- Title: INDIA: STUDENTS IN CALCUTTA DEMONSTRATE AGAINST McNAMARA VISIT.
- Date: 22nd November 1968
- Summary: STUDENTS MARCHING DOWN STREET; POLICE OUTSIDE U.S.I.S. OFFICE; STUDENTS BURNING EFFIGY OF MCNAMARA; STUDENT PLACED IN POLICE VEHICLE; BURNING BUS. Initials JH/VS/BOB/BB Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 7th December 1968 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: CALCUTTA, INDIA
- Country: India
- Reuters ID: LVAAJAP9L38MP0359IU2AK9XTHPH
- Story Text: POLICE FIRED TEAR GAS SHELLS AT STUDENT RIOTERS WHO SET FIRE TO TWO TRAMS AND A BUS IN CENTRAL CALCUTTA YESTERDAY (THURSDAY) IN PROTEST AGAINST THE VISIT OF MR. ROBERT MCNAMARA, THE WORLD BANK PRESIDENT.
ABOUT 1,000 DEMONSTRATORS MARCHED FROM CALCUTTA UNIVERSITY IN THE CENTRE OF THE CITY SHOUTING SLOGANS AGAINST THE FORMER U.S. DEFENCE SECRETARY AND AGAINST AMERICAN POLICY IN VIETNAM. THEY CARRIED BANNERS AND CHANTED SLOGANS BRANDING MR. MCNAMARA "THE ARCHITECT OF U.S. POLICY IN VIETNAM".
THE DEMONSTRATORS BURNED AN EFFIGY OF MR. MCNAMARA OUTSIDE THE OFFICIALS OF THE UNITED STATES INFORMATION SERVICE IN THE CITY'S BUSINESS SECTION.
RIOTERS LET OFF FIRECRACKERS AND THREW STONES AND BRICKS AS THEY RETREATED FROM A POLICE TEAR GAS AND BATON ASSAULT. THE DEMONSTRATORS SURGED THROUGH THE STREETS ATTACKING PASSING TRAMS AND BUSES. THE STUDENTS SET FIRE TO TWO TRAMS AND A BUS DURING THE THREE-HOUR BATTLE.
EIGHT PEOPLE WERE ARRESTED AND SEVERAL INJURIES WERE RECORDED.
IT WAS THE SECOND DAY OF VIOLENCE OVER THE FACT-FINDING VISIT BY MR. MCNAMARA. ON WEDNESDAY (20 NOVEMBER), MR. MCNAMARA HAD TO BE FLOWN BY HELICOPTER FROM CALCUTTA'S DUM DUM AIRPORT WHEN AN ESTIMATED 1,000 ALLEGEDLY COMMUNIST-LED STUDENTS DEMONSTRATED UPON HIS ARRIVAL FROM NEW DELHI. STREET BATTLE ALSO OCCURRED.
- Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None