MELEE AT A MEETING.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20108, 11 December 1930, Page 11

MELEE AT A MEETING.

ROWDY UNIVERSITY STUDENTS. ' STINK BOMBS AND LIVE EELS THROWN. (UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION— BY ELECTEIO TELEOHAPU-—COPYEIGHT.) (Received December 10th, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, December 9. An orderly meeting at Central Ilall, Westminster, held as a protest against poison gas experiments on animals, developed into a startling variety entertainment, in which such novelties as stink bombs and live eels were employed as missiles. The disturbers were University studonts, permitted Lieutenant-Commander J. H. Kenworthy, a member of the House of Commons a quiet hearing, but during Dr. W. R. Hadwen's speech they rose to the attack when an elderly gentleman,, who objected to smoking, struck a student's cigarette from his mouth with a folded newspaper. Tho police appeared at tho height of the melee and ejected the rowdiest combatants, while the others tramped out singing "Auld Lang Syne." Dr. Hadwen was the central figure of the pandemonium which occurred at the anti-vivisection meeting on tfune 20th, 1929. On June 20th, 1929, two hundred uproarious modical students created pandemonium at a Caxton Hall meeting at which supporters of the abolition of vivisection were to speak. Dr, W. R. Hadwen was shouted down. Singing and a free fight marked proceedings till the interrupters were thrown out, some being taken to the police station. The meeting closed with women screaming among the wrecked chairs. The police cleared the street, and tho students marched off to Trafalgar square and ended the evening by dancing for half an hour in Piccadilly Circus with straws in their hair. Dr. W. R. Hadwen is president of tho British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection. He has for many years devoted all his spare time to volunteer labour in the public advocacy of tho repeal of the Vaccination 'Acts, the abolition of vivisection, and in the prosecution of reform movements connected with temperance, food, hygiene, sanitation, education, and burial laws.