Streets Paved With Blood.
Volume three 1936 - 1937.
During the 1930's political street fighting in London reached epidemic proportions, battles between various left wing groups and the British Union Of Fascists were frequently vicious. These are their stories, gleaned from contemporary newspapers, the events that left the capital with streets paved with blood.
East London Observer - Saturday 29th February 1936.
Although somewhat disturbing scenes were witnessed in the hall at last night's Fascist meeting at Bow Baths, the evening concluded without any serious fracas taking place. This was contrary to general expectations.
In the hall uniformed Blackshirts lined the walls of the gallery, interspersed here and there by police.
At the conclusion crowds gathered in the streets round the entrance to the Baths. As the number of waiting people grew, so the police were obliged to move them on: but as soon as the police turned their backs they surged forward.
For nearly an hour the crowds who had attended the meeting lined the sidewalks, presumably waiting for the Blackshirts themselves to make an appearance: no sooner did a few become centralised than the police came forward and shifted them further down the road.
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| The Baths, Roman Road, Bow |
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| The Baths, Roman Road, Bow today |
Inside the hall scenes were much more lively. The sole speaker was Mr J Beckett and throughout the evening he was continually interrupted. The trouble began after Mr Beckett made a remark about "wealthy Jews", some men near the front began shouting at him and the rest of the audience shouted back to the interruptors to keep quiet.
Blackshirts were seen to make their way down the gangways of the hall and take seats near the interruptors. The speaker warned interruptors that if they began any more trouble he would ask the stewards to remove them as gently as possible from the hall.
As the speaker carried on derisive shouting greeted some of his words and the group near the front of the hall began their shouting. At a word from the speaker a number of Fascist stewards stepped forward and began ejecting the interruptors from the hall. This one man resented and declined to move from his seat, he was pulled to his feet and a policeman ran down the gallery.
As the Blackshirts succeeded in getting the man out, a young woman began shouting and girls and young women in Blackshirt uniform began removing her from her seat. When she reached the gangway, however, she managed with a free arm to strike one of the Blackshirt girls in the face. Both interruptors were dragged still struggling from the hall.
Concluding his address Mr Beckett said "this meeting has been very quiet. Most of you are fair minded people who have come to listen to what we have to say and who will go away and form their own opinions. But there are at least 50 men and women here tonight who would have turned this hall into pandamonium if they were given a chance".
East End Observer - Saturday 14th March 1936.
A debate on Fascism took place on Friday in the House Of Commons on the Civil Service Estimates. Mr Herbert Morrison (Labour South Hackney) opening the debate said there was in the East End a fairly considerable Jewish population, although it was a very definite minority of the total population in the East End.
Here and there would be found offenders against the law, as was the normal case with the British population, but taking the Jewish population as a whole it was law abiding and well behaved. In Shoreditch and to some extent in Bethnal Green and Hackney, there had developed during recent months activities which were endangering the good order of the neighbourhood and which caused grave apprehension to certain residents.
A person living in Shoreditch who had been called in the street "a dirty Jewish ----" and other foul names: there had been threats to murder him, to burn his shop and expel his family from Hoxton. In another case it was alleged the Blackshirts stood outside the shop of the man concerned, mainly on Saturdays, calling him foul names and shouting "boycott the Jews, clear the Jews out of Hoxton."
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| Leonard "Dixie" Deans |
The next case was one of actual physical violence. It was alleged that a man living in Hoxton was struck by a Blackshirt whose name was given (Leonard 'Dixie' Deans. ed) and who appeared to be a professional boxer. He threatened to murder this Jewish shopkeeper if he took action and used the usual foul language.
It was said that on Saturday 1st March this Jewish shopkeeper telephoned to the police for protection for a Jewish man who was selling cough lozenges in the gutter and was being molested in the usual way by Fascists. The next instance concerned a woman, it was said that there had been threats to kill her and burn her millinery shop made by this same boxing gentleman and his associates. They had also called her a "dirty Jewish cow" and similar epithets.
Another man alleged that there was an disturbance in November when a number of Fascists got round the shop and created a disturbance in the usual manner, by the uttering of epithets and so on and prevented customers entering the shop. This man in consequence, had to close his shop at 8.40 pm on a Saturday for fear of actual violence, while the Blackshirts used the refrain "get back to the Ghetto".
In the next case ten or twelve Blackshirts broke the plate glass window of a cabinet making shop and the man still retains the missiles.
The Blackshirt - 13th March 1936.
Attacked By Communists In St. Pancras.
A young Blackshirt was attacked by eight Communists in St. Pancras last weekend. His papers were torn from his hands and he was knocked down and kicked. He managed to gain his feet, but the men returned and attacked him again and left him unconscious.
This is only one of the many assaults committed by the opposition in this district, where chalked notices and platform appeals call local hooligans "to clear the Blackshirts off the streets".
Lone Blackshirt Beaten.
One of many ugly incidents following the Albert Hall meeting was revealed at Westminster Police Court on Monday, when seventeen persons appeared on various charges in connection with the anti-Mosley demonstration.
Forty shillings was the fine inflicted on a man charged with obstructing the police. A lone Blackshirt on his way home from the meeting was set upon while boarding a bus and badly beaten and kicked. When a policeman got out of a patrol car to go to his rescue it was alleged that the defendant, caught the constable by the arm and attempted forcibly to hold him back. In the evidence taken the defendant said that a mistake in identity had been made. He was only there to see if anything exciting was likely to happen.
The magistrate remarked that it was cowardly to obstruct an officer who was endeavouring to prevent violence to another man.
Fulham Chronicle - Friday 27th March 1936.
Scenes at Effie Road, Walham Green, after police had stopped a Fascist meeting were described at Westminster Police Court yesterday.
Valentine Iver Boulton and Frederick Cook were charged with insulting behaviour at Effie Road on Wednesday night. Cook was further charged with wilfully obstructing PC Walmsley 489B, in the execution of his duty. Prisoners pleaded not guilty.
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| Effie Road |
PC Walmsley said that at 8 pm on Wednesday a meeting was held at Effie Road by the BUF. At 9.40 pm witness and other officers were compelled to stop it owing to the threatening behaviour of the crowd, which was composed of local Communists and members of the Greenshirts movement. After the meeting was terminated the crowd attempted to rush the Blackshirts and Boulton attempted to strike a Blackshirt in the face. Cook pushed two persons violently in the back. Witness took hold of Boulton to arrest him and Cook attempted to pull him away. With the assistance of other officers both prisoners were taken to Walham Green police station.
Boulton said a Blackshirt attacked him first.
Witness: You made a leap forward and attempted to strike the Blackshirt, who was about a yard away, in the face. Witness added that he saw no provocative gestures from Blackshirts to prisoners during the evening.
Cook: I saw a Blackshirt strike someone and I asked a constable why he did not arrest him. We were threatened by a Blackshirt that we would be "done up."
Witness said he neither saw nor heard of any such incidents. PC Jessett 433B, said Cook, attempting to release Boulton, pushed the policeman in the chest.
Adjourned in order to prepare defence and witnesses.
East London Observer - Saturday 4th April 1936.
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| Old Gravel Lane, Wapping c1936 |
Members of the Fascist movement were seen in uniform, in Old Gravel Lane, Wapping, on Sunday selling copies of the "Blackshirt" and "Action". Crowds of people coming from St. George's Hospital after visiting sick relatives and friends, were the prospective buyers.
This is the first record of Fascists making an appearance in uniform in Wapping.
East London Observer - Saturday 9th May 1936.
A great crowd including women and children, went to Victoria Park Road, Bethnal Green, on Friday to hear the Blackshirt leader, Sir Oswald Mosley, address a May Day demonstration. They lined the pavement for 300 yards or more.
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| Victoria Park Road, Bethnal Green |
Sir Oswald Mosley spoke from the roof of a loudspeaker van, while searchlights played on him so that he was visible to most of the crowd. In spite of the careful police arrangements, spasmodic fighting broke out amongst the mixed crowd of Jews, Communists and Blackshirt supporters, of which there appeared to be a large number.
Only odd phrases could be heard above the clamour and when Sir Oswald referred to alien employers who sweated British workers and were driving them onto the streets, pandemonium was let loose. He went on to accuse Labour and Communist leaders of leading the workers up the garden path for fifty years. If the Labour Party knew they would not exercise power after the 1929 election, why did they take office. The rest of the speech was drowned by the strains of the "Internationale".
At the close, thousands clapped and cheered, throwing hats into the air. The rest were becoming violent in their opposition, but just when the situation began to look ugly, a squad of mounted police appeared and cleared a path for the Blackshirts, who marched off behind a band towards Roman Road. No arrests were made.
Richmond Herald - Saturday 16th May 1936.
It was the first meeting the Blackshirts have held in that part of town. The speakers stand was placed on the open land near the White Horse public house and Mr Talbot Baines spoke for some time without interruption.
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| Worple Road, Richmond |
Interruptions then began and finally a section of the crowd rushed at the platform and threw the speaker to the ground. He was accompanied by only two uniformed stewards and two in mufti, who were overwhelmed and unable to defend themselves. The Fascists state that the two uniformed stewards were knocked unconscious, kicked and left lying on the ground.
Fortunately the police were promptly sent for and when they arrived the trouble makers scattered in all directions. No arrests were made and the Blackshirts were given police protection until they were able to pack their gear and leave.
The Fascists state that it is their intention to hold another meeting in Worple Road next Wednesday evening.
East London Observer - Saturday 30th May 1936.
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| Watney Street, Stepney |
There was great excitement among the many shoppers and stallholders in Watney Street on Sunday morning when about a dozen uniformed Blackshirts paraded up and down the market selling Fascist newspapers amid cries of "more stalls for Englishmen", "foreigners last and nowhere," while another section of the crowd there were cries of "Blackshirt thugs," "rats," ect.
A great crowd gathered and a Jewish girl, going up to one of the Blackshirts, bought a paper, tore it to pieces and stamped on the fragments. After this police took a hand but they found it very difficult to keep the crowd on the move owing to the barrows in the market.
Somebody picked up a cucumber from one of the stalls, but was prevented from throwing it at a Blackshirt. A surprising number of the people present appeared to be in sympathy with the Blackshirts. The Blackshirts are, it is believed, about to open a branch in Stepney.
East London Observer - Saturday 6th June 1936.
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| Dellow Street |
A huge crowd gathered at the corner of Dellow Street , where an attempt to hold a Blackshirt meeting was made. A uniformed Fascist, climbing on the roof of a big black van, tried to deliver his speech. It was hopeless, only brief snatches of his sentences could be heard above the yelling and booing.
One heckler brandished a docker's hook and with a friend became so menacing that the police were obliged to take him into custody. One heckler made a bolt for it when a Fascist came up to him after his shouting had become a nuisance to the speaker.
Another Blackshirt was involved in an argument with a Jew. They began to fight and the Fascist received such injuries to his face that he was taken to Shadwell Underground Station to receive first aid treatment. Later he was removed to hospital. By this time the situation was becoming ugly and about half a dozen fights were in progress in various sections of the crowd.
Mounted police arrived on the scene in the nick of time to stop a pitched battle. Members of the Socialist organisation made good use of the occasion by peddling anti-Fascist and Socialist propaganda At one time a small section of the crowd in the forefront began singing the Internationale. The tune caught on and the whole crowd began singing, the speaker still trying to make himself heard above the din.
A second speaker took his place, but when he opened his mouth to speak he was drowned by frantic yells and cat calls. Near the end of the meeting Father Boggis, of Christ Church, Watney Street, raised a collection presumably to pay for legal aid for the two men taken into custody. Crowds followed the Fascist van at the end of the meeting.
East London Observer - Saturday 13th June 1936.
