DIY History | Transcribe | Campus Culture | Student protests, 1972-1973 | 1972-05-12 Iowa City Press-Citizen Article: ""I-80 Target of Organized Protesters"" Page 2

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Student protests, 1972-1973

1972-05-12 Iowa City Press-Citizen Article: ""I-80 Target of Organized Protesters"" Page 2

" I. 80 Target of Organized Protesters" 
P-C May 12, 1972
2 (of 2)

ted around three patrolmen and suggested that the troopers all sign an antiwar petition and send it to Gov. Robert Ray. 
"You'll make a lot of enemies, but you'll make a whole lot of friends" one young man told a trooper.
"That's what we're trying to do right now," the patrolmen replied. 
As the crowd on Dubuque Street was growing thinner, marchers were heading to the interstate over another route. They marched over Brown and Gilbert Streets to Kimball Roas finally reaching the north end of Oaklawn Avenue, where they began a cross country trek to Prairie du Chien Road. Some were hurt when they fell in ravines or ran into barbed wire fences in the darkness. 
They emerged in backyards on Prairie dy Chien, following directions to carefully skirt newly planted gardens.
After police scattered them from the I-80 and Prairie du Chien Road area, small groups of them turned up downtown gathering around the fire at the Pentacrest. Police massed around them for a short time then drew back while a few patrolmen mingled with the crowd and talked to protesters. 
On the other side of the business district a group of about 15 blacks were angered when they were ordered out of a street, where they had been playing baseball according to one man in the group. 
"They ran us off the street for no reason while those honkies blocking the interstate got off," the man said. 
More than 200 lawmen were here to quell the demonstration, including besides the 165 Highway Patrolmen, members of the Iowa City Police Department the Sheriff's Department, Coralville Police and University Security officers. 
Firemen were summoned twice during the night, once to stand by at the interstate, and again a few minutes later to extinguish a trash fire in an alley west of Clinton Street where a similar fire was set Tuesday. 
This morning the Johnson County Public Information Service offered volunteers to repair any damage the demonstrators caused to fences in the Prairie du Chien Road area. 
"Last night's demonstration was intended to show in a manner which cannot be ignored the extent of the people's commitment to prevent American escalation in Vietnam." the group said in a statement. "It is by no means intended to encourage or condone destruction or damage to private property. 
"If any such damage occurred, it will be promptly repaired. Residents or landowners may call Wesley House at 338-1179"
on Clinton Street chanting "Peace now !" and following a vanguard carrying the Viet Cong flags.
They faced police for the first time at Church and Dubuque Streets, where the officers turned aside traffic to make way for the oncoming crowd. 
Lines of police were waiting for the crowd as it came over the crest of the Dubuque Street hill overlooking the Iowa River. The demonstrators hailed at the bottom of the hill facing the police about a block away. 
Highway Patrol Capt. Lyle Dickinson approached the demonstrators with a bullhorn and ordered them to disperse. 
"This is an unlawful assembly" he said "You are involved in an unlawful assembly"
The crowd remained and Dickinson used the bullhorn again to order his men "Put on your masks" 
The "pepper fogger" its engine droning was brought forward to spray the crowd with a cloud of harmless smoke. Two firecrackers disappeared into the cloud to explode almost in the face of the officer operating the fogger. 

17 Arrested Overnight 
Seventeen people were arrested during Thursday night's disturbances. Charged with criminal trespass on I-80 are:
Michael Meriott, 19, Ottumwa; Richard Mullin, 18, Sioux City; James Toler, 20, no address given and Betty Bulger, James Steep and Sue Sackley, no ahes or address given. 
Charged with disorderly conduct are:
Robert Smith, 707 North Dubuque Street; Beth Karson, 3224 Burge; Bill Sanger, 2709 Wayne Avenue; Linda Becker, 3210 Burge; Christine Molony, 2201 Burge; Cindy Long, 3210 Burge; Cathy McCarty, 5619 Kate Daum; Donald E. Hoss, Marshalltown; Russell Taylor, Bettendorf and Gary Herdlicka 38 Forestview Street.
Robert Matzner, 18, no address given was charged with defacing public property. 
Arraignments were scheduled for this afternoon. 
The 17 arrests bring the total to 47 arrested as a result of disturbances during the past eight days.

