- Title: WEST GERMANY: WEST BERLIN: 10,000 STUDENTS DEMONSTRATE AGAINST VIETNAM WAR
- Date: 18th February 1968
- Summary: SCENES FROM THE DEMONSTRATION, WITH NATURAL SOUND. Initials RM/VS/CR/PC Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 4th March 1968 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: WEST BERLIN
- Country: Germany
- Reuters ID: LVAE2WYKKU8RQMD6BSQGG7NVYLGE
- Story Text: SOME 10,000 STUDENTS PROTESTING AGAINST THE WAR IN VIETNAM SURGED THROUGH THE STREETS OF WEST BERLIN TODAY (SUNDAY) FOLLOWING THEIR CONGRESS AT WEST BERLIN TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY YESTERDAY IN SUPPORT OF THE NORTH VIETNAMESE.
POLICE, HOPING TO AVOID VIOLENCE, KEPT OUT OF SIGHT AS THE MARCH OPERED WITH STUDENTS RUNNING WITH LINKED ARMS AND CHANTING "HO CHI MINH" - THE NAME OF THE NORTH VIETNAMESE PRESIDENT. THE DEMONSTRATION, EARLIER BANNED, WAS ALLOWED AFTER A SUCCESSFUL COURT APPEAL.
POLICE HELICOPTERS HOVERED OVERHEAD AS THE STUDENTS, WAVING PLACARDS, COMMUNIST EMBLEMS AND NORTH VIETNAMESE FLAGS, MARCHED TO THE WEST BERLIN OPERA HOUSE WHERE THE MAIN SPEECHES WERE TO BE MADE. ABOUT 1,000 OF THE STUDENTS WERE FROM ABROAD.
THE CLIMAX OF THE MARCH CAME FOUR YOUTHS CLIMBED ABOUT 150 FEET (50 METRES) TO THE TOP OF TWO LARGE BUILDING CRANES AND HOISTED VIET CONG AND RED FLAGS. LATER, BUILDING WORKERS RETRIEVED THE FLAGS, SET FIRE TO THEM AND THREW THEM DOWN ON THE JEERING DEMONSTRATORS.
THE STUDENTS THEN HELD THEIR RALLY AND PASSED A RESOLUTION CALLING FOR A CAMPAIGN TO ENCOURAGE U.S. SOLDIERS IN EUROPE TO DESERT, AND CALLING FOR A BLOCKADE OF PORTS AND FACTORIES SHIPPING AND PRODUCING WAR MATERIALS FOR VIETNAM. POLICE SAID THERE HAD BEEN NO ARRESTS AND ONLY TWO PEOPLE HAD BEEN SLIGHTLY INJURED IN MINOR SCUFFLES.
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