§ 30. Mr. Pavittasked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware of the harm done to racial relations by the action of persons shouting offensive slogans outside the Pigalle Restaurant on 7th June; and what instruction he has given to the Metropolitan Police in order to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
§ Mr. RentonI think that the hon. Member may have over-estimated the importance of this incident. It is not for my right hon. Friend to give instructions on the enforcement of the law to the Metropolitan Police, who are in any case competent to deal with such incidents.
§ Mr. PavittIs the hon. and learned Gentleman aware that much of the progress in integrating coloured immigrants into the community is being achieved by multi-racial committees set up for the purpose, and that any question of unfair bias within the Metropolitan Police Force between, for example, demonstrators in front of South Africa House and anti-coloured people outside the Pigalle can destroy the basis of the confidence which exists on the multi-racial committees?
§ Mr. RentonI think that we should get the facts right. In this case all that happened was this. There was some shouting of slogans and there had been a poster parade which attracted little attention. When the shouting began the police called upon the demonstrators to disperse, and they immediately and quietly did so.