ATHEISTIC VIOLENCE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 189, 10 August 1881, Page 1

ATHEISTIC VIOLENCE.

A meeting was recently announced at Exeter Hall "to protest against any alteration of the law for the purpose 6f admitting an avowed atheist to sit in Parliament." Mr Bradlaugb. was not referred to in the advertisement of the meeting, but Mr Bradlaugh being the only "avowed atheist 1 "' at present seeking to sit in Parliament, Mr Bradlaugh's supporters Resolved t6 have a say in the matter. And their say in the matter took the shape of an attempt to prevent the other side savin p an y* thing at all. What happened ki this attempt to carry out the plan of campaign may best be learned from the accounts furnished to the papers by the attacked and defeated orthodox party. One writes that "if the storming brigade which seized the hall had consisted of prize-fighters alone, they could not have done their work more effectually." According to' the'Morning Post : "As soon as the doors were opened a compact gang of 500 men, many of whom had forged tickets, pushed aside the police, and took possession of the platform and principal seats. They were followed by their allies in shoals, four or five men arm in arm, hustling, kicking, and elbowing. One man who used frightful language, had armed himself with spurs oh his h-els and elbows, so that he successfully defied ejection, and continued to exert his lungs, in disgusting exclamations. . Lord Percy, who tried to speak, was constantly interrupted, whilst the most startling and revolting quotations from Freethought literature, whenever alluded to, Were cheered to the echo. From the platform, which had been cleared by the police of its original occupants, could be seen a determined mob of Atheists, Freelovers, and Republicans in all their power, roaring, rioting, screaming, whistling,. and catcalling at the top of their voices ! -and' whenever there was a moment's respite in the row within, the tumult from without was heard, where, in response to the invitation of ' Mrs BesantV assembly -in the .Hall of Science, her friends were "gathered in their thousands to try and break up the meeting." 1 A London vicar, writing to. the ße cord, ' relates his personal experience a"s follows: — "I had tho misfortune to be; set upon, struck in the face, kicked 1 downstairs, with coat torn and hat crushed, by two cowardly fellows who^ were on the piatform, one of whom ! said to tho other 'He's a —^— Godito ; give it him hot.'" . : .-.-..