Saturday, September 1, 1973
SECRETARY FOR SECURITY COMMENTS ON THE USE OF MORSE PARK
The Secretary for Security, Mr. Peter Lloyd, said today there
were very sound reasons for rejecting an application to hold a public meeting
at Morse Park tomorrow (Sunday).
Morse Park was immediately adjacent to a densely populated area
where a large public gathering would cause traffic congestion, pose serious
problems of crowd control and result in grave inconvenience to residents.
"Moreover, experience has shown there is always a danger that, in
such circumstances, demonstrations can lead to disturbances, regardless of
the intentions of the organisers," he added.
"This is why Morse Park is not a designated area for public meetings
and why permission cannot be given.
"However, we have offered the organisers an alternative by suggesting
that the mooting be held at the Boundary Street Stadium.
"We have four other sites available for public meetings of this
kind, including the Victoria Park grounds which provided the venue last Sunday.
"Their motives in rejecting these authorised sites are difficult
to understand.
"The reasons for the demonstration are fully understood; corruption
is a matter of public interest and concern. The government has constantly
stressed its determination to eradicate this problem.
It is ironical that
those intent on demonstrating against someone who is alleged to have broken
the law are prepared, to break it themselves."
Mr. Lloyd expressed the hope that good sense would prevail and
that the organisers would accept the alternative site at Boundary Street
which, even at this late stage, was still available to them.
0
12
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.