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University of Iowa anti-war protests, 1965-1967

31858064848116_021

[handwritten] 
Spectator
Nov. 1967
Vo 1, #1

Peace Disturbance I: Tactical Short-Course

An anti-war demonstration on the Iowa campus Nov. 1 taught people different lessons,a ccordign to how they were involved.
There were tense moments and a few ugly incidents, but violence on the scale reported recently on several other campsues did not develop.
Iowa Citiy police arrested 108 demonstrators - mostly students - on charges of disturbing the peace. The demonstrators had blocked the east entrance of Iowa Memorial Union from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. to keep toher students from interviews with Marine recruiters. 
The demosntrators maintained a policy of non-violence, invited arrest and did not resist arrest when the police arrived.
The local police were reinforced by highway patrolmen adn sheriff's deputies from several counties, making a total for of about 100 men, equipped with riot helmets and clubs.
Opposing studnets who tried to charge through the demonstrators' ranks and attacked some individual demonstrators were not arrested.
About 1,000 onlookers left the scene peacefully at the request of police. Some 16,000 other students, goign about their regular academic business, missed the whole thing.
University President Howard R. Howen announced that demonstrators faced disciplinary action for breaking University rules in addition to any penalties imposed by teh courts for law violations.
Individuals centrally involved in the Nov. 1 affair offered the following comments on lessons learned from the experience:

Frank Smiley, city manager of Iowa City:
"This was our first experience witha  planned demonstration which might have turned into a riotous situation. It gave us a good chance to see how our planning would work and it gave our policemen a little broader experience in dealing with mob action.
"The University officials shoudl recognize that their ability to deal with a problem pretty much stops when you get to this kidn of a situation. If you have an unruly situation, a pending riot, you ought to turn it over to police authories. 
"We wer efortunate this time adn our polcie had no particular difficulty. A lot of this has to be creditd to the demonstrators themselves for remaining non-violent.
"It was wonderful that no one got hurt."

Wilford L. Boyd ,University vice-president for academic affairs:
"I believe this was something we shoudl try to solve within the University but we were ready to call in the authoirities if necessary. There was an honest difference of opinion as to when this became necessary.
"We had asked the authorities to come at one o'clock but their arrival was delayed until two by juridictional problems off the campus.
"The thing that pleased me most was that when the time came to intervene, the intervention was quiet. I think the University was correc tin askign the authoiritise to remove people peacefully, without the use of chemicals or force.
"I believe strongly that studnets should have the right to express themselves through picketing and debate adn that on the critical issue of Vietnam there msut be vigorous debate, but I hope that it will not be at the expense of the rights of other people."

      Paul Kleinberger, Silver Spring, Md., graduate student in English, member of the demonstration steering committee:
   "This demonstration affected people on this campus in a way no protest or rally ever has. It affected people who feel the war is wrong and should be stopped but have no way of affecting what is done by our government.
   “Some people, perhaps for the first time, did something direct and dramatic to bring about a change.
   “I suppose because of what happened here I understand now what happened in Newark and Wisconsin. I understand what makes a man shoot at a policeman in the ghetto and I understand what makes a Vietnamese farmer shoot at an American soldier.”

   Michael Murphy, sophomore from Reinbeck, who made his way past the demonstrators to show Marine recruiters a petition in support of American policy in Vietnam:
   “I feel the demonstrators were very hypocritical because they preached nonviolence— I was hit while trying to enter the Union—but the anti-demonstrators were more violent. I expected heckling but not the physical contact that occurred.
   “The University and the law officers didn’t step in soon enough. Things got out of hand.
   “I respect the demonstrators’ right to express their views, but we also had the right to see the recruiters and to express our opinion.”

   John Pelton, senior from Clinton, student body president, who joined with administration and faculty leaders in a pre-demonstration statement that the University would protect the right of students to see the recruiters:
   “The biggest lesson I learned was the importance of the student president being involved in the policy decisions concerning student protests.
   “I was disturbed by the demonstrators because they were holding an illegal assembly and stopping free access to a University facility, although I do respect their basically peaceful attitude.
   “I was most upset by the hecklers and anti-protesters who resorted to physical assault and took the law into their own hands.
   “Another disturbing aspect was the behavior of the campus security forces. The police should have interposed earlier, as soon as an impasse became evident and violence was a possibility.”

   Capt. A. J. Lazos, Sioux City, Marine recruiting officer:
   “Although we knew the protesters were a minority, it was extremely gratifying to see that a majority of the students support the United States government.
   “Because of this publicity, the number of students who came for interviews was one of the greatest we’ve ever had.”

