DIY History | Transcribe | Campus Culture | University of Iowa anti-war protests, 1970 | 1970-06 Iowa Alumni Review ""At the U of I and over the nation May was a time of Student Protest"" Page 3

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University of Iowa anti-war protests, 1970

1970-06 Iowa Alumni Review ""At the U of I and over the nation May was a time of Student Protest"" Page 3

By Kristelle  Miller

Apathy is no longer the word with which to describe the average University of Iowa student.  Many feel frustrated.  They say they are unable to get government and University officials to listen to them.  They say they do not see enough change on crucial issues such as the war in Indochina, and the role of the military on campus.  They are concerned. 
That concern was manifested here this spring. Most students protested peacefully - a few violently - the killing of four Kent State students by Ohio National Guardsmen May 4. They demonstrated - sometimes not as peacefully- against the presence of ROTC on campus. They demanded a halt to the war in Indochina.

Some students decided to strike classes. Others carried picket signs. Some decided they could best voice their convictions by continuing classes. Many later left the University under and option plan offered by President Willard Boyd.
The incidents here, one following closely on the footsteps of another, began Thursday, April 30. The unlikely catalyst was a water fight at one of the men's dorms. An attempted panty raid followed and a confrontation with police in front of the Iowa City Civic Center, which houses the Police Department, resulted.

One student commented: "We just started to have a little fun and got everybody out of the dorms, so we decided to storm the streets. It's as simple as that."

Simple as it may have seemed, not everybody had "a little fun." A United Press International photographer and an assistant professor of photo journalism were pelted with rocks by students who claimed the photographers were supplying identification to the University to be later used in disciplinary action.

City officials appealed to the 200-300 students to go home and they finally did. No arrests were made.

The following afternoon, May 1, a confrontation between approximately 400 anti-ROTC protesters, campus security officers and University officials, forced the cancellation of a joint awards ceremony for Army and Air Force ROTC cadets. Demonstrators stormed into the new Recreation Building, where the ceremonies were to be held, sat on the floor, talked and sang.

Again, students left before arrests were made, this time declaring victory over ROTC.

The weekend was quiet. Then came the Kent State shootings. Late Monday evening students marched on the National Guard Armory and broke windows there. Marching back from the Armory, the group of approximately 400 persons split up and staged sit-ins at street intersections, and broke windows in several downtown Iowa City business establishments.

Early Tuesday morning Iowa Highway Patrolmen and Johnson County Sheriff officers, in full riot gear, marched into the streets and broke up the crowd. Several students were arrested and charged with disorderly conduct. most scattered to the curbs, although some were not so lucky and found themselves wedged between officers' nightsticks. 

As those arrested were taken to the Civic Center the crowd swelled from about 25 to about 300 and at 2:30 a.m. moved toward the civic Center. Not until 4 a.m. Tuesday (May 5), after sheriffs deputies and highway patrolmen from two counties had been called in, did students disperse.

Later that day the City Council passed an ordinance giving the mayor the power "in times of emergency" to invoke a curfew.

Tuesday night students again took to the streets as about 300 moved to block traffic at two points on Highway 218.

Student Body President Robert Beller and Daily Iowan Editor Lowell Forte called for a boycott of classes Wednesday, May 6. The boycott was to show disagreement with Nixon's ordering of troops into Cambodia and, according to Beller, was a way of demonstrating disapproval of Nixon's management of his presidency. 

U of I President Boyd issued a statement saying: "Above all else, Wednesday must be a day of peace. I appeal to everyone to preserve this university community from disruption and violence which would completely negate any show of our concern for peace elsewhere in the world."

Boyd urged students to write to their Congressmen, saying that he was going to do the same, and recommend that no student be penalized for failing to attend classes because of his personal convictions.

A sampling of professors, graduate assistants and department offices resulted in an estimate that the strike was one-third effective.

Meanwhile, a temporary injunction was granted banning all types of disturbances. Persons were restrained from disrupting any scheduled University event and from obstructing traffic or damaging property. the injunction empowered the city to make arrests for violation of its terms. 

Wednesday night about 400 persons massed in front of Old Capitol for a "sleep-in" accom-

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kristelle Miller is a senior in the U of I School of Journalism who placed ninth nationally in the annual William Randolph Hearst competition for reporting. Her winning entry was a series she did for The Daily Iowan on the Iowa Security Medical Facility.

