DIY History | Transcribe | Campus Culture | Student protests, May-December 1971 | 1971-05-09 Des Moines Register Article: ""Youths Vs. Youths At Iowa City"" Page 1

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Student protests, May-December 1971

1971-05-09 Des Moines Register Article: ""Youths Vs. Youths At Iowa City"" Page 1

DMR  5/7/71
Youths Vs. Youths At Iowa City
Concerned U of I Students Seek To Halt Rock Throwers
By Larry Eckholt
(Register Staff Writer)
Iowa City, Ia.—The real confrontation in the streets here Wednesday night was not between students and police—it was between sharply divided young people.
It was between those who roamed around in the streets bent on smashing windows—they call it "trashing"—and those who tried to reason with the rock throwers.
Every place where demonstrators gathered to hurl dirt clods and rocks at windows, there were concerned University of Iowa students who tried to prevent destruction.
At Iowa Book and Supply Co., where huge plate glass windows were smashed, about 70 students lined up against the wall of glass with their arms raised trying to discourage the continued violence.
Easy Targets
At the U.S. Post Office, young men positioned themselves in front of windows, making them easy targets for rocks.
At the U of I Fieldhouse—headquarters of Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) personnel—a demonstrator found a large piece of timber which he hoped to use as a battering ram. Another student forcibly took the timber away from him.
Who were these students who tried to contain Wednesday night's violence?
Many were student volunteer monitors who marshaled the peaceful march which erupted into violence after an unidentified pickup truck driver sped through the crowd, reportedly striking three persons.
The rest were students who joined the monitors' ranks as the night's violence continued for more than three hours before being quelled by the generally restrained actions of Iowa City police, Iowa State highway patrolmen, Johnson County sheriff's deputies and other law officers.
The student monitoring system first came into being during last year's unrest here. It was reorganized this year under the auspices of the U of I Student Senate.
Followed Crowd
John L. Oberhausen, 22, a U of I junior from Dubuque, was one student who had watched the demonstrators break windows.
"I follow the crowd back to
IOWA CITY—
Please turn to Page Eight

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DMR 5/7/71 Youths Vs. Youths At Iowa City Concerned U of I Students Seek To Halt Rock Throwers By Larry Eckholt (Register Staff Writer) Iowa City, Ia.—The real confrontation in the streets here Wednesday night was not between students and police—it was between sharply divided young people. It was between those who roamed around in the streets bent on smashing windows—they call it "trashing"—and those who tried to reason with the rock throwers. Every place where demonstrators gathered to hurl dirt clods and rocks at windows, there were concerned University of Iowa students who tried to prevent destruction. At Iowa Book and Supply Co., where huge plate glass windows were smashed, about 70 students lined up against the wall of glass with their arms raised trying to discourage the continued violence. Easy Targets At the U.S. Post Office, young men positioned themselves in front of windows, making them easy targets for rocks. At the U of I Fieldhouse—headquarters of Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) personnel—a demonstrator found a large piece of timber which he hoped to use as a battering ram. Another student forcibly took the timber away from him. Who were these students who tried to contain Wednesday night's violence? Many were student volunteer monitors who marshaled the peaceful march which erupted into violence after an unidentified pickup truck driver sped through the crowd, reportedly striking three persons. The rest were students who joined the monitors' ranks as the night's violence continued for more than three hours before being quelled by the generally restrained actions of Iowa City police, Iowa State highway patrolmen, Johnson County sheriff's deputies and other law officers. The student monitoring system first came into being during last year's unrest here. It was reorganized this year under the auspices of the U of I Student Senate. Followed Crowd John L. Oberhausen, 22, a U of I junior from Dubuque, was one student who had watched the demonstrators break windows. "I follow the crowd back to IOWA CITY— Please turn to Page Eight