- Title: UN: Vietnam Demonstration
- Date: 15th April 1967
- Summary: Dr. Martin Luther King speaking out against US involvement in the Vietnam War on April 15 1967.
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- Location: USA NEW YORK CITY UNITED NATIONS
- City: NEW YORK
- Country: USA
- Reuters ID: LDL0010BW6JRJ
- Aspect Ratio: 4:3
- Story Text:A CROWD ESTIMATED AT 125,000 PEOPLE MARCHED TO THE UNITED NATIONS BUILDING IN NEW YORK YESTERDAY TO HEAR DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING AND OTHER SPEAKERS PROTEST ABOUT US INVOLVEMENT IN VIETNAM. DURING THE MARCH, POLICE SCUFFLED WITH SOME DEMONSTRATORS AS THEY TRIED TO DIRECT THE COLUMN OF MARCHERS. BUT ONLY FIVE ARRESTS WERE MADE. THIS WAS THE BIGGEST ANTI-WAR DEMONSTRATION EVER HELD IN THE UNITED STATES.
APART FROM A FEW OUTBREAKS, THE MARCH WAS MAINLY ORDERLY. THE DEMONSTRATORS ASSEMBLED IN CENTRAL PARK AND MARCHED THROUGH THE STREETS TO THE UNITED NATIONS BUILDING.
MANY CARRIED ANTI-WAR BANNERS AND A FEW YOUNG MEN BURNED THEIR DRAFT CARDS. SOME COLOURED MARCHERS CHANTED THE PROTEST SLOGAN OF NEGRO DRAFTEES - "HELL, NO, WE WON'T GO."
ON THE DAG HAMMARSKJOELD PLAZA OUTSIDE THE UN BUILDING, DR. KING CALLED THE GATHERING ONLY THE BEGINNING OF "A MASSIVE OUTPOURING OF CONCERN ABOUT THIS UNJUSTIFIED WAR." NEGRO LEADER STOKELY CARMICHAEL CALLED ON COLOURED DRAFTEES TO REFUSE TO GO TO VIETNAM.
A FORCE OF THREE THOUSAND POLICE SHEPHERDED THE MARCHERS TO THE UN BUILDING AND CORDONED IT OFF BEHIND BARRIERS.
BUT DR. KING WAS ALLOWED TO PRESENT A PEACE PETITION TO DR. RALPH BUNCHE, UN UNDER-SECRETARY FOR SPECIAL POLITICAL AFFAIRS, WHICH SAID THAT THE PEOPLE WERE DEMONSTRATING FOR THE PRINCIPLES OF PEACE EMBODIED BY THE UNITED NATIONS CHARTER. - Copyright Holder: NBC (USA) (No Resale - USA)
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