DIY History | Transcribe | Campus Culture | Student protests, 1972-1973 | 1972-05-10 Des Moines Register Article: ""Intersection Is Blocked By Iowa City Protesters""

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Student protests, 1972-1973

1972-05-10 Des Moines Register Article: ""Intersection Is Blocked By Iowa City Protesters""

Intersection Is Blocked By Iowa City Protesters

Antiwar protesters staged concerned but generally peaceful demonstrations on several Iowa campuses Tuesday to express their opposition to President Nixon's order to mine North Vietnamese harbors. 
The largest protest of the day was staged Tuesday night in Iowa City, home of the University of Iowa, where some 3,000 protesters staged a peace march though the downtown area. 
The only incidents of the day came after a peaceful march when about 300 of the protesters staged a sit-in at a busy intersection of U.S. 6 and police had to move in and arrest 23 of them before the crowd dispersed. 
Those arrested were charged with disorderly conduct and held in the Iowa City Jail in lieu of $100 bond. 
As the crowd then moved north toward the Iowa Avenue bridge, and unidentified highway patrolman was struck in the chest by a fist sized hunk of concrete and knocked to his knees. 
It was the only violent incident of the day - a day that was in sharp contrast to the vandalism that occurred last Thursday night, when groups of young people broke windows in downtown Iowa City. 
The protest march itself was

This report was prepared by Register reporters Larry Eckholt, like Nwobodo Jon Van and William Simbro

 peaceful as it moved through the business district, filling the streets from sidewalk to sidewalk for about four blocks. 
The protesters then marched toward the men's dormitory complex on the west side of the Iowa River and about 1,000 of them staged a sitdown in the busy intersection of U.S. 6 (Riverside Drive) and Burlington Street, singing "America  the Beautiful"
Highway patrolmen and local police accompanied the marchers and no violence was reported. 
Campus rallies and marches were held on other Iowa campuses during the day. At Grinnell, some 850 persons marched from the Grinnelll College campus through the downtown area without incident. In
IOWA - Please turn to Page Five

DMR 
5/10/72

IOWA--- 
Continued from Page One

Ames, about 700 students at Iowa State University gathered on the central campus to voice their antiwar feelings. A similar rally of about 150 persons was held on the campus of Simpson College at Indianola. 
In Pella, about 100 persons marched peacefully from the Central College campus to downtown Pella Tuesday night, singing in a candlelight march to protest the mining of Haiphony Harbor. 
The presidents of two institutions - Iowa State University President W. Robert Parks and Grinnelll College President Glenn Leggett - joined with their students in voicing their concern about the latest development in the Vietnam war. 
Most of the campus protests were staged throughout the day, but the protest at the University of Iowa did not bloom until nightfall. 
It started about 9 p.m. when about 500 students moved off the Pentacrest an open area in the center of five central campus buildings which long has been a rallying point for protesters. 
The crowd marched north to the women's dormitory complex and then south through the business district growing as it went. 
The crowd reached its peak as the marchers left the campus area and headed down Burlington Street. 
When the crowd reached the intersection of Burlington Street and Riverside Drive shortly before 10 p.m. about 1,000 protesters sat down in the intersection, blocking traffic on the busy street. 
After about half hour, Iowa Highway Patrol Capt. Floyd Carver warned those blocking the street they would be arrested unless they dispersed in one minute. The crowd first refused to move but the bulk of the sit-down protesters left the street a short time later, leaving about 300 protesters still in the street. 
About 10:45 p.m, the Highway Patrol began moving quietly into the crowd asking people to leave the street. Those who refused were arrested by three and four man teams of city policemen. 
Some of those arrested went willingly, others had to be dragged and carried and a few violently resisted arrest and had to be subdued. All those arrested were taken to an Iowa City municipal bus parked nearby and removed to jail for booking. 
After the arrests started, it took about 10 minutes for the crowd to begin leaving the street; As the arrests were made, a few people shouted obscenities at the police but there was no major incidents. 
While the arrests were being made at the intersection, a group of about 35 young people met quietly in the College Street Park area about seven blocks east of the highway to eat home made soup, sing folk songs and discuss the Vietnam War. 
Bruce Wilson, a former art student said he organized the meeting for students concerned about the war, but who didn't want to get involved in possible violence. 
Earlier in the day, the protests on the Iowa City campus were confined to separate protests by small groups. 
Reactions to President Nixon's speech varied from a peaceful 9 hour sit in by a dozen protesters at the U.S. military recruiting station Tuesday in Iowa City to a protest against the ROTC program staged outside the administration building. 
The sit-in at the recruiters' office began at 9 a.m. and ended when the recruiting station closed its doors at 6 p.m. In the interim, the peace activists quietly chatted with U.S. Army recruiter Sgt. Daniel Baze on war related topics. 
A statement read by U of I urban and regional planning department professor David Ranney said the group gathered at the recruiting center as Americans "insulted and outraged by Richard Nixon's belligerent moves in South east Asia."
A group of 10 to 15 persons carrying anti ROTC posters picketed Jessup Hall, the U of I administration building, for two hours.