A crowd numbering more than 50,000 gathered in Victoria Park on Sunday when Sir Oswald Mosley, leader of the BUF, made a speech. Over 1,500 uniformed Fascists were in attendance.It was only during a short period before the meeting began that fighting took place and then, in the short space of twenty minutes or so, half a dozen people were taken into custody by the police. About ten minutes before the meeting was due to begin, fighting broke out in one section of the crowd and had the police intervened as promptly as they did, an ugly scene would have ensued.
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| Victoria Park (Daily Mirror) |
Blackshirts were seen to pursue a number of heated hecklers. A man was dragged down with a pile of people on top of him. The crowd was on the run. One Blackshirt about to rise to his feet, was hit over the head with a walking stick, the sound of the blow could be heard thirty yards away. Mounted police charged and within a few seconds order was restored. Subsequently two or three youths were taken into custody by the police.
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| Victoria Park (Daily Mirror) |
Mosley's appearance on the roof of a van was marked by the raising of a sea of hands in Fascist salute. At the close of the meeting the Blackshirts marched out in column formation.
Christopher Spriggs, a writer of Susannah Street, Poplar - said to have kicked PC Dooney - fined £2.
Alec Santon, manager of North Place, Buxton Street, Stepney - fined £1.
Alfred Spooner, tyre fitter of Moss Street, Bethnal Green and Leonard Ring, tailor of Yalford Street, Stepney - remanded.
The Blackshirt - 13th June 1936.
"You'll never dare to come to Whitechapel!"
This repeated opposition boast has now received a typically Fascist answer. Blackshirts have held a successful meeting with well over fifteen hundred listeners and afterwards marched down Commercial Road.
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| Commercial Road looking west |
Without the aid of loud speakers and despite frequent obscene interruptions from Jews in the audience, these men succeeded in delivering the Fascist message.
Finding that interruptions did not daunt them, our opponents took to open violence. Driscoll, a member, received knuckle duster injuries in the face and was also kicked in the stomach whilst upon the ground. Only the intervention of bystanders prevented an attack upon three Fascists engaged in assisting him to the nearest tube station prior to his removal to hospital.
After the meeting a gang of Jews waylaid Mr Wood, who sustained serious injuries. Others set upon other Fascists, whilst a particularly cowardly assault was made upon a 60 year old Blackshirt by some dozen men armed with heavy sticks.
Knife throwing occured when the Blackshirts marched away. Police who intervened to arrest several of the hooligans were set upon until mounted officers came to their assistance.
Lewisham Borough News - Tuesday 16th June 1936.
Ernest George Clifton, Alfred Victor Cowling and Edward Harvey were charged with using insulting behaviour at South Street, Greenwich on 13th June.
PC May said that at 10.20 pm he was on duty in a police car at South Street when he saw a large crowd fighting in the road. The three prisoners were among them, fighting between themselves. When witness and other constables told then to go away, they refused.
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| South Street, Greenwich |
Cowling said that there were some Blackshirts on the corner and some Reds came along. One of the Reds hit a Blackshirt and that began a general fight. He had gone to say goodnight to the Blackshirts and got mixed up in it. He was hit two or three times. His coat was over his head and he had only just got up from the ground when the police came along. He was not told to go away.
Clifton was one of those who started the fight. He had two beer bottles in his pocket. Witness asked the police to arrest those who started the fight and he said "they almost arrested me."
Clifton said that some Blackshirts offered pamphlets and when they refused to buy said something to them". Then a fight began and he hit out in self defence.
Clifton was fined 10s, Cowling 7s 6d and Harvey, who had his eye cut 2s 6d and 6d costs.
Kensington Post - Friday 19th June 1936.
Archibald Gillies was charged with using insulting words and behaviour and Alexander Matthew Goode was charged with obstructing PC Gardiner in the execution of his duty.
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| Brondesbury Villas |
PC Gardiner said that about 9.45 pm on 5th June he was on duty at Brondesbury Villas in company with other officers. A Fascist meeting was taking place, there was considerable shouting and heckling and suddenly fighting occurred near the speakers platform. Gillies was being held back by two men and was shouting "let me get at him." Witness requested Gillies be quiet and go away, but he took no notice. When witness arrested him, Goode came up and said "you are not taking him." On the way to the police station Goode shouted "come on, lads, let's get him free." Similar evidence was given by two other officers.
Gillies called Samuel Batters. He said he was passing the meeting when he saw the Blackshirts start fighting. Witness saw Gillies telling a policeman to arrest a Blackshirt and two policemen then arrested him. Witness went to the police station and complained and bailed Gillies out.
Kathleen Smith said she saw the Fascists striking out into the crowd and someone shouted "police wanted", so witness took up the cry herself. She saw Gillies approach a policeman and say "as a rate payer, I demand that this Fascist be arrested". The policeman gave him a push and said "get out of it". They then arrested him.
Gillies and Goode were bound over for twelve months.
East London Observer - Saturday 20th June 1936.
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| The corner of Commercial Road and New Road |
Harry Daly, a Blackshirt, of Cornwall Street, Stepney, received injuries to his face, back and leg, when he was involved in a street fight in Commercial Road yesterday afternoon.
Daly was returning from the Labour Exchange in Settles Street and when he reached the corner of New Road he was attacked. He fell to the ground and received a cut over his eye and his macintosh was torn from him.
He was rescued by police and taken to Leman Street Police Station, where he was given first aid treatment.
Later he was taken to hospital where two stitches were put in a cut under his right eye.
The windows of two shops in Watney Street, Shadwell, were smashed last night while Kath Duncan, the Communist leader was addressing a meeting in Dellow Street less than 100 yards away. One window was that of a Jewish tailor, Mr F. Simon, who has had a business in Watney Street for many years and the other of a Jewish hairdresser.
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| Kath Duncan |
Crowds gathered in Dellow Street to hear Kath Duncan and although the Fascists were expected to put in an appearance she assured her listeners that she had been told by an Inspector of police that that would not be the case.
The meeting was fairly quiet at first but towards the end a disturbance arose some yards from the speaker and three men were taken into custody by the police and taken to Leman Street station.
Daily Herald - Tuesday 23rd June 1936.
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| Leucha Road, Walthamstow |
How Fascists broke ranks and charged into a crowd was told at Stratford, when Sidney Aylott, who wore a Blackshirt in court, was fined 20s. He was accused of insulting behaviour.
Inspector Layfield said on Saturday that Fascists held a meeting at Leucha Road, Walthamstow. There was a crowd of about 600 people and when a section became unruly the police started to move them on.
Aylott, who is a member of the BUF, and several others rushed into the crowd. He was swinging his arms about and had his head down striking at anybody at random. Inspector Layfield said he closed with Aylott, who, even after he had been taken into custody, continued hitting out.
Aylott denied the allegations and said he got a smash in the mouth, so he hit back.
Westminster & Pimlico News - Friday 26th June 1936.
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| Tachbrook Street, Pimlico |
At Westminster Police Court on Saturday, before Mr Mullins, Bernard Mullan was charged with insulting behaviour at Tachbrook Street, Pimlico, on Friday night, whereby a breach of the peace might have occasioned. Prisoner, who pleaded guilty, was represented by Mr Lewis.
PS Powell 73B said that about 9.20 pm on Friday he was on duty at Tachbrook Street in the vicinity of a Blackshirt meeting. The speaker called for the National Anthem to be sung and there was a general removal of hats. At that moment there was an argument near where prisoner was standing and prisoner started punching people all round him. He was flung to the ground by one of the persons concerned. Witness assisted him to his feet and he struck out again. He was arrested and in answer to the charge said "not guilty."
Mr Lewis said that while prisoner was singing the National Anthem he received a kick on the leg. He turned round and struck the man who kicked him. "I want to make it clear," said Mr Lewis, "that prisoner was not the aggressor and he does not recollect striking anyone, except the man who kicked him."
Prisoner was fined 5s and 10s 6d costs.
Holloway Press - Saturday 27th June 1936.
Violent scenes at Finsbury Park on Sunday Evening, when a Fascists' meeting was met by strong opposition, had sequels in the House Of Commons and North London Police Court. A crowd of five or six thousand gathered to hear Sir Oswald Mosley.
The police at one time were six hundred strong and this prevented the "clashes" developing into a riot. Mr Fred Montague, the West Islington MP, in the commons on Monday tackled the Home Secretary on the matter with a lively result. Sir John Simon informed the West Islington MP that there were 573 foot police and 59 mounted police in the park.
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| The corner of Finsbury Park and Seven Sisters Road |
There could be no doubt that in view of the Blackshirt meeting, not only from the vicinity, but from all parts of London, anti-Fascists gathered to demonstrate their opposition. I imagine that there was at one time a crowd of nearly six thousand, but in spite of this there seemed to be police, mounted and on foot, everywhere.
The Blackshirts marched along in military fashion which provoked the anti-Fascists into the singing of the "Internationale" and "The Red Flag."
Scores of police were clustered around Sir Oswald Mosley to afford him right of way and when he arrived he was met with a terrific storm of booing and hissing that must have been heard miles away. Blackshirts formed themselves outside the main ring of police and attempted to provoke the crowd from behind.
One incident occured right underneath my nose. A middle aged man was treated in such a manner by a Blackshirt that he attempted to retaliate. For his own sake several policemen seized him and held him back. I know that many complaints were lodged to a sergeant who was standing near. One complainant was a man whose face was streaming from a gash on the cheek.
Before the North London Magistrate on Monday, Leslie Williams pleaded guilty to a charge of using insulting behaviour in Seven Sisters Road, Finsbury Park. It was said that he chased across the road after a man who had struck him. Williams was fined 20s.
Herbert Fraye Turner was charged with obstructing a police inspector in the execution of his duty and Albert Blake was charged with insulting behaviour. Both were discharged under the probation of first offenders act.
East London Observer - Saturday 4th July 1936.
Despite the many promised efforts to suppress the Jew baiting in Stepney and the neighbouring district, this deplorable practice appears to have grown during the last few weeks, judging from police court proceedings and statements made by alleged sufferers.
The marketplace in Watney Street seems to be the chief hunting ground for Blackshirts selling their propaganda, who according to reports, do their best to encourage hatred of the Jewish community. The methods employed by these individuals, some of them look little more than boys, are offensive even to non Jewish folk and nothing, we are told, supports the anti-Fascist cause more than the actions and remarks made by some of the Fascists themselves.
On Saturday evening there occurred a number of incidents in this thoroughfare which to the ordinary citizen would seem pointless and superfluous. A shopkeeper said on Saturday when the Blackshirts arrived, everybody got scared and started packing up. "The expressions that Fascists use", he said "are such that it makes the blood of the costermongers boil."
Many tradesmen, rightly of wrongly, are of opinion that the police are pro-Fascist. Last Saturday there was one Blackshirt surrounded by four policemen and when another trader asked that the Blackshirt be arrested for alleged usage of obscene language, he was told to get out of the way.
Mr D Shap, who has carried on business in Watney Street for a number of years, criticised the attitude of the police in the matter of dealing with the Blackshirts. "There was one thing that struck me about Saturdays disturbances," he said, "there was a crowd of Blackshirts walking up and down shouting their offensive remarks and they were accompanied by two policemen. It was curious to note that instead of preventing them using insulting behaviour they went to every stall to see if it was in its correct position."
The Blackshirt - 4th July 1936.
In spite of violent threats to smash us in Whitechapel, the British Union held a triumphant mass meeting of over 1,000 workers on Wednesday night. At 8.30 news spread that we had started the meeting and 500 Jews, led by a notorious Jewish agitator, arrived on the scene from Dellow Street.
Immediately they began to insult British people present, calling them "Rats" for supporting our speaker. Many workers applied for membership at the District Headquarters, expressing disgust with the Jewish rabble.
Six Blackshirts in uniform were attacked by a gang of Jews in Dellow Street on their way to the meeting. All sustained severe head and groin injuries.
East End News and London Shipping Chronicle - Friday 10th July 1936.
