRETARY of STATE for the HOME DEPARTMENT (Sir John Gilmour)I have not had time to collect the full information, but I will give the House such information as I have got.
A demonstration was organised yesterday by the National Unemployed Workers Movement in Hyde Park to welcome the marchers from all over the country who arrived in London on 26th October. Large contingents from various parts of London marched in procession to Hyde Park, reaching there between two and three o'clock p.m. Generally, no disorder occurred during these marches, but, as a procession was proceeding by Edgware Road, a gang of young men and some disorderly persons broke from the procession into Great Cumberland Place. A crowd of approximately 500 people attempted to rush into the Marble Arch and down Oxford Street. The police checked this, and then stone-throwing commenced, resulting in four windows in the new general post office being broken. Iron bolts were thrown at the police in Great Cumberland Place. At about 3.30 a number of men who were straggling in the rear of the procession in the Edgware Road and Bryanston Street threw stones and iron bolts and broke a 1316 window at the New Inn public-house, Cumberland Mews. Windows were also broken at another large establishment.
Police, mounted and foot, were obliged to draw their truncheons and clear the street. The men went into adjoining side-streets and again threw stories and bolts, causing further damage to windows and a motor car. At about 4.30, just prior to the termination of the meetings, which had been quite orderly, a further disturbance occurred inside and outside the Park, and a section of the crowd removed the iron hurdles inside the Park near the Horse-ride and threw them in front of the mounted police. A general mêlée, lasting about twenty minutes, ensued, in which missiles were thrown at the police, who drew their truncheons and charged the crowd. In endeavouring to restrain the crowd which rushed out of the Park gates, Chief Inspector Oger, of C Division, was hit on the head, receiving serious injuries. He is now in hospital. A special constable and a rioter were also injured and conveyed to hospital. Order was restored about 4.50 p.m., when the contingents commenced to march back to their respective districts.
When the Lancashire contingent was leaving Brentford in the morning for Hyde Park a lorry followed them. The police stopped the van, searched it and found hidden under foodstuffs 154 ash sticks, some with nails protruding out of the head. These articles were confiscated. I have seen these weapons, and I desire the House to take note that the presence of such weapons could only be by deliberate intent and for one purpose. By some means a Ford van obtained admittance to the Park, and the police saw cudgels being unloaded from it. It was taken to Hyde Park Police Station and found to contain 60 sticks and pieces of wood.
Reserves of foot and mounted and special constables were called out and utilised. Four persons were arrested in Hyde Park for minor offences. Outside the Park, 8 persons, all males, were arrested for insulting behaviour, throwing missiles, obstructing and assaulting the police, damage and grievous bodily harm. The injuries to the police were 19, two, I regret to say, serious. Of the demonstrators 58 received injuries. The helmets of several mounted and foot police were smashed. The crowd was estimated to 1317 be about 10,000. The missiles found included stones, iron bolts, pieces of concrete, an 18-inch jemmy and an open clasp knife. Chief Inspector Oger is suffering from severe head injuries. There is no truth in the suggestion, which I have seen in some papers, that this injury was caused by a special constable.
I would only add what I said the other day, that I hope the general public will realise that they contribute greatly to the difficulty of maintaining order both in the streets and the parks by assembling in unnecessary numbers and swelling the crowds. I hope that the public will really co-operate with us in trying to make the task of the police easier. I would also add that the police behaved, I think, with great forbearance. They shepherded these demonstrators, marching through the streets, with care, and they conducted them in the evening to places where they could obtain shelter, I hope that the House will realise that a great part of this difficulty is not caused by the genuine unemployed, but by those who have only one object and that is to create disturbances.
§ Mr. LANSBURYI should like to thank the Home Secretary for giving us that statement. I do not propose to discuss it or to attempt to discuss it.