HC Deb 20 October 1949 vol 468 cc743-6
31. Mr. Anthony Greenwood

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many violent attacks upon Jewish people have been made in the past 12 months in the Metropolitan Police area; in how many cases arrests have been made; and how many persons proved guilty of these attacks were under 21 years of age.

Mr. Ede

I am informed that out of a total of 866 violent assaults in the Metropolitan police district during the 12 months ended 8th October, 55 were made upon people believed to be Jews. Arrests were made in 33 of these cases. Nine of the persons proved guilty were under 21 years of age.

Mr. Greenwood

Can my right hon. Friend say whether any attempt is being made to discover any persons responsible for inciting these young people to commit these offences?

Mr. Ede

I am very gravely concerned about these assaults, and I can assure my hon. Friend that the police are very active in trying to ascertain not merely the people who commit assaults, but people who may have incited the committal of the assaults.

Mr. H. Hynd

In view of the continuing number of these incidents, particularly in the Hackney area, will the Home Secretary consider putting on some more plain clothes police to watch that district?

Mr. Ede

I can assure my hon. Friend that the police, having regard to their manpower, do everything they can with both uniformed and plain clothes men to deal with the matter.

Mr. Mikardo

Has my right hon. Friend's attention been called to the recent statement by a newspaper reporter, contained in a letter in the "New Statesman and Nation," that he observed partiality on the part of the police in favour of these attackers and against the victim on one occasion? Has my right hon. Friend any statement to make in connection with the matter?

Mr. Ede

Yes, Sir, my attention was drawn to the letter, which was signed with a nom de plume. I have informed the Editor of the "New Statesman" that if the writer of the letter will tell me of the date, time and place at which the incidents he says occurred were witnessed by him I will cause a judicial inquiry to be held into the circumstances.

35. Mr. Gallacher

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether any arrests have been made of the persons who assaulted Mr. and Mrs. Langley on the night of 4th October; and what inquiries have been made of the owner of the green Austin van which was in the vicinity at the time of the assault.

Mr. Ede

The hon. Member is no doubt referring to an alleged assault on a Mr. and Mrs. Ottolangui; no arrest has yet been made but police inquiries are continuing. It is not in the public interest to give details of the steps which the police take to investigate offences.

Mr. Gallacher

Will the Minister say why he used the words "alleged assault"? Is it not the case that Mrs. Langley was treated in hospital for her injuries and that the police who actually arrived on the scene made no real attempt to pursue those who had assaulted Mr. Langley's wife; nor was any attempt made to locate the van from which the signal came for the attack?

Mr. Ede

I used the words "alleged assault" because no assault has yet been proved. With regard to the action of the police, I believe that they took every effort which they possibly could to find the offenders and that they are still continuing their efforts.

Mr. Gallacher

Is it not the case that the police appeared on the scene, the offenders ran off, and the police made no serious attempt to capture them?

Mr. Ede

No, Sir.

36. Mr. Gallacher

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the police have made any progress in apprehending the assailants, in the case reported by the bus conductor to the Dalston police station, of the persons who stopped the 35 bus at Homerton, Hackney, entered it, attacked a man and were able to leave the bus without any police arriving on the scene.

Mr. Ede

No, Sir. I am informed that neither the police nor, so far as the police know, the parties concerned intend to prosecute charges of assault arising out of this incident; there is some conflict of evidence. Police inquiries are however, continuing with a view to other charges being brought.

Mr. Gallacher

Is it not a very serious situation that a bus can be stopped, a gang get on to it, make an assault, get off, and the bus go on, and for it to seem as if the police are not concerned about the matter at all?

Mr. Ede

This incident arose after a meeting which was held about one mile from the place where the assault occurred, and no notice was given to the police by the promoters of the meeting that they intended to hold the meeting.

Mr. S. Silverman

Will my right hon. Friend bear in mind that if the police refrained from prosecution in every case where there was a conflict of evidence, most of our criminal courts could close down now, and will he further bear in mind that, unfortunate and unjustified as it may turn out to be, in fact most of the people living in the East End of London have lost all confidence in the willingness of the police to protect them?

Mr. Ede

I cannot accept the imputation in the last part of the hon. Gentleman's question. The police have to discharge a very difficult duty in the East End of London, and, having very carefully investigated the various complaints that have been made, they carry my complete confidence. The police would have been helped on this occasion had the promoters of the meeting, which was the cause of the gathering of the people, intimated to them that a meeting was to be held.