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Intersection Is Blocked By Iowa City Protesters Antiwar protesters staged concerned but generally peaceful demonstrations on several Iowa campuses Tuesday to express their opposition to President Nixon's order to mine North Vietnamese harbors. The largest protest of the day was staged Tuesday night in Iowa City, home of the University of Iowa, where some 3,000 protesters staged a peace march though the downtown area. The only incidents of the day came after a peaceful march when about 300 of the protesters staged a sit-in at a busy intersection of U.S. 6 and police had to move in and arrest 23 of them before the crowd dispersed. Those arrested were charged with disorderly conduct and held in the Iowa City Jail in lieu of $100 bond. As the crowd then moved north toward the Iowa Avenue bridge, and unidentified highway patrolman was struck in the chest by a fist sized hunk of concrete and knocked to his knees. It was the only violent incident of the day - a day that was in sharp contrast to the vandalism that occurred last Thursday night, when groups of young people broke windows in downtown Iowa City. The protest march itself was This report was prepared by Register reporters Larry Eckholt, like Nwobodo Jon Van and William Simbro peaceful as it moved through the business district, filling the streets from sidewalk to sidewalk for about four blocks. The protesters then marched toward the men's dormitory complex on the west side of the Iowa River and about 1,000 of them staged a sitdown in the busy intersection of U.S. 6 (Riverside Drive) and Burlington Street, singing "America the Beautiful" Highway patrolmen and local police accompanied the marchers and no violence was reported. Campus rallies and marches were held on other Iowa campuses during the day. At Grinnell, some 850 persons marched from the Grinnelll College campus through the downtown area without incident. In IOWA - Please turn to Page Five DMR 5/10/72 IOWA--- Continued from Page One Ames, about 700 students at Iowa State University gathered on the central campus to voice their antiwar feelings. A similar rally of about 150 persons was held on the campus of Simpson College at Indianola. In Pella, about 100 persons marched peacefully from the Central College campus to downtown Pella Tuesday night, singing in a candlelight march to protest the mining of Haiphony Harbor. The presidents of two institutions - Iowa State University President W. Robert Parks and Grinnelll College President Glenn Leggett - joined with their students in voicing their concern about the latest development in the Vietnam war. Most of the campus protests were staged throughout the day, but the protest at the University of Iowa did not bloom until nightfall. It started about 9 p.m. when about 500 students moved off the Pentacrest an open area in the center of five central campus buildings which long has been a rallying point for protesters. The crowd marched north to the women's dormitory complex and then south through the business district growing as it went. The crowd reached its peak as the marchers left the campus area and headed down Burlington Street. When the crowd reached the intersection of Burlington Street and Riverside Drive shortly before 10 p.m. about 1,000 protesters sat down in the intersection, blocking traffic on the busy street. After about half hour, Iowa Highway Patrol Capt. Floyd Carver warned those blocking the street they would be arrested unless they dispersed in one minute. The crowd first refused to move but the bulk of the sit-down protesters left the street a short time later, leaving about 300 protesters still in the street. About 10:45 p.m, the Highway Patrol began moving quietly into the crowd asking people to leave the street. Those who refused were arrested by three and four man teams of city policemen. Some of those arrested went willingly, others had to be dragged and carried and a few violently resisted arrest and had to be subdued. All those arrested were taken to an Iowa City municipal bus parked nearby and removed to jail for booking. After the arrests started, it took about 10 minutes for the crowd to begin leaving the street; As the arrests were made, a few people shouted obscenities at the police but there was no major incidents. While the arrests were being made at the intersection, a group of about 35 young people met quietly in the College Street Park area about seven blocks east of the highway to eat home made soup, sing folk songs and discuss the Vietnam War. Bruce Wilson, a former art student said he organized the meeting for students concerned about the war, but who didn't want to get involved in possible violence. Earlier in the day, the protests on the Iowa City campus were confined to separate protests by small groups. Reactions to President Nixon's speech varied from a peaceful 9 hour sit in by a dozen protesters at the U.S. military recruiting station Tuesday in Iowa City to a protest against the ROTC program staged outside the administration building. The sit-in at the recruiters' office began at 9 a.m. and ended when the recruiting station closed its doors at 6 p.m. In the interim, the peace activists quietly chatted with U.S. Army recruiter Sgt. Daniel Baze on war related topics. A statement read by U of I urban and regional planning department professor David Ranney said the group gathered at the recruiting center as Americans "insulted and outraged by Richard Nixon's belligerent moves in South east Asia." A group of 10 to 15 persons carrying anti ROTC posters picketed Jessup Hall, the U of I administration building, for two hours.