Displaced Jews at the Bergen Belsen camp, in the British zone of Germany, clashed this week with English troops, it was revealed today in the House of Commons.
According to a statement by John B. Hynd, Government spokesman on matters concerning occupied territory, the commander of the camp threw a cordon around Belsen because there had been a series of crimes committed in the area. No one was allowed to enter or leave.
To protest this action, the Jewish DP’s organized a procession which crossed and recrossed the cordon and forced its way through a group of guards. Hynd asserted that the clash which followed was “not a serious disorder,” and that a British soldier was the only casualty. The cordon was lifted yesterday, he revealed.
Samuel Silverman and Barnett Janner, Laborites, pointed out to Hynd that the DP’s had lived through years of unimaginable horror and that their future was still obscure, and, therefore, they required extra consideration. Both stressed that the Jews had been given no indication as to when they might be admitted to Palestine, where all of them wish to go.
Hynd replied that while he appreciated the difficulties faced by the displaced Jews, it was only fair to point out that they have been provided with food and accommodations, which has placed a burden upon the British administration. He added that the incident was not ” particularly unusual” and was now closed.
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