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| The junction of Watney Street and Cornwall Street |
"This sort of provocation has got to cease. Where a particular sentiment is known to exist, other persons must refrain from coming down and badgering the people who hold that sentiment." Mr F O Langley, the Thames Police Court magistrate, made this observation with reference to Fascist activities in Watney Street, when a young man named Henry Cronin, of Cornwall Street, Stepney, appeared on remand before him on Tuesday, on a charge of being in possession of an offensive weapon, a knife, with intent to commit a felonious act.
Three police officers stated that they were on duty in Watney Street at 7.30 pm on 27th June, when they heard a scream and saw people running into Cornwall Street. Upon following, they saw two men in Blackshirt uniform running with Cronin, who had a knife in his hand, behind them.
After going about 5 yards, Cronin stopped and turned back. As the witness approached him, he threw the knife into the roadway. When arrested, he said, "I have done no harm." Cronin was taken to Leman Street police station and when charged , he said "all right guv'nor, it was only a joke."
Prisoner was aquitted.
The Blackshirt - 18th July 1936.
The editor of "The Blackshirt" was charged at Hampstead Police Court with having used insulting behaviour at a Fascist meeting in Parliament Hill Fields. He was alleged to have struck a man named Yates with his fist on the jaw. Inspector Gillies, giving evidence said that he heard Yates shout out insults to Beckett and advance towards him in a threatening way.
Beckett stated that Yates came to him in a threatening way with several interrupters behind him. He admitted striking Yates. The bench fined Beckett 40s and bound him over in the sum of £10 for one year.
Soot And Flour.
For throwing soot and flour at an anti-Fascist procession in Green Street, Bethnal Green, Arthur Wilson was fined 40s and bound over for 12 months. The magistrate asked Wilson whether he was paid to do it. Wilson said he was not and the magistrate remarked that according to the "Manchester Guardian", "someone must have paid you".
East London Observer - Saturday 8th August 1936.
Letter - A Dones - Mile End E1.
I am a Gentile and a non-political person. On Tuesday, I went to hear a Blackshirt meeting at Duckett Street. After listening to filthy insults regarding Jews which seemed their only aim, I decided to go away. Suddenly two Jewish women among the little throng challenged the speaker, whereupon they were pounced upon by the police.
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| Duckett Street c1936 |
The Blackshirts became threatening and the women made a dash towards Stepney Green, where a Communist meeting was in progress. They were followed by Blackshirts consisting of boys and girls, aged about 15 to 18 years, to this meeting, deliberately trying to smash the audience up by shouting propaganda. The police, as far as I could see, did not make any attempt to stop this disgraceful affair.
The Blackshirt - 8th August 1936.
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| Mile End Tube Station |
A sudden and brutal attack was made upon three young persons; two youths and a girl, members of the youth organisation. They were proceeding to their homes after attending a Blackshirt meeting at the Obelisk, Devons Road, Bow, on Monday night 27th July.
It appears that as they were approaching Mile End Station a number of men, unmistakably Jewish, rushed at them from behind and assaulted them. No chance to defend themselves, they were immediately knocked down. The girl being struck in the face and left in a fainting condition. None of them were wearing uniform. They assailants made off as usual.
The Blackshirt - 8th August 1936.
A little after 11 on Wednesday night, Harry Daly, a member of St George's branch and some friends, including a girl, were walking down Sidney Street, Whitechapel, none of them were in uniform.
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| Sidney Street |
Whistling was heard behind them, but they took no notice, then with cries of " Kill the dirty Blackshirts", crowds of Jews came running after them, from doorways, cafes and side streets the mob poured , calling out in gutteral voices for the blood of the Englishmen who dared to walk through Whitechapel.
As the crowd swelled to about 300, Daly and his four friends, hopelessly outnumbered, took to their heels and were chased to Watney Street, about half a mile away, where they met two police officers and told them of the attack.
The crowd came rushing down Watney Street, but the sight of the police checked their ardour and they gradually dispersed. The quickness with which the mob materialised and grew shows that the attack must have been planned very carefully and but for the intervention of the police Daly and his friends might have been seriously injured.
Kensington News and West London Times - Friday 21st August 1936.
At the West London Police Court on Friday Frank Findlay was charged with using insulting words and behaviour and with assaulting William Ballard. Ernest George Baker was charged with obstructing Inspector Payne in the execution of his duty at the same time and place.
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| Down Place |
Inspector Payne stated that on Thursday evening he was on duty in uniform at a meeting organised by the BUF at Down Place. Except for some heckling, the proceedings were quite orderly. Suddenly the defendant Findlay, who was standing two yards from the speaker on the platform, shouted at the top of his voice, "come down you silly -----." He then struck Ballard, who was standing close to the platform and who was in Fascist uniform.
Mr Bennett: Had there been any provocation?
Witness: None at all. He was simply standing there.
He (the inspector) arrested Findlay, who became violent. Someone caught hold of his (the inspector's) collar and tried to drag him away from Findlay. Later, the defendant Baker was taken into custody by PC Hutchins, who was off duty in plain clothes.
Both defendants were taken to the police station and when formally charged made no reply.
Findlay: I admit I swore under excitement, but Ballard struck me first in the face.
Inspector: No one struck you.
Baker: When I was at the station, did I protest that I hadn't done anything?
Inspector: Yes. I didn't see who it was that caught hold of my collar because whoever did so was behind me.
PC Hutchins 662F said that when he arrived at the meeting he saw several persons fighting. Inspector Payne was struggling with Findlay and the defendant Baker had hold of the Inspector's collar, pulling him. Witness pulled Baker away and went to assist the Inspector to take Findlay to the station. A man in the crowd aimed a blow at him (Hutchins) and he was compelled to strike the man, who ran away. Baker again got hold of the Inspectors collar, witness told him he was a police officer and told him to go away, Baker did not release his hold of the Inspectors collar, so he was arrested.
Mr Bennett observed that this sort of behaviour must be stopped, whatever political views might be held. "You Findlay must pay a fine of 20s on the charge of using insulting words and behaviour and you will be sentenced to one month's hard labour for the assault on Ballard. You, Baker, will be fined £5 for obstructing the police."
Eastern Post - Saturday 22nd August 1936.
Montague Mussard (21) of 112 Mayfield Road, Dalston was charged at Old Street Police Court with using threatening behaviour at Green Street, Bethnal Green.
Police constables Connor and Miles of H Division, gave evidence as to being on duty at a Fascist meeting and hearing prisoner make rude noises with his mouth and seeing him adopt a fighting attitude towards a Blackshirt who was selling papers.
Prisoner was bound over to keep the peace for 12 months.
Daily Herald - Wednesday 2nd September 1936.
Eric Thomas Phillips, a member of the BUF, who was alleged to have struck a would-be peacemaker in a dispute, was fined £1 at Tottenham.
He was accused of assaulting Reginald Edward Goodspeed, a member of the South Tottenham Labour Party, at West Green, where Labour and Fascist meetings were being held.
Goodspeed said he heard Phillips wife, who was selling the Fascist newspaper, in argument with an old man. He was advising the old man to go away when Phillips came over from the Fascist crowd and struck him a blow on the jaw.
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| West Green, Tottenham |
Mr Phillip Messer, Labour MP for South Tottenham said he saw Mrs Phillips leave the Fascist meeting with papers and walk in the direction of the rival meeting. An old man intercepted her and must have said something to annoy her. She called out "say it again, say it again." The old man then appeared to get excited and Mr Messer said he drew nearer.
Then it was that Mr Goodspeed tried to act as peacemaker. He stepped between the man and the woman and advised both to go away. Immediately Phillips came from the meeting of Fascists and without word of warning struck Goodspeed.
Phillips in the witness box said that he was selling the Blackshirt when he saw Goodspeed striking his wife, who was also selling Blackshirt, with his elbow. He went up and struck Goodspeed on the jaw, "in defence of his wife."
The Blackshirt - 19th September 1936.
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| Garden Row, Southwark |
After the crowd had dispersed, Fascist Collins, of Camberwell Branch, who was selling papers, in mufti, was set upon by six hooligans, led by a local Jewish Communist. They struck him over the head with a cosh, and knocked him down and kicked him.
The member, who is of short stature, was knocked unconscious, but was put in a taxi by a stranger and sent to hospital. The incident occured after the police and all other Fascists had left the spot and Collins was by himself.
Holloway Press - Saturday 19th September 1936.
What occured in a clash between some Fascists selling newspapers and a number of Jews at Amhurst Park, Stamford Hill, on 29th August, was told at North London Police Court on Tuesday.
Alfred Enfield charged with assaulting Albert Karfin and assaulting Albert Bach. Enfield pleaded guilty to the first and not guilty to the second charge, and had issued a summons against Bach for assault. Miss Betty Joyce summoned Karfin for assault.
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| The Odeon, Amhurst Park, Stamford Hill |
Mr Bach said he saw a number of fellows wearing Blackshirts and they were shouting remarks. One of the men shouted "dirty, rotten Jews" and the crowd seemed to start menacingly at the Blackshirts. One of them shouted "at them boys", Enfield came at him and struck him with his fist. He closed with Enfield and one or two of the chaps hit him (witness) on the head.
Cross examined by Mr Lawton, counsel for Enfield, he said that it was someone with the Blackshirts who shouted, "come on boys." There was about nine Blackshirts. It was quite a big crowd. He did not know whether there were about a hundred Jews outside the cinema.
Mr Lawton said that his point was that there was an attack on the Blackshirts who were standing there quite legitimately selling their newspapers.
Mr Lawton: I put it to you that you struck Enfield with your fists and tried to get his papers away from him.
Bach: Certainly not.
Enfield on oath said he was selling Blackshirt newspapers outside the cinema. There was a crowd of people and their attitude was menacing towards the Blackshirts. He heard members of the crowd calling out "nancies" and "black bags." Someone struck him and seized him round the chest. There were 40 or 50 people attacking about half a dozen Blackshirts.
Mr Humphries: When the police arrived was there any complaint made by the Fascists that half a dozen had been attacked by 40 or 50 Jews?
Enfield: No, we are not in the habit of squealing.
Miss Hall Trafford, called for the defence, said that she was selling Blackshirt newspapers. She noticed a crowd of about 90 people, but did not listen to them - it was really unpleasant. She saw a man go up to Enfield, snatch his papers and strike him. They closed and Enfield struck back.
The magistrate dismissed both cases and other summons - that of Miss Hall Trafford against Karfin and the charge against Enfield in respect of the assault on Karfin, were both adjourned until October 6th.
The Blackshirt - 26th September 1936.
At North London Police Court on 5th September, Jack Aarons was fined 10s, for insulting words and behaviour. Evidence showed that Aarons hurled abuse at a Fascist, who was passing a wireless shop at 210, Mare Street.
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| 210, Mare Street, Hackney |
Prosecutor denied that he said "These are the people who hire out loudspeakers to the Communists." Aarons gave no evidence on his own behalf.
With him was charged Hyman Aarons for assaulting Fascist Neville. He gave the same address as Jack, at Evelyn Court, Amherst Road. Remarking "I will put your head through the ----- window," Hyam seized Neville and assaulted him. An Inspector testified to cuts on Neville's face and stated that when he accompanied complainant to Aarons's place, Hyam said, "I suppose it's about those ---- Fascists." He was fined £1.
Daily Mirror - Monday 5th October 1936.
BATON CHARGES.....RIOTING CROWDS.....LORRIES OVERTURNED.....PAVING STONES TORN UP......GIRLS AND MEN CRASHING THROUGH PLATE GLASS WINDOWS......DEMONSTRATORS WIELDING TRUNCHEONS BOUND IN BARBED WIRE.......5,000 FASCISTS MASSING TO PARADE HEMMED IN BY A CROWD OF 100,000. INCLUDING THOUSANDS OF ANGRY JEWS AND COMMUNISTS SHOUTING, "THE FASCISTS SHALL NOT PASS."
Eighty four arrests and the last minute calling off by the police of the Fascist parade and meetings followed these wild scenes in the East End of London yesterday. The injured totalled 268 and 64 had to be treated in hospital.