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[handwritten] Spectator Nov. 1967 Vo 1, #1 Peace Disturbance I: Tactical Short-Course An anti-war demonstration on the Iowa campus Nov. 1 taught people different lessons,a ccordign to how they were involved. There were tense moments and a few ugly incidents, but violence on the scale reported recently on several other campsues did not develop. Iowa Citiy police arrested 108 demonstrators - mostly students - on charges of disturbing the peace. The demonstrators had blocked the east entrance of Iowa Memorial Union from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. to keep toher students from interviews with Marine recruiters. The demosntrators maintained a policy of non-violence, invited arrest and did not resist arrest when the police arrived. The local police were reinforced by highway patrolmen adn sheriff's deputies from several counties, making a total for of about 100 men, equipped with riot helmets and clubs. Opposing studnets who tried to charge through the demonstrators' ranks and attacked some individual demonstrators were not arrested. About 1,000 onlookers left the scene peacefully at the request of police. Some 16,000 other students, goign about their regular academic business, missed the whole thing. University President Howard R. Howen announced that demonstrators faced disciplinary action for breaking University rules in addition to any penalties imposed by teh courts for law violations. Individuals centrally involved in the Nov. 1 affair offered the following comments on lessons learned from the experience: Frank Smiley, city manager of Iowa City: "This was our first experience witha planned demonstration which might have turned into a riotous situation. It gave us a good chance to see how our planning would work and it gave our policemen a little broader experience in dealing with mob action. "The University officials shoudl recognize that their ability to deal with a problem pretty much stops when you get to this kidn of a situation. If you have an unruly situation, a pending riot, you ought to turn it over to police authories. "We wer efortunate this time adn our polcie had no particular difficulty. A lot of this has to be creditd to the demonstrators themselves for remaining non-violent. "It was wonderful that no one got hurt." Wilford L. Boyd ,University vice-president for academic affairs: "I believe this was something we shoudl try to solve within the University but we were ready to call in the authoirities if necessary. There was an honest difference of opinion as to when this became necessary. "We had asked the authorities to come at one o'clock but their arrival was delayed until two by juridictional problems off the campus. "The thing that pleased me most was that when the time came to intervene, the intervention was quiet. I think the University was correc tin askign the authoiritise to remove people peacefully, without the use of chemicals or force. "I believe strongly that studnets should have the right to express themselves through picketing and debate adn that on the critical issue of Vietnam there msut be vigorous debate, but I hope that it will not be at the expense of the rights of other people." Paul Kleinberger, Silver Spring, Md., graduate student in English, member of the demonstration steering committee: "This demonstration affected people on this campus in a way no protest or rally ever has. It affected people who feel the war is wrong and should be stopped but have no way of affecting what is done by our government. “Some people, perhaps for the first time, did something direct and dramatic to bring about a change. “I suppose because of what happened here I understand now what happened in Newark and Wisconsin. I understand what makes a man shoot at a policeman in the ghetto and I understand what makes a Vietnamese farmer shoot at an American soldier.” Michael Murphy, sophomore from Reinbeck, who made his way past the demonstrators to show Marine recruiters a petition in support of American policy in Vietnam: “I feel the demonstrators were very hypocritical because they preached nonviolence— I was hit while trying to enter the Union—but the anti-demonstrators were more violent. I expected heckling but not the physical contact that occurred. “The University and the law officers didn’t step in soon enough. Things got out of hand. “I respect the demonstrators’ right to express their views, but we also had the right to see the recruiters and to express our opinion.” John Pelton, senior from Clinton, student body president, who joined with administration and faculty leaders in a pre-demonstration statement that the University would protect the right of students to see the recruiters: “The biggest lesson I learned was the importance of the student president being involved in the policy decisions concerning student protests. “I was disturbed by the demonstrators because they were holding an illegal assembly and stopping free access to a University facility, although I do respect their basically peaceful attitude. “I was most upset by the hecklers and anti-protesters who resorted to physical assault and took the law into their own hands. “Another disturbing aspect was the behavior of the campus security forces. The police should have interposed earlier, as soon as an impasse became evident and violence was a possibility.” Capt. A. J. Lazos, Sioux City, Marine recruiting officer: “Although we knew the protesters were a minority, it was extremely gratifying to see that a majority of the students support the United States government. “Because of this publicity, the number of students who came for interviews was one of the greatest we’ve ever had.”