- Title: UK: 20,000 ANTI-NUCLEAR DEMONSTRATORS HOLD LONDON RALLY AFTER 45 MILE MARCH.
- Date: 19th April 1965
- Summary: 1. GV MARCHERS ENTER TRAFALGAR SQUARE 0.05 2. CU YOUTHS ON PLINTH OF NELSON'S COLUMN 0.07 3. SV MARCHERS CONTINUE ENTERING 0.10 4. MV 'SOVIET WEEKLY' VENDOR APPROACHES U.S. SAILORS 0.14 5. CV SAILORS REFUSED TO BUY 0.18 6. MV MARCHERS 0.24 7. MV ONLOOKERS APPLAUD 0.26 8. GV PAN CROWDED 0.32 9. STV CROWD WITH BA
- Embargoed: 4th May 1965 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: LONDON, UK
- City:
- Country: United Kingdom
- Reuters ID: LVABFCQLHXX9VW1KMUNVQ9JLXKEP
- Story Text: NEARLY 20,000 ANTI-NUCLEAR DEMONSTRATORS TODAY (MONDAY) COMPLETED A THREE-DAY EASTER MARCH WITH A RALLY IN LONDON'S TRAFALGAR SQUARE.THEY HAD MARCHED SOME 45 MILES (72 KILOMETRES) TO LONDON FROM A BRITISH BOMBER STATION IN HIGH WYCOMBE, BUCKINGHAMSHIRE.
THE EASTER MARCH AND RALLY WAS ORGANISED BY THE CAMPAIGN FOR NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT.THE MARCHERS FLOODED INTO TRAFALGAR SQUARE TO THE SOUND OF FOLK TUNES AND "FREEDOM SONGS" SUNG BY GROUPS OF GUITAR-PLAYING YOUTHS.HUNDREDS OF UNIFORMED POLICE RINGED THE SQUARE.
THE CROWD OVERFLOWED THE SQUARE AS THOUSANDS OF ONLOOKERS JOINED THE 20,000 WHO HAD TAKEN PART IN THE MARCH.THE THEME OF THIS YEAR'S DEMONSTRATION WAS DISSATISFACTION WITH THE GOVERNMENT'S NUCLEAR WEAPONS AND FOREIGN POLICIES, BUT IN CONTRAST WITH PREVIOUS YEARS IT WAS ORDERLY.
IGNORING THE PLEA OF THE ORGANISERS NOT TO SHOUT SLOGANS, THE MARCHERS CHANTED "POLARIS OUT", "JOHNSON OUT", "HANDS OFF VIETNAM" AND "BAN THE BOMB -- UP THE VIET CONG".ONE BANNER, CARRIED BY OXFORD UNIVERSITY STUDENTS CRITICISED THE SUPPORT OF AMERICAN VIETNAM POLICY GIVEN BY THE BRITISH PRIME MINISTER, MR.HAROLD WILSON.
SPEAKERS AT THE RALLY INCLUDED MR.SIDNEY SILVERMAN, A LABOUR MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT WHO INTRODUCED BRITAIN'S CONTROVERSIAL ANTI-HANGING BILL; THE LABOUR PEER, LORD BROCKWAY, WHO AS MR.FENNER BROCKWAY WAS A LEADING LEFT-WING LABOUR MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS; AND THE ANGLICAN MINISTER, CANON COLLINS, LEADER OF THE CAMPAIGN OF NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT.
ABOUT 100 MEMBERS OF THE "COMMITTEE OF 100" - A BREAKAWAY GROUP FROM THE CAMPAIGN FOR NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT -- TRIED TO MARCH ON 10 DOWNING STREET, THE OFFICIAL RESIDENCE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, WHO IS AT PRESENT HOLIDAYING ON THE SOULY ISLES, OFF ENGLAND'S SOUTH COAST.
THE DEMONSTRATORS WERE TUNE WAY BY POLICE AS THEY SHOUTED TO MR.WILSON TO COME OUT AND EXPLAIN IS GOVERNMENT'S DEFENCE AND FOREIGN POLICIES.EIGHT OF THE DEMONSTRATORS WERE ARRESTED AND CHARGED WITH FAILING TO COMPLY WITH THE POLICE COMMISSIONER'S REGULATIONS.
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