Violence and bloodshed began before the procession had even moved. Baton law ruled for several square miles near the Tower. Screaming women were dragged through the streets after their arrests; crying children were rescued from the mad rush of panic stricken mobs in the nick of time.
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| Action - 10th October 1936 |
Fascists had assembled at Royal Mint Street and Mark Lane and the counter demonstration, which grew to 100,000, centred in Aldgate and Cable Street. Sir Philip Game, police commissioner and other high officials in plain clothes were on the spot, and immediately Sir Oswald Mosley arrived he was told the meeting and parade could not be held.
Sir Philip took this action, according to a Scotland Yard statement to "prevent further breaches of the peace" after many people were injured. About 3,000 extra police were on duty. But despite a police guard standing shoulder to shoulder, the crowd managed to pelt Sir Oswald Mosely's car with stones.
Eventually the Fascists marched to the Embankment near Charing Cross Bridge with Sir Oswald at the head. There they were halted and dismissed.
Marbles On Roads.
According to the Scotland Yard statement, however, "a portion of the Fascist procession re-formed and caused minor disorders in Trafalgar Square and The Strand. In the East End before the time fixed for the procession I saw from a position at the junction of Cable Street and Leman Street, a pretty girl throw a piece of wood through a plate glass window. Her action started a stampede. Lighted fireworks were thrown at the hoofs of charging police horses. Hundreds of persons were crushed against the walls of buildings and forced into doorways as the officers, armed with batons, hacked their way to the chief offenders.
As the horses wheeled and reared, someone in the crowd adopted another method of defeating the mounted police. A big handful of marbles was thrown into their midst and two horses stumbled, nearly throwing their riders.
In Cable Street, the anti-Fascists built a barricade across the street by overturning a lorry, and covered the surrounding road with broken glass and threw a hail of stones to prevent the police horses reaching them. Paving stones were torn up and broken into small pieces ready to be hurled.
Two hours after the march should have begun from Royal Mint Street, 10,000 people still blocked the way of the marchers. A report that a policeman had been shot in Aldgate started another mad stampede. At the end of Leman Street 200 police constables tried with truncheons to stem the rush forward. When it was over six wounded lay squirming on the ground. Firemen stood at hydrants ready to turn their hoses on the crowd.
Two young women started another rush when they gave the Fascist salute from the windows of a tramcar coming from Aldgate to Leman Street. The crowds saw the salute and stones crashed through the windows.
Screaming Crowds.
Before the decision to ban the parade was reached, unprecedented scenes occured in the Jewish quarter along the route planned. I saw young Jews with blood pouring down their faces from head wounds running along with clenched fists raised high shouting "Down with Mosley, down with murderers." Time after time mounted police charged the screaming crowds. I saw three girls fall through a plate glass window of a big store at the junction of Whitechapel High Street and Commercial Road.
Arrested men and women were taken off in lorry loads of twelve. The charges are principally of obstruction and assault, and most of the people concerned will appear at Thames Police Court, Westminster, or Bow Street today.
Daily Herald - Monday 5th October 1936.
A gang of 50 men, split up, it is believed, into five parties of ten, damaged Jewish shops in Green Street, Bethnal Green, late last night.
Shortly before 11 o'clock there was a crashing of glass, and police found that the plate glass windows of five shops had been smashed. Premises were those of D. Gotlieb, tailor: M. Green, tailor: Alasky's radio stores, Orstin's wireless stores and Fisher's perfumiers. At Alasky's, a wooden chair was flung through the window, damaging the window dressing.
Orstin's window was damaged, despite the fact that it was covered by a steel grill. Fifty police were still patrolling Green Street at midnight. At Bethnal Green police station two men were questioned in connection with the attacks.
The raid broke with dramatic suddenness, and although the police were quickly on the scene, they were able to find few people who actually saw the damage being done.
East End News and London Shipping Chronicle - Tuesday 6th October 1936.
Incident that occurred during a Communist march through the East End as a protest against the proposed Fascist rally on Sunday, when Joseph Jacobs was charged with obstructing PC Webb in the execution of his duty and with using insulting words and behaviour, whereby a breach of the peace may have been occasioned in Mile End Road. Jacobs pleaded not guilty to both charges.
PC Webb said about 10.15 pm on Friday, he was one of a number of officers escorting a procession of 200 to 300 Communists along the Mile End Road towards Stepney Green. At the corner of Burdett Road, a girl dressed in Blackshirt uniform was selling "The Blackshirt" newspaper. The members of the crowd rushed towards her and attempted to get hold of her, but several police officers ranged themselves round her and protected her.
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| Mile End Road and Burdett Road |
Jacobs, who was the leader of the Communists, was shouting "lynch her! lynch her!" With the assistance of PC Griffiths he succeeded in getting Jacobs and a party of the others back in the procession, which then proceeded along the Mile End Road. At the junction of White Horse Lane, Jacobs, who was leading the procession, said to the men in front, "we'll go down here and get her."
The head of the procession then turned towards White Horse Lane, but witness extended his arm and told the men they would not go down there. Jacobs said "we are going round here and you won't stop us," at the same time throwing his arms round witness' neck and trying to pull him out of the road.
Other officers went to his assistance and Jacobs was arrested. He struggled very violently, but was eventually taken to Arbour Square police station where he was charged and made no reply.
Daily Mirror - Wednesday 7th October 1936.
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| Essian Street |
East End Baton Charge: 7 arrests.
Seven arrests were made by police in breaking up an anti-Fascist demonstration at Stepney Green last night. The police made repeated charges, twice wielding their batons to clear excited groups of people from the pavements. One police sergeant was injured.
The meeting was held on the pavement at the junction of Stepney Green and Essian Street and a crowd overflowed into the roadway holding up traffic. While it was on it was rumoured among the crowd that the Blackshirt headquarters in Essian Street were to be raided, but the large force of police prevented any disorder.
The Daily Herald - Wednesday 7th October 1936.
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| Stepney Green |
Seven arrests were made, police reserves of nearly every division in the Metropolitan area were on duty and batons were drawn during a Fascist disturbance in the East End last night.
Squads of police were rushed to Stepney Green in a covered motorvan when fighting broke out between members of the Jewish community and representatives of the Fascists in the neighbourhood. Trouble first developed when a number of people outside the Fascist headquarters in Duckett Street became involved in a fight with some of the inmates.
The disturbance soon spread and developed into a running fight along Stepney Green. Railings were torn from the front of the houses and used as weapons, but order was soon restored.
All public telephone boxes in the district were put out of order. As the result of a disturbance at a Stepney Green meeting a police sergeant received head injuries. Five people will appear at Thames Police Court today and two youths at the juvenile court at Toynbee Hall on Tuesday.
East London Observer - Saturday 10th October 1936.
The Aftermath, Trouble During The Week.
"Down with the Jews," was what Michael Sullivan was alleged to have shouted in Stepney Green on Monday evening, at the same time throwing missiles at the windows of houses occupied by Jewish residents.
Three police officers said they were attracted to Stepney Green by the sound of breaking glass and screaming. They saw Sullivan and several other men engaged in the alleged acts. The men ran away but Sullivan fell over and was arrested. He was fined 40s.
Abraham Weinstein, Stepney: Alfred Harris, Poplar: Israel Rosenberg, Stepney and Jack Orlin, Whitechapel, pleaded guilty to using insulting words and behaviour at the junction of Hartford Street and Essian Street, Mile End.
It was stated that the four accused were among a crowd of about 200 assembled outside the Fascist headquarters in Essian Street at 11.15 pm on Monday, and were shouting "Down with the Blackshirts". They were requested to go away and refused. Harris then shouted "Come on boys! Let's bash the door in. ----- the police!" Harris was fined 40s and the others 7s 6d each.
Seven arrests were made when fighting broke out in Stepney Green, following an anti-Fascist meeting. Squads of police in vans were rushed to the scene, and in one struggle a police sergeant received severe head injuries. Six people appeared at Thames Police Court.
Alfred Zipman, Stepney: Gerald Fedder, Mile End: Edward John Jackson, Stepney: Israel Bercow, Mile End: Benjamin Bercow, Mile End and Mark Klein, Stepney.
Alfred Zipman, who was described as a Russian living with his grandmother, was charged with unlawfully and maliciously wounding PS Burges Woods by striking him with a piece of metal tubing with the intent to do him grievous bodily harm at King John Street. Remanded for one week.
In was stated in police evidence that Fedder was in the centre of a hostile crowd where a police officer had been injured and when the police approached he ran away. Fedder was discharged.
Jackson pleaded guilty to using insulting words and behaviour, and police evidence showed that he adopted a fighting attitude at a meeting at Essian Street. Jackson said he was taking the part of his young lady, who had been insulted. He was discharged.
Klein, charged with being armed with an offensive weapon at Stepney Green, was remanded for a week.
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| Hartford Street, Essian Street on the left |
Israel Bercow appeared on a charge of obstructing Chief Inspector Durham in the execution of his duty. Chief Inspector Durham said in consequence of information received he went to Essian Street and stood outside the Fascist headquarters. He saw a crowd of about 50 approach and stop outside the headquarters. They were led by Bercow. Witness heard him say "That's the place. We will wait round the corner." The crowd turned into Hartford Street. Witness told Bercow to go away and not loiter in the vicinity. Bercow said "What is the matter with you, I will stay here if I wish."
"I asked again" said witness "and he struck at me and just caught my cheek - a little scratch. I hit him with my left hand. A police van pulled up and as I was struggling with Bercow, another man got hold of me and tried to stop me. Bercow and the other man were taken into custody." Benjamin Bercow was charged with the same offence. They were both remanded for a week.
Holloway Press - Saturday 10th October 1936.
Magistrate Mr Watson had just dealt with a where Alfred Enfield, who pleaded guilty to assaulting Albert Karpin.
Karpin was summoned for assaulting Miss Betty Hall Trafford. It was described at a previous hearing how a disturbance took place between Fascists, who were selling newspapers and some anti-Fascists, among whom were a number of Jews.
Miss Trafford said she was selling the "Blackshirt" newspaper outside the Regent cinema and after a disturbance , she was going home with a Mr Greenland. There were Fascists in front of her and some behind. Karpin came towards her. He pushed in between her and her friend and struck her with his arm. He hurt her shoulder and she was pushed into a shop window. Karpin denied the allegations and said he was jostled.
PC Coffrey said he saw Karpin jostled and when he was jostled he slipped. He fell against Miss Trafford, but did not make any effort to strike her. Enfield said he struck Karpin because he was furious that Karpin struck Miss Trafford. "I hit him as any decent man would do," he said. Enfield was bound over for six months, the summons against Karpin was dismissed.
Daily Herald - Monday 12th October 1936.
Crowd Throws Child Through Window: Men Slashed: Shops Wrecked: Car Burnt.
Iron Bars And Hatchets Used In Raid.
Men slashed with razors....half a mile of shop windows shattered.....a car overturned and fired.....a man and a little girl hurled bodily through a shop front.....
These were some of the things that happened in a second Sunday of terror in London's East End yesterday. It was one of the worst outbreaks of hooliganism that has been witnessed in London for some years. Fourteen arrests were made during the day. Notwithstanding the events of last Sunday, the Communists held a demonstration at Victoria Park after marching from Tower Hill.
Frenzy Of Destruction.
Despite the appeals of the East End mayors and the Labour and trade unions to stay away from the East End, thousands thronged the streets. The march was orderly enough. It was while the demonstrators were in the park that trouble began. Police were busy there when a sudden raid was made in Mile End Road.
A gang of 150 youths, shouting Fascist slogans, rushed along the road, smashing windows, scattering goods and wrecking stalls in a frenzy of destruction.
Hail Mosley, Down With The Yids.
