THE SUFFRAGIST RAID.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1019, 7 January 1911, Page 11

THE SUFFRAGIST RAID.

Tho Suffragist demonstration'at Westminster on November 18 last, which ended in the arrest of over 100 women, was a disgraceful affair. Tho women marchcd to tho House in groups of ten and twelve. • For the first half hour (said the "Manchester Guardian's" reporter) tho police had tho greatest difficulty in keeping the women away froni the.precincts. Tho women -made repeated dashes in ones and twos towards the entrance, but never succeeded in getting near'the door. The police went on pushing them back into the crowd. After about an hour a body of mounted ,polico rode into the Yard and quickly cleared a wide'space round all tho approaches to the House. The crowd and women in ( it were driven back into tho 'streets surrounding Parliament Square. A doublo lino of police formed a barrier across the bottom of Whitehall, across the entrance from Victoria Street, and also across tho end of Abingdon Street. The worst of tho struggles took place in tlie Yard before it was cleared. . Tho women, aided by men sympathisers, mado little rushes, and \vero strongly .repulsed. Tho banners wero torn- out of their hands by the policemen and flung over tho wall into the enclosed space where tho statue of Cromwell stands. One .woman apparently tried to let herself down this wall into tho enclosed space, probably thinking she could pjet into the House that way. Silo was just saved from an ugly fall of ten feet or so by a constable. Every few moments tho polico would be seen chasing a woman across the Yard and then marching her off. I did not observe any members of Parliament ontsido tho House. Lord Rosobery came out of the Lords' entrance and watched tho scene for some time before driving away. After a time tho polico,began to arrest women who persisted in trying to approach, and throughout tho afternoon there was a constant procession to Cannon Row Polico Station of women hurried along between two officers. Most of the women went quietly enough:;,a few, tho loss-experienced prisoners probably, struggled hard. . , Throughout the afternoon tho conflict was hardest at .the entrance to Parliament Square from Whitehall, where there was a specially thick wall of policemen. Against this wall the women, singly for th§ most' part, went on doggedly pushing themselves. When they did so the policoWould rush them back into the' roadway, but they always turned to the charge, and after a time they would be arrested and marched away. Tho sight was pitiful and horrible in tho last degree. Somo of 4ho women would walk up to the polico .with a sort of. hysterical smile. None of them showed any anger or attempted violence. Olio woman fell on the pavement, and had to, bo carried away. Not one managed to penetrate, tho cordon. On former occasions tho crowd has taken sides for or against the women. This time they seemed to be indifferent. They certainly showed no sympathy. All ono hoard was the terrible, jeering laughter of a London mob when it is seeing "fun." The .policemen throughout appeared to keep their tempers. - Tho futilo scuffling and pushing, with the continued arrests, went on until the House rose soon after six o'clock. Ono of the incidents of tho afternoon was the adventure of an M.P., who walked to the House with his wife. Tho M.P. passed the cordon of police, but his wife was in tho confusion supposed by the police to bo a Suffragist. She was rather rudely handled, and .the M.P. was naturally loudly indignant. The crowd scenied to agree with the polico that it was almost impossible under the circumstances to discriminate.

. Tho Caxton Hall was in the possession ,of, the.union during tho day, and here relief was given to the members who had suffered in their struggles with the ■police. At six o'clock thero had been 108 arrests, including five men. One hundred and six of the prisoners were taken to Cannon Row Polico Station, and the remaining two—Miss E. Pricker and Miss L. Floyd—were taken to Bow Street, where they wore later bailed out by Mr. Pethiek Lawrence. In all 110 arrests were made. After the House had risen at about six o'clock tho polico were withdrawn, and tho members ■of the deputation returned to Caxton Hall, where a crowded- meeting was hold. It was stated at 'tho meeting that similar demonstrations would take place oil Monday at two o'clock, and on Tuesday. . Asked what was her impression of that day's demonstration, Miss ChristabelPankhursfc said slie thought, it had been carried through very effectively. Asked if a great number of the availablo members of the deputation-had already been arrested, she. replied :• "No, wo-havo not had a quarter of our forces taken yet." Sho had no doubt the deputation would have important' political,results.- '"Of course," sho' added, ''we . shall await tho Prime Minister's, statement upon' the question oil. Tuesday next.with very considerable-'.interest, jbut we contend that before ho makes. such a statement lie should receivq our. representatives and hear what, we have to say on the matter. Believing this wo shall send another deputation to the House of Commons on Monday,' and again on Tuesday if necessary. ; It is : certainly a sign of tho progress wo. aro making that Mr. Asquith should have instructed his private secretary to meet Mrs. Pankliurst, as lie did this afternoon."