Kris was active in the May demonstrations not as a participant but as an observer - she served as a correspondent for the Des Moines Register. After the demonstrationswere over the Review asked for her accounting of what happened here. The following story, written from the point of view of a student who is also a reporter, is the result.

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By Kristelle Miller Apathy is no longer the word with which to describe the average University of Iowa student. Many feel frustrated. They say they are unable to get government and University officials to listen to them. They say they do not see enough change on crucial issues such as the war in Indochina, and the role of the military on campus. They are concerned. That concern was manifested here this spring. Most students protested peacefully - a few violently - the killing of four Kent State students by Ohio National Guardsmen May 4. They demonstrated - sometimes not as peacefully- against the presence of ROTC on campus. They demanded a halt to the war in Indochina. Some students decided to strike classes. Others carried picket signs. Some decided they could best voice their convictions by continuing classes. Many later left the University under and option plan offered by President Willard Boyd. The incidents here, one following closely on the footsteps of another, began Thursday, April 30. The unlikely catalyst was a water fight at one of the men's dorms. An attempted panty raid followed and a confrontation with police in front of the Iowa City Civic Center, which houses the Police Department, resulted. One student commented: "We just started to have a little fun and got everybody out of the dorms, so we decided to storm the streets. It's as simple as that." Simple as it may have seemed, not everybody had "a little fun." A United Press International photographer and an assistant professor of photo journalism were pelted with rocks by students who claimed the photographers were supplying identification to the University to be later used in disciplinary action. City officials appealed to the 200-300 students to go home and they finally did. No arrests were made. The following afternoon, May 1, a confrontation between approximately 400 anti-ROTC protesters, campus security officers and University officials, forced the cancellation of a joint awards ceremony for Army and Air Force ROTC cadets. Demonstrators stormed into the new Recreation Building, where the ceremonies were to be held, sat on the floor, talked and sang. Again, students left before arrests were made, this time declaring victory over ROTC. The weekend was quiet. Then came the Kent State shootings. Late Monday evening students marched on the National Guard Armory and broke windows there. Marching back from the Armory, the group of approximately 400 persons split up and staged sit-ins at street intersections, and broke windows in several downtown Iowa City business establishments. Early Tuesday morning Iowa Highway Patrolmen and Johnson County Sheriff officers, in full riot gear, marched into the streets and broke up the crowd. Several students were arrested and charged with disorderly conduct. most scattered to the curbs, although some were not so lucky and found themselves wedged between officers' nightsticks. As those arrested were taken to the Civic Center the crowd swelled from about 25 to about 300 and at 2:30 a.m. moved toward the civic Center. Not until 4 a.m. Tuesday (May 5), after sheriffs deputies and highway patrolmen from two counties had been called in, did students disperse. Later that day the City Council passed an ordinance giving the mayor the power "in times of emergency" to invoke a curfew. Tuesday night students again took to the streets as about 300 moved to block traffic at two points on Highway 218. Student Body President Robert Beller and Daily Iowan Editor Lowell Forte called for a boycott of classes Wednesday, May 6. The boycott was to show disagreement with Nixon's ordering of troops into Cambodia and, according to Beller, was a way of demonstrating disapproval of Nixon's management of his presidency. U of I President Boyd issued a statement saying: "Above all else, Wednesday must be a day of peace. I appeal to everyone to preserve this university community from disruption and violence which would completely negate any show of our concern for peace elsewhere in the world." Boyd urged students to write to their Congressmen, saying that he was going to do the same, and recommend that no student be penalized for failing to attend classes because of his personal convictions. A sampling of professors, graduate assistants and department offices resulted in an estimate that the strike was one-third effective. Meanwhile, a temporary injunction was granted banning all types of disturbances. Persons were restrained from disrupting any scheduled University event and from obstructing traffic or damaging property. the injunction empowered the city to make arrests for violation of its terms. Wednesday night about 400 persons massed in front of Old Capitol for a "sleep-in" accom- ABOUT THE AUTHOR Kristelle Miller is a senior in the U of I School of Journalism who placed ninth nationally in the annual William Randolph Hearst competition for reporting. Her winning entry was a series she did for The Daily Iowan on the Iowa Security Medical Facility. Kris was active in the May demonstrations not as a participant but as an observer - she served as a correspondent for the Des Moines Register. After the demonstrationswere over the Review asked for her accounting of what happened here. The following story, written from the point of view of a student who is also a reporter, is the result. 8