For more than half a mile they tore along, wrecking every Jewish store they saw; shopkeepers crouched terrified behind their counters. Mr Samuel Jelen, a hairdresser, was hurled through a window. "I went to the door of my shop," he said, "and immediately a crowd of 150 youths rushed towards me. One of them was armed with a large piece of wood and I was struck in the face."
"The crowd was shouting 'Hail Mosley' and various slogans such as 'Down with the Yids.' Before I could get on my feet I was seized by three or four of them, and they lifted me and hurled me through the window of Mr Philip Levy's tailor shop. The glass smashed around me and I was dazed.
"The crowd then picked up a little girl and hurled her after me. Luckily the girl fell on me, otherwise she might have been seriously injured. One or two of the crowd grabbed articles in the window and I saw one youth pull out a length of suiting."
Sticks, Iron Bars and Hatchets.
"They then rushed to the corner of the street, where Mr Levy's car was standing. They swarmed round the car, and in a moment had turned it over. They were armed with sticks, iron bars, hatchets and other weapons. They smashed up the car and one of them broke the petrol tank. The petrol leaked out, and another man threw a match."
"The car went up in a blaze. In the meantime I had got out of the window, somebody took hold of the little girl and carried her to safety. On the way back to my shop I saw shirts, caps and boots and all sorts of other articles taken from the windows strewn about the streets."
Mr Silverman, proprietor of a drapery business said "Youths started to take clothes hanging in front of my shop. My wife tried to stop them but they flung stones at her." Late last night large numbers of police were patrolling the district and other police were held in readiness in mobile vans in side streets.
It was with hundreds of banners and red flags that the anti-Fascist demonstration had formed at Tower Hill. A wireless van gave instructions: "This is to be an orderly march. There must be no disturbance. If there is any fighting to be done the police are here to do it. Nothing must discredit this march." "Where Mosley could not pass we will," was the slogan of the demonstrators.
As the procession moved off, ex-servicemen wearing medals and carrying Union Jacks fell into line behind the band. They marched through Royal Mint Street, into Cable Street - where a barricade was raised last Sunday - across Whitechapel High Street and into Mile End Road. In Grove Road their reception became mixed for the first time. Groups mostly of girls of 16 and 17 shouted jibes.
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| Grove Road and the corner of Green Street now Roman Road |
At the corner of Green Street, Bethnal Green, where the Fascists have their local headquarters, the marshals again gave warning: 'Hold your ranks, never mind what happens, don't retaliate." Behind a double wall of police, were ranged hundreds of youths shouting "Up the Fascists, dirty Yids."
Real trouble began at the gates of Victoria Park. Held back by a semi-circle of police, both mounted and on foot, a hostile crowd had climbed on to parapets and railings. Slices of bacon and rotten apples rained on the vanguard of the procession. "The Yids, the Yids, we've got to get rid of the Yids," was interspersed with "We are the boys of the Bulldog Breed," and the singing of the National Anthem with hands raised in the Fascist salute. After each verse the crowd, altogether, spat on the marchers.
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| The gates into Victoria Park |
Half way down the line, a group broke through the police and charged the procession. Police drew their batons, a brisk fight followed, in which several were "laid out". Three arrests were made. Outside the gates, in the crowd, two men were attacked with razors. They had their faces and hands slashed, and were rushed to Bethnal Green Hospital.
The marchers formed a solid phalanx round two platforms. Marshals linked hands round the square to prevent any attempt to break the ranks. But, on the fringes skirmishes and fights were continually happening. There would be a running fight with scores of mounted and foot police in pursuit. There was rarely any need for the police to draw batons; the disturbers scurried like rabbits, but several people were removed by ambulance.
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| Outside the park - Action 17th October 1936. |
After the meeting the red flags were collected and removed in a van by the organisers themselves, many banners were, however, retained. In the dusk, the march back to Pitfield Street, Shoreditch, began. As soon as the anti-Fascists left the park trouble threatened. Grove Road, through which they were to pass, was blocked and, for about ten minutes, the march was held up while mounted police rode into the crowd, driving it on to the footway. The crowd was preponderantly hostile. The singing of the 10,000 marchers was drowned out in cat calls and counter singing.
Iron Weapons A Foot Long.
Fireworks were flung "whizzbangs" ricocheted among the feet of the marchers causing the horses of the police to rear and back into the thronged ranks. In Green Street, as the procession passed the Fascist headquarters, violence broke out again. Windows, all of them belonging to Jewish shops were smashed. A special force of police mounted guard outside the Blackshirt headquarters and continued to do so throughout the evening. A police motorcyclist stood by to rush for reinforcements if necessary.
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| Corner of Cambridge Road and Bethnal Green Road |
At the corner of Cambridge Road and Bethnal Green Road, a Communist meeting was broken up by men shouting "Get back to Palestine," and "Run, dirty Jews, Hitler's behind you." Iron weapons up to a foot long were used in another clash in the Vallance district of Stepney. Ex-servicemen who had taken part in the march were about to disperse when 50 men attached themselves to the procession and suddenly started shouting "Up with Fascism, down with the Jews."
Two hundred police moved up, shopkeepers rushed to their windows, removed goods, put up shutters. One man produced a sheath knife six inches long, he was tackled by people who saw him brandishing the weapon, police drew their batons. A man was admitted to London Hospital suffering from a broken leg following a clash in Court Street, Whitechapel. A hundred police charged the crowd.
Daily Mirror - Thursday 15th October 1936.
There were no scenes when Sir Oswald Mosley and 5,000 Blackshirts - some of them girls and little children - marched into the East End of London last night. There were 4,000 policemen to see to that.
Police standing shoulder to shoulder lined the approaches to the meeting places. Sir Oswald spoke from a loudspeaker van hemmed in by a solid ring of 600 to 700 policemen. Mounted police kept the roads clear, foot police made a barrier at every side turning and patrol police walked with the procession. And when it was over and the Fascists marched home, 1,000 policemen brought up the rear.
After the actual parade had ended there was one minor demonstration - in Burdett Road, Bow - as a result of which two men were arrested and charged with using insulting words and behaviour.
We Have Passed.
I marched two miles in the Fascist ranks between Bethnal Green and Limehouse. No one, apart from Fascists, was ever allowed within striking distance of the Blackshirt leader. Five thousand people had waited for nearly two hours at Limehouse Town Hall to see Sir Oswald.
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| Limehouse Town Hall |
The crowds stretched far down Salmon Lane and Commercial Road, where many Jews had barricaded their shops. When he arrived a great cheer went up and hundreds gave the Fascist salute.
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| Salmon Lane |
"They said we could not pass," he cried, "but we have passed and we're here to stay." A forest of hands shot into the air in salute as Sir Oswald thundered: "Blackshirts you have given the Communists and Jewry their reply by marching tonight." Long after the Fascists had reached their meeting place the streets of the neighbourhood were a seething mass of people, the turbulence stretching as far away as Burdett Road, Green Street, Bethnal Green and Mile End Road.
East End News and London Shipping Chronicle - Tuesday 20th October 1936.
Philip Markinson was charged at Old Street Police Court with using insulting words and behaviour at Whitechapel High Street the previous day, he pleaded guilty.
A constable said he saw two men running towards the City about 10.20 pm, followed by a large crowd headed by Markinson, who shouted, "Blackshirts, Blackshirts." Overtaking the younger of the two men, Markinson struck him about the head, causing him to fall to the ground, and then attacked the second man. Witness arrested him.
There was considerable disorder and further police were necessary to control the crowd.
Markinson - I had just finished business and was going towards Aldgate when I got pushed into a crowd and was kicked. I remember using the language which the officer said I did and I am sorry. He was bound over for 12 months.
Hampstead News - Tuesday 29th October 1936.
Wild Scenes At Hampstead Fascist Rally, Surging Crowds Threaten Blackshirts.
For fully an hour before the commencement of the meeting crowds began to gather outside the Town Hall. For the most part it was a silent crowd, but it appeared to be a menacing, even sinister silence. The people were continually moved on by foot and mounted police, it being estimated that there were some 200 police on duty.
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| Hampstead Town Hall |
The hall itself was crowded. Blackshirt stewards were ranged all round the walls and two uniformed "stormtroopers", bearing Union Jack and Fascist standards, stood one either side of the speaker throughout his address. Mr William Joyce held the platform for over two and a half hours. For the first half hour or so there was little else but disorder, but after a number of interrupters had been ejected following some wild scenes of disturbance, he went on to speak for over an hour and then, after a brief rest, he answered questions for nearly another hour. It was a remarkable feat of endurance.
Crowd's Ugly Temper.
When the Fascist column, headed by their standard bearers, left the Town Hall at the conclusion of the meeting to march to their headquarters in Belsize Lane nearby, the waiting crowd outside had grown to very considerable proportions, being estimated at about a thousand. Opposite pavements were thickly packed with men and women who were kept continually on the move by foot and mounted police, while hundreds were at the windows of adjoining houses and flats.
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| Belsize Lane, Hampstead |
An ugly temper manifested itself, the Fascists being greeted with booing and jeers while there were many cries of "Down with Fascism" and "Down with the black rats!"
A concerted move forward was intercepted by a strong line of police, but the crowd surged after the marching Fascists as they turned into Belsize Lane and a cordon of foot police was thrown across the entrance to their headquarters, while police troopers rode in among the crowds and on to the pavements driving them back. Four people were arrested for using insulting words and behaviour and obstruction.
East London Observer - Saturday 31st October 1936.
Duckett Street Meeting.
Sir, I would to know what our boasted freedom and democracy in England is coming to.
On Tuesday evening last week at 9.30pm I was passing by Duckett Street where an anti-Fascist meeting was being held. The opposition had resorted to singing songs and shouting slogans about Mosley. I suppose in order to try and get the meeting broken up.
Suddenly without any warning a policeman accompanied by an Inspector, rushed over to the platform and started to push it over with the speaker still on it. When he tried to protest against this rough treatment for no apparent reason he was told to shut up or else he would be taken into custody.
I believe that the usual custom when the police wish to close a meeting is to inform the speaker of their decision first and if he does not adhere to their request, they are at liberty to rush the platform. As this warning was not given to the speaker, I therefore feel that I must voice my disgust as a democratic Englishwoman against these actions of our police.
I hope that the organisation still carries on in spite of this Blackshirt and police hooliganism. I also hope that the proper authorities will curb the actions of the police. BRITISHER.
Eastern Post - Saturday 7th November 1936.
At Thames Police Court Mark Klein, a tailors cutter of Pole Street, Stepney, was charged with being in possession of an offensive weapon, a shoe maker's rasp, with intent to commit a felonious act.
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| Redman's Road and Stepney Green |
Chief Inspector Durham stated that he and other officers were patrolling the Stepney Green district in a motor car when they saw a crowd of about 40 persons assembled at the corner of Stepney Green and Redman's Road. Upon the approach of the car the persons began to move away and Klein, who was in the rear of the crowd, bent down and placed something on the doorstep of a public house. Witness left the car and picked up an iron rasp. Klein ran away and was pursued by the officers and caught, he said "I did it to be flash, I did it out of bravado."
Klein admitted he had the rasp in his possession. He said that two weeks prior when in White Horse Street with his young lady, she asked him where the Fascist headquarters were. He told her they were just around the corner and someone jumped out and said "What have you got against the Blackshirts?"
He said he had nothing against them and walked on, but the man and his companions insulted his young lady and eventually he had a fight with one of the men. He was getting the better of it when one of the others joined in and stabbed him in the chest with a pen knife. So he took the rasp with him as a weapon of defence in case he was attacked again.
Mr Harris in discharging Klein said, "Don't be a fool and carry this sort of thing about, you don't require a defensive weapon if you keep out of trouble. Take my advice and don't have anything to do with politics at all - Fascist, Communist or anything else".
Daily News - Monday 23rd November 1936.
Enormous crowds thronged the streets of Bethnal Green last night when Sir Oswald Mosley and a bagpipe band headed a procession of about 1,000 Blackshirts (including 100 uniformed girls).
