§ M. BEAUMONTMr. asked the Home Secretary how many Blackshirt meetings have been attacked by opponents or have been subject to counter-demonstrations which led to breaches of the peace during 1934; and how many meetings of their political opponents have been attacked by Blackshirts during 1934?
§ Sir J. GILMOURI regret that information regarding such incidents is not available for the country as a whole. As regards the Metropolitan Police District, I am informed by the Commissioner of Police that since 1st January, 1934, there have been 19 occasions when Fascist meetings have been disturbed by their political opponents in such a way as to lead to disorder, and two occasions when meetings of their opponents were interfered with by Fascists. There have been a number of other incidents which do not quite fall within the limits of the question. Some of them were not connected with actual meetings and in others police have anticipated trouble and have prevented it by persuading one of the parties to withdraw.