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" I. 80 Target of Organized Protesters" P-C May 12, 1972 2 (of 2) ted around three patrolmen and suggested that the troopers all sign an antiwar petition and send it to Gov. Robert Ray. "You'll make a lot of enemies, but you'll make a whole lot of friends" one young man told a trooper. "That's what we're trying to do right now," the patrolmen replied. As the crowd on Dubuque Street was growing thinner, marchers were heading to the interstate over another route. They marched over Brown and Gilbert Streets to Kimball Roas finally reaching the north end of Oaklawn Avenue, where they began a cross country trek to Prairie du Chien Road. Some were hurt when they fell in ravines or ran into barbed wire fences in the darkness. They emerged in backyards on Prairie dy Chien, following directions to carefully skirt newly planted gardens. After police scattered them from the I-80 and Prairie du Chien Road area, small groups of them turned up downtown gathering around the fire at the Pentacrest. Police massed around them for a short time then drew back while a few patrolmen mingled with the crowd and talked to protesters. On the other side of the business district a group of about 15 blacks were angered when they were ordered out of a street, where they had been playing baseball according to one man in the group. "They ran us off the street for no reason while those honkies blocking the interstate got off," the man said. More than 200 lawmen were here to quell the demonstration, including besides the 165 Highway Patrolmen, members of the Iowa City Police Department the Sheriff's Department, Coralville Police and University Security officers. Firemen were summoned twice during the night, once to stand by at the interstate, and again a few minutes later to extinguish a trash fire in an alley west of Clinton Street where a similar fire was set Tuesday. This morning the Johnson County Public Information Service offered volunteers to repair any damage the demonstrators caused to fences in the Prairie du Chien Road area. "Last night's demonstration was intended to show in a manner which cannot be ignored the extent of the people's commitment to prevent American escalation in Vietnam." the group said in a statement. "It is by no means intended to encourage or condone destruction or damage to private property. "If any such damage occurred, it will be promptly repaired. Residents or landowners may call Wesley House at 338-1179" on Clinton Street chanting "Peace now !" and following a vanguard carrying the Viet Cong flags. They faced police for the first time at Church and Dubuque Streets, where the officers turned aside traffic to make way for the oncoming crowd. Lines of police were waiting for the crowd as it came over the crest of the Dubuque Street hill overlooking the Iowa River. The demonstrators hailed at the bottom of the hill facing the police about a block away. Highway Patrol Capt. Lyle Dickinson approached the demonstrators with a bullhorn and ordered them to disperse. "This is an unlawful assembly" he said "You are involved in an unlawful assembly" The crowd remained and Dickinson used the bullhorn again to order his men "Put on your masks" The "pepper fogger" its engine droning was brought forward to spray the crowd with a cloud of harmless smoke. Two firecrackers disappeared into the cloud to explode almost in the face of the officer operating the fogger. 17 Arrested Overnight Seventeen people were arrested during Thursday night's disturbances. Charged with criminal trespass on I-80 are: Michael Meriott, 19, Ottumwa; Richard Mullin, 18, Sioux City; James Toler, 20, no address given and Betty Bulger, James Steep and Sue Sackley, no ahes or address given. Charged with disorderly conduct are: Robert Smith, 707 North Dubuque Street; Beth Karson, 3224 Burge; Bill Sanger, 2709 Wayne Avenue; Linda Becker, 3210 Burge; Christine Molony, 2201 Burge; Cindy Long, 3210 Burge; Cathy McCarty, 5619 Kate Daum; Donald E. Hoss, Marshalltown; Russell Taylor, Bettendorf and Gary Herdlicka 38 Forestview Street. Robert Matzner, 18, no address given was charged with defacing public property. Arraignments were scheduled for this afternoon. The 17 arrests bring the total to 47 arrested as a result of disturbances during the past eight days.