Before Jehovah’s Witnesses met in Madison Square Garden in New York in 1939, threats were made by followers of the Catholic priest Charles Coughlin that the assembly would be broken up. The police were notified. On June 25, Brother Rutherford spoke to the 18,000 or more in that auditorium, as well as to a large international radio audience, on the subject “Government and Peace.” After the discourse had begun, 200 or more Roman Catholics and Nazis, led by several Catholic priests, crowded into the balcony. At a given signal, they set up a terrific howl, shouting “Heil Hitler!” and “Viva Franco!” They used all manner of vile language and threats and assaulted many of the ushers who took action to quell the disturbance. The mobsters did not succeed in breaking up the meeting. Brother Rutherford continued to speak forcefully and fearlessly. At the height of the tumult, he declared: “Note today the Nazis and Catholics that would like to break up this meeting, but by God’s grace cannot do it.” The audience gave support with round after round of vigorous applause. The disturbance became a permanent part of the sound recording made on that occasion, and it has been heard by people in many parts of the world.

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When this assembly of Witnesses was held in New York in 1939, some 200 mobsters led by Catholic priests tried to break it up