At Cambridge Road mounted police charged a group of demonstrators. Later in the same area the police arrested two men. A woman and a child were hurt slightly during a police charge.
Eastern Post - Saturday 28th November 1936.
Charges arising out of a Fascist procession in Bethnal Green were heard at Old Street Police Court on Monday. Joseph Morrison (18) of 7 Queens Buildings, Bethnal Green was charged with using insulting behaviour in Bethnal Green Road.
PC Brittain 257H, stated that at about 9.15pm he was on duty in Bethnal Green Road, accompanying a Fascist procession when he saw prisoner standing on the footway selling papers known as "Advance". When the procession approached he saw prisoner step off the kerb and attempt to strike one of the Fascists. Prisoner said it was untrue that he attempted to strike anyone.
Prisoner said "Did you see anyone strike me on the face?"
The officer - No.
Prisoner was ordered to pay 40s or one month imprisonment.
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| Bethnal Green Road |
Albert Alabaster (17) of Ivy Lane, Shoreditch, was charged with insulting words and behaviour at Bethnal Green Road and wantonly throwing a bundle of papers to the danger of persons.
PC Naughlin stated that at the Fascist procession prisoner was standing behind some other people and said "Come on boys, let them have it" and threw a handful of literature, hitting one of the marchers.
The magistrate asked if prisoner was in work, to which the answer was yes. Then get back to work, he said, and what you really need is a jolly good hiding, come back here and I will send you to gaol.
There were also charges against Julius Segal (20) of Weaver Street, Bethnal Green, of using insulting words and behaviour and wilfully damaging the window of an omnibus to the value of 15 shillings.
PC Scrannay 554H gave evidence, at about 10pm in Green Street, Bethnal Green, west bound traffic was about to move when witness saw prisoner in the centre of the road and heard him shouting "Down with the Blackshirts". Prisoner then struck the window of an omnibus.
Prisoner stated that he got carried away in the heat of the moment.
For insulting behaviour he was fined 20s, for the damage 1s and 15s costs.
Daily Herald - Saturday 12th December 1936.
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| White Horse Lane |
Wild scenes occured after Sir Oswald Mosley had addressed a crowd of Blackshirts at Duckett Street, Stepney last night. Men smashed the windows and broke down the door of the Blue and White Shirts headquarters - an anti-Fascist organisation - and stools and chairs were thrown about.
The Blue and White Shirts defended their headquarters and in the scuffle one Jew, Frederick Freeman, was injured and taken to London Hospital. Several windows in White Horse Lane were smashed and an elderly Jewish woman was knocked to the ground.
Westminster & Pimlico News - Friday 5th February 1937.
At Thames Police Court on Monday Arthur Leonard Mason of Pimlico and Coleman Price of Stepney, were charged on remand under the Public Order Act 1936, with insulting behaviour whereby a breach of the peace might have been occasioned in Ben Johnson Road, Stepney.
Mr Carse prosecuted, Mr Thorburn appeared for Mason and Mr Wiggins for Price. Prisoners pleaded not guilty.
Inspector Yeomans said that at 12.45 pm on 24th January defendants were fighting in the centre of a crowd. As there appeared to be a possibility of a general disturbance he arrested prisoners. Price said, "he kicked me," but Mason said nothing. The crowd was very hostile towards witness and some of the people kept tugging at him. They didn't like his stopping the fight.
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| Durham Row, Stepney |
In the witness box, Mason said he was "banged" in the back by Price and knocked to his knees, Price ran down Durham Row after another man and witness jumped up, "in a bit of a temper," and dashed after him. He caught up with Price, who had hold of a man and asked, "what the hell" he was doing. The next moment he was either pushed or kicked in the back and he fell to the ground. While he was lying there Price kicked him three times, once in the face. The next thing he knew was that the Inspector had hold of his arm. He had suffered from osteo-myelitis in his right arm and had been operated upon, so the arm was useless for anything but writing. He denied that he kicked Price.
In reply to Mr Carse, Mason said he visited Stepney every day in connection with political work, but this occured on a Sunday.
Cross examined Mason said he did clerical work for the BUF.
Mr Wiggins: What is the BUF doing in a street practically Jewish?
Mason: There are Gentiles there as well.
Mr William Allison said a man carrying a barrel slipped - accidentally or otherwise - and the barrel fell onto an egg stall (destroying 900 eggs). The man ran away and Price and another man gave chase. Mason was standing talking and as Price reached him he seemed to swerve deliberately and knock Mason down. Mason then got up and ran after Price. Price turned and it seemed as though his foot came up and Mason fell to the ground.
In the witness box Price said that during the morning men were selling "The Blackshirt" near his father's shop and stall and were shouting remarks to which he objected. A police officer arrived and moved the men and about ten minutes later he heard his father shout "stop him". He then felt a blow on the back of the neck and turning saw Mason who said "leave him alone you Jew," and struck him again. He then caught hold of Mason and held him until the police arrived.
A fine of 5s was imposed on each prisoner.
Croydon Times - Wednesday 10th March 1937.
A dispute in a Croydon newsagent's shop when a youth asked for a copy of a Fascist newspaper was followed by a case at Croydon Borough Police Court, when the newsagent was fined for assault. Defendant was Jack Arthur Chiswick, he pleaded not guilty.
The youth, who was stated to be sixteen years of age, said in evidence that he was returning from church on 28th February, when he decided to buy a copy of "Blackshirt." He liked to read all points of view. He went into Mr Chiswick's shop and asked for a copy, but Mr Chiswick said "we don't sell comic papers here."
Witness wondered whether defendant understood him and said "pardon?" Mr Chiswick repeated the answer and told witness to get out, saying that he did not want his sort here.
Witness replied, "that' is not a nice thing to say." He took witness by the shoulders and started to push him out of the shop. Witness pushed Mr Chiswick back and received a violent blow on the jaw from his fist.
Mr Chiswick (cross examining): Are you a member of the Blackshirts at all? - No, I have no connection with them.
Didn't you attempt to strike me first - No. I pushed you back.
Mr Chiswick in defence said that two or three times since before Christmas he had found on his windows, in the early morning, slogans such as "Mosley Next Time," "Britain First," and "Don't Buy From Jews." The Blackshirt was a Fascist newspaper and the defendant would not have it.
The Chairman said the bench were satisfied that there had been at least a technical assault and a fine of 10s would be imposed. As he left the court Mr Chiswick shook hands with the complainant and his father.
The Blackshirt - 13th March 1937.
Mr Moir, a well known Blackshirt speaker and writer who has been with the British Union since its inception, was severely injured on the evening of polling day while waiting with two friends outside Mile End Baths to hear the result.
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| Mile End Baths. |
One of the three was a lady who, while separated from the crowd, was attacked by a party of Jews. Mr Moir and Mr Saunders, who was with him, went to her assistance and they were both attacked. They were knocked down and badly kicked by the crowd before the police could get to their aid.
Medical certificates supplied to this office show that both are still in bed under medical supervision and are suffering from concussion and severe internal injuries. We are informed that there is great danger that Mr Moir may lose the sight of one of his eyes.
Plucky Cadet Injured.
A Fascist Cadet was waylaid by two Jews in an outlying London suburb. Lacking even the courage to attack him face to face with the odds in their favour, his assailants allowed him to pass, struck the young member down from behind, then kicked his ribs, back and face as he lay on the ground.
Catching one of his attackers by the ankle, the cadet dragged him to the ground and knocked him unconscious after a savage struggle. The other one was then ignominiously chased for a considerable distance but managed to cut open his pursuers scalp with the buckle of a belt when nearly cornered.
The victim had to have several stitches inserted in his wounds, as well as to be confined to bed as a result of internal injuries received from being kicked once more on falling from this blow.
Daily Herald - Monday 19th April 1937.
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| Salmon Lane, Limehouse |
A number of men and women marched through the east end of London yesterday collecting food and money for the Government troops in Spain. At Salmon Lane, Limehouse, they met a counter demonstration of Blackshirts and a hurried SOS brought scores of police in cars and tenders. Mounted police cleared the streets.
Police shepherded the Blackshirts into a side street where the Blackshirts were pelted with refuse by people who supported the marchers. Three arrests were made.
East End News and London Shipping Chronicle - Tuesday 20th April 1937.
Disturbances in the East End led to the appearance at Old Street Police Court on Thursday of Dora Plotsky (17), on a charge of using insulting behaviour at Vallance Road. She pleaded not guilty.
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| Vallance Road, Whitechapel |
PC Smith said that when on duty at Whitechapel Road at 10.15 pm on Wednesday a contingent of the "Blackshirt Party" marched through, followed by a hostile crowd. They turned into Vallance Road and after a short time he heard police whistles being blown. With other officers he ran into Vallance Road and saw general fighting taking place.
Polsky, he alleged, was fighting with a woman and was separated by an inspector who told her to go away. A young man also tried to get her away but she refused and was taken into custody.
Replying to the magistrate, the officer said a general melee was taking place outside St. Peter's Hospital. Plotsky's aunt told the magistrate that the girl saw a large crowd and went to see what was happening.
Binding Plotsky over to be of good behaviour for 12 months, the magistrate said she had behaved foolishly.
Daily Mirror - Thursday 22nd April 1937.
Fighting broke out in St. George's High Street, Shadwell, last night, when about 600 Blackshirts, marching to the Limehouse headquarters, passed an anti-Fascist meeting. Police soon cleared the fighters and one arrest was made.
East London Observer - Saturday 24th April 1937.
An alleged attack on a Fascist in Whitehorse Street, Stepney, on Sunday 28th March, was the subject of proceedings at Thames Police Court on Monday.
Phillip Price (50) a grocer of Durham Row, Stepney, was charged with using insulting words and behaviour, whereby a breach of the peace may have been occasioned and with causing grievous bodily harm to Henry Quinnell, of Hartford Street, Stepney, by striking him on the head with a blunt instrument.
Mr Harrington appeared for Price and pleaded not guilty.
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| Whitehorse Road |
Mr J Williams, prosecuting, said the case arose out of one of the unfortunate meetings in the East End. About 2 pm on 28th March, Quinnell, who was a member of the BUF, left the Fish and Ring public house in Whitehorse Street (now Road), with three companions, two of whom were also members of the BUF. They walked along Whitehorse Street towards Ben Jonson Road and passed Price, his two sons and his daughter, who were in the middle of the road near their shop. Price was known to Quinnell, having had arguments of a political nature with him in the past.
After the men had passed, it was alleged that Price shouted "come back, you Blackshirt ----'s," and as a result an affray arose in which Price and his two sons were concerned. No one knew exactly what happened, but the other two members of the BUF alleged that Price struck Quinnell on the back of the head with a brass weight, with the result that Quinnell fell to the ground unconscious, suffering from a wound on the back of the head.
That was corroborated to some extent by two independent witnesses. A man stated that he saw someone strike another man on the head with a brass weight, whilst a woman said that she saw Price throw a brass weight into the doorway of his shop, the door of which was immediately closed.
Subsequently, further fighting broke out in Whitehorse Street and Price was seen in a fighting attitude shouting "Blackshirt ------'s!" He was arrested and when charged said "I was not fighting. They insulted me."
Quinnell, in evidence, said it was generally known he was a member of the BUF. He did not see Price at all on that afternoon, but passed Price's two sons. He heard a shout and turned. He saw accused's sons behind and resumed his journey. Then he received a blow on the back of his head, but he did not know who or what hit him.
Cross examined by Mr Harrington, witness denied that he had been responsible for chalking abusive things outside the Price's shop and that he went to the shop on 21st March and shouted abuse.
He denied that he hit Price's son Coleman and then "sparred up" to the three Prices.
Price was remanded for a week.
Holloway Press - Saturday 24th April 1937.
Letter - Vincit Omnia Veritas, Filey Avenue.
I attended the Fascist meeting at the Athenaeum on 31st March, because I thought I would like to see what happened myself.
