DIY History | Transcribe | Campus Culture | Student protests, May-December 1971 | 1971-05-19 ICPC Articles: ""Council Waiting for 'Calm' To Discuss Police, Press"" 1971-05-18 ""'Rights of Press' At Disorder Scene Cited by SPI Board""

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Student protests, May-December 1971

1971-05-19 ICPC Articles: ""Council Waiting for 'Calm' To Discuss Police, Press"" 1971-05-18 ""'Rights of Press' At Disorder Scene Cited by SPI Board""

P-C  5/19/71
CouncilWaiting for 'Calm'
To Discuss Police, Press
The City Council has stated its intention to discuss police actions toward the press after the community "calms down" following anti-war protests around the University of Iowa campus.
The Council Tuesday night formally received a number of letters on the protests—some urging that Police Chief Patrick J. McCarney be dismissed, another suggesting that protesters be "castrated" to "tame them real fast."
In addition, the Coucil received a resolution passed by Student Publications, Inc., calling for an apology by police "for any harrassment of reporters and photographers that has taken place."
"Councilman J. Patrick White said the police-press conflict represents "a matter we do need to discuss," but said such a discussion should await the outcome of charges against newsmen in connection with the protests.
Mayor Loren L. Hickerson said the meeting should be held "after things calm down" and must be "free of prejudice and second guessing."
Six of the 7 letters received by the Council Tuesday criticised Iowa City police and Johnson County sheriff's deputies for their handling of the disturbances. The seventh letter, ciritical of the demonstrators, was not signed.
"We should be ashamed that there has been such a flagrant violation of citizens' constitutional rights," wrote Mrs. Claire Cornell of 832 Roosevelt Street. "I hope that you will publicly admonish these 'law enforcement agents' for their disgraceful conduct."
G. A. Minnich of Carroll charged that McCarney "seems to look blindly aside in any of the atrocities that are being committed by his own force. I would recommend to you that the place to start chopping heads is at the top and try to obain a man who understands the psychology of mob hysteria and what a potential danger it can be." Minnich, an attorney, is a law partner of State Sen. Arthur A. Neu, Carroll Republican. Minnich wrote the Council after his son Jeffrey witnessed the tear gassing of UI dormitories last week.
"Mr. McCarney should be reminded that this is a matter of containing civil disobedience, not one of venting personal prejudices and hatreds," wrote Diana Swanson of 825 Oakcrest Street.
"My own personal conclusion, which is based pri"marily on published reports, is that Chief McCarney has not conducted himself in a professional manner," wrote John S. Neff of 605 Brookland Park Drive.
"On several occasions he has acted in such a manner as to increase tension rather than to reduce it. I question the wisdom of keeping him in such an important position," he added.

P-C  5/18/71
'Rights of Press'
At Disorder Scene
Cited by SPI Board
A resolution affirming "the right of properly identified members of the press to be on the scene of civil disorders and be free from police harassment and intimidation" has been submitted to the City Council, City Manager Frank R. Smiley and local lawmen.
The resolution, passed last week by the Board of Trustees of Student Publications, Inc., calls for the Johnson County Sheriff and Iowa City Police departments to "apologize for any harassment of reporters and photographers that has taken place" during recent disorders here.
Reporter
Convicted: Page 2A
Iowa City police arrested three newsmen—including two Press-Citizen reporters—at the scene of disorders last week.
In addition, two cameramen were attacked by Johnson County Sheriff's deputies as they attempted to film disorders the week before.
"Reporters and photographers have been harassed and their rights to be on the scene have not been respected during recent disorders," the SPI Board resolution reads.
"The Iowa City Police Department (and) the Johnson County Sheriff's Department should make it clear to the public that the rights of the press will be respected in any similar situation in the future," the resolution says.
"If such a clarification of policy is not forthcoming, the Board of Student Publications Inc., will seek the legal remedies necessary to insure the rights of the press will  be free from police harassment," it continues.
The resolution was adopted because "the respect of properly identified photographers and reporters in their function of obtaining information during civil disorders is essential to their mission."
The SPI board is a student-faculty committee that controls the Daily Iowan and the Hawkeye yearbook.

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P-C 5/19/71 CouncilWaiting for 'Calm' To Discuss Police, Press The City Council has stated its intention to discuss police actions toward the press after the community "calms down" following anti-war protests around the University of Iowa campus. The Council Tuesday night formally received a number of letters on the protests—some urging that Police Chief Patrick J. McCarney be dismissed, another suggesting that protesters be "castrated" to "tame them real fast." In addition, the Coucil received a resolution passed by Student Publications, Inc., calling for an apology by police "for any harrassment of reporters and photographers that has taken place." "Councilman J. Patrick White said the police-press conflict represents "a matter we do need to discuss," but said such a discussion should await the outcome of charges against newsmen in connection with the protests. Mayor Loren L. Hickerson said the meeting should be held "after things calm down" and must be "free of prejudice and second guessing." Six of the 7 letters received by the Council Tuesday criticised Iowa City police and Johnson County sheriff's deputies for their handling of the disturbances. The seventh letter, ciritical of the demonstrators, was not signed. "We should be ashamed that there has been such a flagrant violation of citizens' constitutional rights," wrote Mrs. Claire Cornell of 832 Roosevelt Street. "I hope that you will publicly admonish these 'law enforcement agents' for their disgraceful conduct." G. A. Minnich of Carroll charged that McCarney "seems to look blindly aside in any of the atrocities that are being committed by his own force. I would recommend to you that the place to start chopping heads is at the top and try to obain a man who understands the psychology of mob hysteria and what a potential danger it can be." Minnich, an attorney, is a law partner of State Sen. Arthur A. Neu, Carroll Republican. Minnich wrote the Council after his son Jeffrey witnessed the tear gassing of UI dormitories last week. "Mr. McCarney should be reminded that this is a matter of containing civil disobedience, not one of venting personal prejudices and hatreds," wrote Diana Swanson of 825 Oakcrest Street. "My own personal conclusion, which is based pri"marily on published reports, is that Chief McCarney has not conducted himself in a professional manner," wrote John S. Neff of 605 Brookland Park Drive. "On several occasions he has acted in such a manner as to increase tension rather than to reduce it. I question the wisdom of keeping him in such an important position," he added. P-C 5/18/71 'Rights of Press' At Disorder Scene Cited by SPI Board A resolution affirming "the right of properly identified members of the press to be on the scene of civil disorders and be free from police harassment and intimidation" has been submitted to the City Council, City Manager Frank R. Smiley and local lawmen. The resolution, passed last week by the Board of Trustees of Student Publications, Inc., calls for the Johnson County Sheriff and Iowa City Police departments to "apologize for any harassment of reporters and photographers that has taken place" during recent disorders here. Reporter Convicted: Page 2A Iowa City police arrested three newsmen—including two Press-Citizen reporters—at the scene of disorders last week. In addition, two cameramen were attacked by Johnson County Sheriff's deputies as they attempted to film disorders the week before. "Reporters and photographers have been harassed and their rights to be on the scene have not been respected during recent disorders," the SPI Board resolution reads. "The Iowa City Police Department (and) the Johnson County Sheriff's Department should make it clear to the public that the rights of the press will be respected in any similar situation in the future," the resolution says. "If such a clarification of policy is not forthcoming, the Board of Student Publications Inc., will seek the legal remedies necessary to insure the rights of the press will be free from police harassment," it continues. The resolution was adopted because "the respect of properly identified photographers and reporters in their function of obtaining information during civil disorders is essential to their mission." The SPI board is a student-faculty committee that controls the Daily Iowan and the Hawkeye yearbook.