DIY History | Transcribe | Social Justice | Student protests, 1972-1973 | 1972-05-16 Iowa City Press-Citizen Article: ""Arson Case Continued to May 23"" 1972-05-18 Des Moines Register Article: ""Says Student Paper Incited 'Trashing'""

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Student protests, 1972-1973

1972-05-16 Iowa City Press-Citizen Article: ""Arson Case Continued to May 23"" 1972-05-18 Des Moines Register Article: ""Says Student Paper Incited 'Trashing'""

P-C 5/16/72

2A Iowa City Press-Citizen 

Arson Case Continued To May 23

A preliminary hearing for a 20-year-old University of Iowa student who was charged with arson to a truck camper during last week's disturbances was continued today to next Tuesday.
Testimony in Iowa City Police Court today came from Iowa City Police Officer William Cook, who claimed he saw Mark D. Peters, 20, North Liberty, strike a match inside the overturned camper. 
A truck with a removable camper arrived at the intersection of Burlington Street and Riverside Drive about 12:30 a.m. Wednesday during antiwar disturbances. 
Persons from the group of about 150 protesters at the intersection pushed the camper off the truck. Then the camper was set afire. 
Peters was arrested when Cook and Charles E. Arnold, who were wearing plain clothes, grabbed him from the crowd and rushed him to a parked Highway Patrol car. As other demonstrations threw rocks, Peters was taken to the Civic Center. 
John E. Schroeder, 11 1/2 East Washington Street, in a story published today in the Daily Iowan, the UI student newspaper, claimed that he started the camper fire "without any assistance whatsoever."
Schroeder claimed he wrote the article to explain why he would start such a fire saying:
" I am quite simply of the opinion that 1984 is coming, already well on its way here now. But rather than roll with the punches and stay down when knocked there, I've chosen to show a sign of resistance, kicking a bit to show that there still be some resistance to the 1984 state of some things."
Schroeder was arrested after the preliminary hearing was continued today. His arrest came after William H. Bartley, defense counselor, asked: "I am curious, your honor, why the state has called more witnesses... in view of the Daily Iowan article."
Both Cook and Arnold, the Iowa City police department's intelligence officer, testified that they knew about Schroeder's involvement in the incident a day after the fire. 
Cook testified that he saw Peters and Schroeder enter the overturned camper at different times. Cook said he saw another person he believed to be Schroeder strike several matches inside the camper. Schroeder was seated in the courtroom. 
Bartley asked why Schroeder was not arrested before the hearing. Cook said the department was busy with other business. 
Bartley emphasized throughout the hearing that neither officer has found the camper or truck's owner, neither of them saw the truck's license number, and that neither officer saw the driver and a passenger in the truck. Arnold said a UI security officer and a newsman gave him the truck's license number. A subpoena has been issued for a What Cheer man who has been alleged to be the owner of the truck. 

DMR 5/18/72

Says Student paper Incited 'Trashing'
To the Editor:
It's enough to make you sick to read the student press in Iowa City concerning the "trashing" of the downtown area. All year long the Daily Iowan has been doing nothing less than inciting the student body to riot. Every time any student group, no matter where it was, no matter how stupid its cause, no matter how crazy its membership, held a large peaceful demonstration or a violent demonstration of any size it was played up as a big deal in the Daily Iowan. The message to the student body was clear. The editorial staff whose biases were already clear were telling us "See - if students can demonstrate at Harvard or Berkeley or at Slippery Rock State U. they can do it here "....
Every crazy teeny-bopper pseudo revolutionary cause has gotten full, lavish coverage in the news and editorial sections. The only feeble attempts at any editorial balance have been letters to the editor and reprints fro ultra conservative publications so far out that Governor Wallace would think them cray. 
Well we had our trashing...[but] of the 600 or so in the streets, 25 threw rocks and the rest just followed them around to watch...
Who needs outside agitators? - Marc A. Kaplan, 137 Rienow Hall I, Iowa City, Ia, 52240

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P-C 5/16/72 2A Iowa City Press-Citizen Arson Case Continued To May 23 A preliminary hearing for a 20-year-old University of Iowa student who was charged with arson to a truck camper during last week's disturbances was continued today to next Tuesday. Testimony in Iowa City Police Court today came from Iowa City Police Officer William Cook, who claimed he saw Mark D. Peters, 20, North Liberty, strike a match inside the overturned camper. A truck with a removable camper arrived at the intersection of Burlington Street and Riverside Drive about 12:30 a.m. Wednesday during antiwar disturbances. Persons from the group of about 150 protesters at the intersection pushed the camper off the truck. Then the camper was set afire. Peters was arrested when Cook and Charles E. Arnold, who were wearing plain clothes, grabbed him from the crowd and rushed him to a parked Highway Patrol car. As other demonstrations threw rocks, Peters was taken to the Civic Center. John E. Schroeder, 11 1/2 East Washington Street, in a story published today in the Daily Iowan, the UI student newspaper, claimed that he started the camper fire "without any assistance whatsoever." Schroeder claimed he wrote the article to explain why he would start such a fire saying: " I am quite simply of the opinion that 1984 is coming, already well on its way here now. But rather than roll with the punches and stay down when knocked there, I've chosen to show a sign of resistance, kicking a bit to show that there still be some resistance to the 1984 state of some things." Schroeder was arrested after the preliminary hearing was continued today. His arrest came after William H. Bartley, defense counselor, asked: "I am curious, your honor, why the state has called more witnesses... in view of the Daily Iowan article." Both Cook and Arnold, the Iowa City police department's intelligence officer, testified that they knew about Schroeder's involvement in the incident a day after the fire. Cook testified that he saw Peters and Schroeder enter the overturned camper at different times. Cook said he saw another person he believed to be Schroeder strike several matches inside the camper. Schroeder was seated in the courtroom. Bartley asked why Schroeder was not arrested before the hearing. Cook said the department was busy with other business. Bartley emphasized throughout the hearing that neither officer has found the camper or truck's owner, neither of them saw the truck's license number, and that neither officer saw the driver and a passenger in the truck. Arnold said a UI security officer and a newsman gave him the truck's license number. A subpoena has been issued for a What Cheer man who has been alleged to be the owner of the truck. DMR 5/18/72 Says Student paper Incited 'Trashing' To the Editor: It's enough to make you sick to read the student press in Iowa City concerning the "trashing" of the downtown area. All year long the Daily Iowan has been doing nothing less than inciting the student body to riot. Every time any student group, no matter where it was, no matter how stupid its cause, no matter how crazy its membership, held a large peaceful demonstration or a violent demonstration of any size it was played up as a big deal in the Daily Iowan. The message to the student body was clear. The editorial staff whose biases were already clear were telling us "See - if students can demonstrate at Harvard or Berkeley or at Slippery Rock State U. they can do it here ".... Every crazy teeny-bopper pseudo revolutionary cause has gotten full, lavish coverage in the news and editorial sections. The only feeble attempts at any editorial balance have been letters to the editor and reprints fro ultra conservative publications so far out that Governor Wallace would think them cray. Well we had our trashing...[but] of the 600 or so in the streets, 25 threw rocks and the rest just followed them around to watch... Who needs outside agitators? - Marc A. Kaplan, 137 Rienow Hall I, Iowa City, Ia, 52240