When I arrived, I noticed the opposition meeting in progress and stopped for a moment to listen to the speaker, who was dealing very effectively with the part played by Jew baiting in Fascist policy. The leaflets that I saw being distributed would be the last thing I would describe as provocative, they were sound expositions of the failures and danger of Fascism.
The hall was about a quarter full, the bulk of the audience consisting of Blackshirts and were not therefore, those for whom the meeting was intended. One or two in the audience objected to the speaker's attacks on Jews and one man who was asked to leave, was viciously assaulted by the stewards as he was leaving the hall.It was a disgusting sight and uproar broke out, the speaker vainly shouting for silence.
East London Observer - Saturday 24th April 1937.
Scenes that occured during a Communist march at Limehouse on Sunday afternoon, when the police had to make a baton charge, were described to the Thames magistrate Mr J. Harris on Monday.
Three young Stepney men were charged under the new Public Order Act with using insulting words and behaviour whereby a breach of the peace may have been occasioned.
The incidents occured in Salmon Lane, Limehouse. John Bull (17) pleaded guilty to breaking the window of a van in a Communist procession with a belt, shouting "Down with the dirty Jews, smash them up, the filthy rats." A fine of 20s was imposed.
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| Salmon Lane |
Police officers accompanying the procession along Salmon Lane said John Smithers (26) and some companions walking alongside, throwing missiles and shouting insults, when charged Smithers said "I am a Britisher and they are flying the red flag, all I shouted was red rats!". In his possession were found two BUF membership cards. PC McEwan said that Smithers shouted "You fucking Yids, not a Union Jack amongst you!" The remarks caused great resentment amongst the members of the procession, many of whom were Jews and some ladies. Smithers was fined 40s or one month.
William Sheen (24) pleaded not guilty. As the procession neared the junction with Galt Street oranges, cabbages and stones were being thrown at the bugle band. Inspector Watt ran to the corner of the street and saw a crowd of men running towards the procession. He placed a cordon of officers across the entrance and shouted to the crowd to go back. Sheen, who was standing on the footway, gave the Fascist salute and waved to the crowd with his arm shouting "Smash them up!".
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| Salmon Lane |
Witness again shouted to the crowd to go back and as they pressed forward he ordered his officers to draw their truncheons and drive them back. Then the crowd started to run and he gave chase and caught Sheen. When charged Sheen said "They wouldn't let us march the other night and we will not let them march today".
Sheen denied he said "Smash them up" adding "What I did say was 'Down with the red rag! Up with the Union Jack!' I think that is an Englishman's privilege. If that is a crime, I don't know what this country's coming to". Sheen was bound over in the sum of 40s for 12 months.
Another man Joseph Carter (31) pleaded guilty to using insulting words and behaviour. It was stated that he used abusive words to the procession saying "Down with the dirty Jews!" and refused to go away. A fine of 7s was imposed.
Daily Mirror - Wednesday 5th May 1937.
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| Royal Mint Street |
Police drew batons, charged struggling crowds in East London last night, when Jews led a march against a Blackshirt rally in Royal Mint Street.
Thousands streamed along Whitechapel High Street, excited by the rallying cry of "Mosley is marching East again!" Police tenders rushed hundreds of men to the meeting place. Mounted officers helped them to stem the onrushing crowds, to force them into side streets.
Repeated charges kept the crowds at the meeting from engaging the Blackshirts in a battle like those of last October. One Jewish boy of about fourteen was flung through a shop doorway when he heckled a speaker.
After the meeting Mosley's men marched to their headquarters in Essian Street, Limehouse, singing Fascist marching songs.
East End News and London Shipping Chronicle - Friday 7th May 1937.
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| Burdett Road |
Organised by the London Unity Campaign Committee, the meeting was held at the "Salmon and Ball", Cambridge Road, Bethnal Green, as an anti-Fascist demonstration on the occasion of Sir Oswald Mosley's Blackshirt march through the East End and his meeting at Victoria Park Square.
So huge was the crowd that the Fascist march to Victoria Park Square was diverted along Burdett Road and the march away from Mosley's meeting at the close, had to be abandoned.
Action - 8th May 1937.
Glasshouse Street, Stepney, was the scene of another great meeting on Tuesday evening. Just before 8 pm a Blackshirt loudspeaker unit and members of the Limehouse and Bethnal Green Districts arrived and Mick Clark addressed a large crowd.
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| Glasshouse Street, Stepney |
The meeting was perfectly orderly. Some Jews ranged themselves at the back of the crowd and started to set up a series of cat calls and tried to sing the Internationale. Their efforts were ineffective and the police decided that they were liable to cause a breach of the peace and very soon cleared them out.
The meeting was closed with the singing of the National Anthem and the majority of the crowd joined in, the singing drowned out a half hearted attempt by the few remaining comrades to screech out the words of the "Red Flag."
At the order of the police there was no march back and so the residence of Whitechapel and Aldgate who had come out to create trouble were deprived of the pleasure of being provoked by the Union Jack. Also, by police request, the Blackshirts refrained from singing their marching song.
It is amusing to compare what actually happened with the highly coloured and imaginative reports which appeared in the Daily Mirror on Wednesday. Just to take one example of the easily proven lies from this report: "One Jewish boy of about fourteen was flung through a shop doorway when he heckled a speaker." There are no shops in Glasshouse Street where the meeting was held!
The Mirror, however, admits that Jews tried to organise a march to break up this meeting of Britons and create a disturbance. We bring that fact to the notice of Sir John Simon.
East End News and London Shipping Chronicle - Friday 21st May 1937.
After proceedings occupying several hearings, Phillip Price (50), a grocer of Durham Row, Stepney, was discharged by Mr John Harris, the Thames Police Court Magistrate, last week, when he appeared on remand on charges of causing grievous bodily harm to Harry Quinnell, by striking him with a blunt instrument. (see above)
When the proceedings were resumed on Monday, Mr J Harrington, who appeared for Price, drew the magistrate's attention to a letter which he stated Price had received. He said the letter was full of filthy abuse and contained the passage, "I am a Blackshirt and British and I will get a crowd together and have you and your yellow Jewish sons."
In the witness box, Price said he had carried on business in White Horse Street for nearly 30 years. On the afternoon in question, he was checking up his till when there was a knock on the shop door. He opened it and saw outside his son (Coleman), a man named Smithers and Quinnell. Smithers then hit his son behind the chin with his fist.
In the centre of the road were about 10 to 15 young men, most of them Blackshirts. Smithers continued "sparring up" to Coleman and then one of the men shouted, "look up, here come the cops!" Whereupon they all began to run away towards Ben Johnson Road. Coleman chased them a short distance, but he did not see what happened after that.
He did not hit Quinnell at all and he did not know how Quinnell got his injury. Later, a police officer arrived. There were a lot of people there, shouting and using bad language and the officer asked him why he did not go inside the shop. He explained that he had shut the door after him and the keys were on the inside and he asked the officer to escort him home. The officer took him to the station.
After considering his decision during the luncheon interval, Mr Harris discharged Price and also dismissed two assault summonses brought by Coleman Price against Quinnell and the man Smithers.
The Blackshirt - 12th June 1937.
The Battle Of St. Marylebone.
St. Marylebone District broke new ground on Tuesday evening, holding a meeting at Maple Street, Cleveland Street. An audience of several hundred assembled. Great support was forthcoming from the British section of the audience, which was a small minority.
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| The corner of Maple Street and Cleveland Street |
W Cooper spoke from 8.30 to 9.30 when, so infuriated at the sympathy that the speaker was getting from his own people, and having been unable by interruption to impede the meeting, the mob showed how little they understand the traditions of the country in which they are guests, that an onrush overwhelmed the two stewards and the platform collapsed. The police then closed the meeting.
When walking away, several English working women shook the hands of the Blackshirts and asked them to come again. An enormous crowd followed the handful of Blackshirts back to Wells Street, mouthing epithets whose origin may be found in mid-European ghettoes.
So ended the first battle in this part of the St. Marylebone to recover Britain for the British.
East End News and London Shipping Chronicle - Tuesday 15th June 1937.
"This perpetual quarrelling between Communists and Fascists has got to be stopped and if fines won't stop it imprisonment will be used. I shall use it without hesitation and your friends had better know it."
Mr John Harris, the Thames Magistrate, uttered this warning when imposing fines of 40s upon Joseph Milchard and Ronald Altrock, who were charged under the Public Order Act with using insulting words and behaviour at Cable Street, Shadwell, the previous evening. Both pleaded not guilty.
PC Christie stated that he was accompanying a Communist procession through Cable Street and outside St George's Hall he saw the defendants engaged in a heated argument. Milchard was in the road and Altrock on the footway.
Milchard shouted at Altrock "you Blackshirt ----!" and the two men started to fight furiously on the pavement. He separated them and told them he was going to arrest them, where upon Milchard said "he called me a Communist ----!"
PC Bryant, who corroborated, said he heard Altrock call out something at the procession out of which Milchard sprang. Milchard contended the police evidence was "all lies," whilst Altrock said nothing.
Mr Harris observed that there was nothing to choose between them. "I don't know whether you men know it," he added, "but for this offence you can be sent to prison for three years or be fined up to £50."
Arthur Saunders (18) and a 15 year old lad were charged with similar offences in Mile End Road. Saunders pleaded guilty and the lad not guilty.
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| Eric Street |
PC Potter stated that he saw the two defendants struggling in a crowd and hitting out at "all and sundry." Apparently the trouble started at a meeting in Eric Street. The young lad denied he was fighting and Saunders said he happened to "bash into" the other defendant and there was a skirmish in the crowd round them. Saunders admitted he was a member of the BUF, but he was not at the meeting which was being held by that organisation in Eric Street.
The charges against the lad were dismissed and Saunders was discharged under the Probation Of Offenders Act.
Eastern Post - Saturday 19th June 1937.
At Old Street Police Court Arthur Clarke (brother of area chief E.G 'Mick' Clarke) of 275 Cornfield Street, Bethnal Green was charged with using insulting words and behaviour and assaulting Abraham Rosenbloom, he pleaded not guilty to assault.
At about 11.30pm Rosenbloom was approaching a newspaper seller at the Salmon and Ball public house, and when he was a few yards away prisoner came from the opposite direction and witness was surprised to see him take up a fighting attitude towards the newspaper seller. When he got closer Clarke turned on him and dealt him a blow on the jaw.
Prisoner stated on oath that he was talking to some friends when someone called him a filthy Blackshirt. He lost his temper and chased the man. In the rush he might have struck Mr Rosenbloom, but it was not deliberate. Prisoner was bound over.
Daily Herald - Saturday 26th June 1937.
Scores of police were last night rushed in lorries from outlying districts to Green Street, Bethnal Green, where a crowd of men and women, who believed that a Blackshirt had been arrested were demonstrating.
The crowd surged up and down Green Street, bringing traffic to a standstill and police patrols cars, with loud speakers, were sent to control them. For nearly two hours the crowds sang Fascist marching songs. Many of them had come from Hoxton, Shoreditch, Stepney and Hackney.
Petitions protesting against the "arrest" were drawn up and signatures were obtained. A Jewish speaker, on his way to another meeting, was surrounded, but the police escorted him to safety. Later the Blackshirt who was supposed to have been arrested went to the Fascist headquarters in Green Street followed by a crowd, which then dispersed.
Arising out of the demonstration two men will appear at Old Street Police Court today.
Daily News - Wednesday 21st July 1937.
Following the News Chronicle disclosure that Labour MP's are making serious allegations against the police handling of political meetings in the East End the National Council for Civil Liberties held a meeting in the House of Commons last night to consider eyewitness accounts of disturbances at a Stepney Green meeting on 14th July.
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| Stepney Green |
Police made eight arrests at the meeting, which was arranged by the BUF, following are extracts from the eyewitness accounts.
(1) The wife and myself were present when two or three people were taken into custody for no other cause than for attempting to ask the speaker a question. The people in the vicinity were naturally indignant at this conduct on the part of the police and shouted to the Blackshirts to go home.
At about 9.20 pm I heard an inspector tell the police to show the crowd that they (the police) were still masters of the streets. The police then started to push and jostle men and women about without the least provocation. It seemed that a riot was about to take place...
I saw a police inspector push a young man who did not move fast enough. The inspector seemed to lose his head and drew his baton and struck him. This seemed to be the signal for all the police to draw batons and strike at anyone who happened to be within reach.
(2) On Wednesday, 14th July, I went to Stepney Green and found that a meeting run by the Fascists was in progress. The people, who numbered many hundreds, were very hostile to them....
Any person who asked a question was unceremoniously bundled out by the police and this increased the opposition of the people. At about 9.20 the meeting closed and then, without any warning, the police charged.
I saw a plain clothes officer strike the young man Levy and then six or seven police officers charged into the crowd and seizing Levy, threw him to the ground. He was beaten in a disgusting manner and when people told them to be decent the police swore at them. The young inspector who was there called out "out with your batons boys, smash them up."
It was stated at yesterday's meeting that Levy - full name Alfred Levy, aged 19 - is still in Mile End Hospital.
(3) As questions were asked the police prevented the person asking them and pushed them out of the crowd to the back or arrested them. I said to one policeman "why don't you stop the meeting. It looks as if there's going to be trouble." I thought this because the speaker kept on talking about the Jewish People and the police kept interfering with people who asked questions. The policeman said to me "if you don't like it go home."
At the end of the meeting the Fascist speaker got down and the next thing I saw the people were running in the direction of Stepney Green Buildings and the police after them, pushing. I could not run as I wasn't feeling well and as I am pregnant.
As I was walking away - I was making for the railings to hold on to them - I saw a man lying by the railings on the ground. I was a few paces away from him. Some policemen were holding his legs and others were punching him from all sides. I heard people say "it's Alfie Levy."
I was horrified, as I had never seen policemen behave like that. I called out "Oh my God! Leave him alone. You're killing him!" A policeman came up to me with his truncheon held up threatening me. I said "Don't you touch me, I am a pregnant woman..."
(4) The meeting was badly heckled. Considering it was a Fascist meeting it was to be expected in a Jewish area. Questions were asked, but were suppressed by the police manhandling anyone who asked such a question.
I saw police bang into a boy and later arrest him. The crowd strongly protested against such action and gathered round the police car. The police then, perhaps fearing trouble, started to manhandle some of the crowd without provocation at all.
East London Observer - Saturday 24th July 1937.
"In this country the expression of political views is free, but the law will always take the same view of hooliganism and the smashing of windows. It will not regard it lightly."
Mr Dickson, the Thames magistrate, made these observations on Monday, when he fined four Stepney youths for being concerned together in smashing three windows at East Smithfield.
John Lenke (22) of Wellclose Square was fined £5: Ronald Altrock (17) and Joseph Hartigan (17) both of Peabody Buildings, Glasshouse Street were each fined 40s and a 16 year old youth was fined 20s. In addition they were each ordered to pay £2 10s 6d towards the cost of the damaged windows.
Det. Sergeant Casey stated that Altrock was recently fined for fighting with a Communist march through Stepney an in addition to the fine Altrock was bound over in the sum of £20 for 12 months and ordered to find a surety in the same amount. Mr Dickson said that he was not prepared to accept as a surety anyone actively associated with a political party.
Hartigan, when arrested, was alleged to have said "it's all right, they are only Jew's windows." Det. Sergeant Casey stated that the windows of the shop had been broken on two previous occasions and special observation was kept. Other windows in the neighbourhood had also been broken, but none since the arrest of the defendants.
All the defendants had very good characters. Lenke was an ex-member and Hartigan a member of the BUF. A solicitor said Altrock was prepared to join a boy's club and give up roaming the streets.
East London Observer - Saturday 24th July 1937.
George Kernott pleaded not guilty at Thames Police Court on Thursday to assaulting Miss Jean Benjamin.
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| Essian Street |
Mr Collard, who appeared for Miss Benjamin, said the matter had a political origin. About 11 pm on 13th July, Miss Benjamin and other members of the Young Communists League were whitewashing meeting notices on the pavement in Essian Street. Kernott, who was apparently a Fascist, approached with some other men and without any provocation, rushed at Miss Benjamin as she was kneeling down in the road and kicked the pail of whitewash. The contents went over her, damaging her clothing, whilst some went into her eyes. She was taken to hospital and was unable to work for a week.
Kernott denied the allegations and said he was in a house at Conder Street, Limehouse at the material time. He suggested that the reason he had been summoned was that Miss Benjamin knew he was a Blackshirt and he lived near to her. Not being able to catch anyone Miss Benjamin and her party decided to get him for it.
Mr Thomas Schofield said that Kernott was in his company at Conder Street from 10.30 pm till 11.45 pm on the 13th July.
Mr Collard said that the woman who took care of Miss Benjamin after the incident was afraid to attend court as a witness.
Mr Dickson said he had no doubt at all about Kernott's guilt and he did not accept Schofield's evidence. He fined Kernott 10s and ordered him to pay 30s compensation to Miss Benjamin and one guinea costs.
Daily News - Friday 6th August 1937.
Jews and Blackshirts: Facts From The Inside, First Hand Investigation In East End.
Life In A Gangster Atmosphere.
What is the truth behind the repeated reports of dangerous tension between Jew and Gentile in the East End of London? Who is responsible? What is the remedy? For weeks these questions have been repeated with ever increasing anxiety. The News Chronicle, determined to find out the truth and sent an investigator to live in the East End.
Here is his report:
On Monday last I took lodgings with a Jewish family in a back street in Stepney off the Mile End Road. For three days and nights I have lived in an atmosphere of hatred, suspicion and fear which has to be felt to be believed.
Fresh In Every Jewish Mind.
The Jewish fear of Blackshirts. The violence and terrorism which swept the East End last autumn, when dozens of windows were smashed, a car was set on fire and a number of Jews suffered personal assault, are still fresh in every Jewish mind.
Some half dozen well authenticated assaults during the past month or two have reminded them that the danger is not yet over. It has been established in the courts that at least one of these assaults was the work of a Blackshirt; the Jews are satisfied that the others were their handiwork too.
The atmosphere in Stepney is electric. On Wednesday night I walked into a street fight between two women, a Jewess and a Gentile in Stepney Green, which had flared up because the Jewess had heard the Gentile drop an uncomplimentary remark to her daughter about Jews as they passed.
Dare Not Give Their Names.
It is significant that nearly every Jew with whom I talked during my inquiry made me promise not to publish his name. The "gangster" atmosphere is so strong that physical reprisals are feared by those who talk.
I discovered that there are streets through which Jews will not pass either in the daytime or at night for fear of insult or worse. I discovered that Mr S, choosing his route from point A to point B, would take not the quickest, but the safest, itinerary. Duckett Street, regarded as a Fascist stronghold, is avoided by Jews like the plague. Whitehorse Street, formanly a flourishing market, has lost a lot of it's trade because Jewish women no longer dare to do their shopping there.
Curfew Comes With The Dusk.
Many Jewish women regard nightfall as a curfew. Jews talk in undertones in the streets. Suspicious scrutiny of faces is the order of the day. Some Jews have been forced to move away from the "black spots" altogether; others, more fortunate, have thankfully left the district.
I talked to a Jewish ex-policeman who now keeps a shop in the Mile End Road. He showed me the truncheon which he keeps always ready on a shelf in case of attack. A woman living in a house not far from my lodgings has been sleeping in her front room with a chopper by her side. There can be no doubt that Blackshirts have been mainly responsible for this situation.
Anti-Semitism has always been latent in the district, but those who know the area well tell me that in general Jews and Gentiles lived amicably together as neighbours until the Blackshirts descended upon them.
Spark Fanned By Fascists.
The spark of racial animosity has been fanned by the Fascists to a fire and it is still being fed. I can best illustrate the point, I think, by recording what passed at a Blackshirt meeting which I attended at Victoria Park Square, Bethnal Green, last Tuesday.
Remember the setting. Jews were walking in the vicinity. Within earshot of the powerful loud speakers attached to the Blackshirt van, hundreds of Jews were sitting at their windows. For twenty minutes they had to listen to a rabid attack upon their race. Among the phrases which fell from the speaker's lips were:
"Horde of Ghetto boys", "A system that will put the Jew in his proper place", "The Jews have taught us to hate them", "Jews who have already abused our hospitality", "They nauseate", "All the vile methods of the East End, typical of the Ghetto", "Methods of the Ghetto by the scum of the Ghetto of East London", "Vile filth of democratic Jewish machinery", "No organisation that hates the Jews more than I loathe them myself", "Small minority of greasy old Shylocks".
While Police Took Notes.
Police stenographers took a note of this meeting. These phrases are presumably recorded in their notes. A Jew accompanied me to the meeting. He was an ex-serviceman who had fought in the war shoulder to shoulder with Gentiles. He was shaking with anger which he could hardly restrain.
Daily News - Monday 30th August 1937.
The Blackshirts threaten to make a public bonfire of several thousand copies of the News Chronicle. That is splendid news. It is an honour to be burnt by Blackshirts. Furthermore, it increases circulation - by the thousand copies burnt and also the many more thousands which will be bought next day to see what it is to which these gentry object so strongly.
Perhaps the Blackshirts would like to make a practice of burning the News Chronicle at all their meetings? Nobody would be better pleased than we.
The Blackshirt - 11th September 1937.
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| East Acton Lane |
As he moved away after the meeting, one man barred his way and another came up behind him and hit him in the face. The incident has won us great support from, many people who have now seen a typical example of "Red" hooliganism.
Daily Mirror - Monday 4th October 1937.
Barricades and barbed wire entanglements, reared in the streets of South London yesterday, were pulled down by police, while anti-Fascist demonstrators, retreating before repeated baton charges, stoned Sir Oswald Mosley's Blackshirt marchers. There were 111 arrests and thirty people were injured.
Fire engines were called out as a precautionary measure and amid the jeers of the mob, firemen uncoiled the hoses as a warning.
There was a policeman for every one of the 4,000 men, women and children in the Fascist procession, but disturbances ranged from the Embankment to the point across the Thames where the march ended. Along the five miles trek eggs, oranges, stale vegetables, stones and fireworks fell on the marchers. From every side street anti-Fascists charged, hooting, to be hurled back by the police.
The Original Route Was Altered.
Sir Oswald was fifty minutes late in arriving for the march, which began in Palace Yard, Westminster. His attempt to march down the mile of waiting marchers on a tour of inspection was abandoned after a short conference with Major Ferguson, District Assistant Commissioner of Police.
With yard radio vans at front and back and with a walking line of 2,000 constables, the procession moved off over Westminster Bridge.
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| Junction of Jamaica Road and Southwark Park Road |
Zero Hour.
Zero hour came for 10,000 anti-Fascists gathered at the junction of Jamaica Road and Southwark Park Road when the head of the procession appeared. By clever strategy, a large cordon of police completely penned up the huge mass of waiting demonstrators by turning the marchers off into Keetons Road.
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| Keetons Road |
Thousands of youths gathered in Long Lane, near Borough High Street. A barricade made from coster's barrows, fences and barbed wire was erected and a red flag stuck on top. A body of police advanced and bit by bit tore down the obstruction.
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| Long Lane |
No sooner had they removed the last of the barricade than another was hastily put up about 100 yards further along. The police charged the crowd with truncheons drawn, pushing them back to side streets. Two officers received head injuries.
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| Long Lane barricades - The Scotsman |
As they began to clear the roadway, pieces of paving stones were hurled at them. The thirty eight members of the public concerned were treated at St. Olave's Hospital and Guy's Hospital but were allowed to leave after treatment for cuts and bruises.
