DIY History | Transcribe | Social Justice | University of Iowa anti-war protests, 1970 | May 1970 Iowa City Press-Citizen Article: ""Protesters Here Smash Windows, Youth Arrested""

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University of Iowa anti-war protests, 1970

May 1970 Iowa City Press-Citizen Article: ""Protesters Here Smash Windows, Youth Arrested""

Protesters Here Smash Windows, Youth Arrested
By Fred E. Karnes Of the Press-Citizen
The local war on the war in Southeast Asia escalated markedly Thursday night as protesters smashed windows and set off dormitory fire alarms. Targets also included the University of Iowa Recreation Building, an Army ROTC office at the Fieldhouse, the Iowa City Post Office and the Armed Forces recruiting center. 
The action came about six hors after a small demonstration at the UI Placement Office and the presentation of a list of demands to the State Board of Regents meeting in Iowa City.  
A Sioux City youth was the only person arrested in the evening disturbance. Gary D. Patton, 20, was freed on $150 bond after being charged with disorderly conduct and assault and battery. Patton is not a student at the university, officials said.
Campus police said the first charge came when Patton set off a fire alarm at Quadrangle Dormitory. The second charge resulted from a fight with James G. LaRue, a resident of the dorm, police said. 
The raid began when about 50 persons - many of them daubed in red, white and blue war paint - left Iowa Memorial Union about 6:30 p.m. to "greet" an ROTC rifle drill team at the Recreation Building. 
One window was smashed at the Recreation Building before the protestors converged on an Army ROTC office in the Fieldhouse.
William Binney, director of campus security, said the office was entered, a showcase with ribbons and medals was broken into and several desks were overturned.  
In addition, Binney said, windows to the office were broken and clothing and pipes were stolen from the office along with the medals. 
Binney said no estimate of damage has been compiled.
"There were not very many instances of vandalism occurring on campus," he added.  
The protestors then continued to the dormitories where an American flag was burned in the Quadrangle Court. Fire alarms were triggered at Rienow II, Quad and Hillcrest between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. 
The marchers subsequently paraded back to the union for reinforcements and marched up Market Street past campus security headquarters to the Post Office. 
Apparently headed for the U.S. Selective Service office in the Post Office, the demonstrators were turned back by a steel gate blocking the stairway to the draft office. When Iowa City police entered the Post Office, the marchers left. 
The chanting contingent - now numbering more than 80 - then proceeded to the recruiting office at 221 South Linn Street where a glass door was smashed by a firecracker followed by hurled pieces of ice. 
The group later paraded to Old Capitol to pose for pictures, then trudged back to the union for coffee. The two-hour raid left the National Guard Armory - one of the first targets in last May's disturbance- as the only Iowa City military establishment unscathed. 
Binney said his force is investigating the disturbance with an eye on more arrests. He conceded that police will find it difficult to implicate individuals with specific violations because of the nature of the protest. 
However, informed sources report that agents from the Iowa Bureau of Criminal Investigation arrive in Iowa City late Thursday. 
"You're not going to get a lot of arrest in a thing like this," Binney noted. 
Any further actions planned for today remained unclear although several protesters attempted - unsuccessfully - to sign up Thursday for interviews today with a Bank of America recruiter.  
About 40 students attempted to confront the recruiter Thursday noon, but failed when he remained in the Placement Office through the lunch hour.  
Vice Provost Phillip G. Hubbard talked with the students for about 30 minutes as they sat in the lobby outside the Placement Office.  Hubbard told students he had asked the Bank
PROTEST Turn to Page 2A

[photo]
Protest Target
Anti-war protesters paraded through the University of Iowa campus and downtown Iowa City Thursday night, smashing windows at several points. Here, the door of the Armed Services Recruiting Center, 221 South Linn Street, was one of those that failed to survive the raid. An American flag was burned near the Quadrangle dormitory and three fire alarms were set off by the demonstrators. One arrest was made. (Press-Citizen Photo)

Protest
From Page 1A
of America recruiter if he wanted to speak with them.  
Hubbard said the recruiter declined the invitation saying "he wouldn't be a very good participant in the dialogue because he doesn't have the answers."
Hubbard told them they could sit in the lobby, but warned the contingent that any person blocking access to the facility would be "subject to disciplinary action."
The group left the lobby shortly before 2 p.m. Thursday after discussing tactics to remove ROTC from campus, and what they termed university "complicity" with the war effort and build a broader campus base.

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Protesters Here Smash Windows, Youth Arrested By Fred E. Karnes Of the Press-Citizen The local war on the war in Southeast Asia escalated markedly Thursday night as protesters smashed windows and set off dormitory fire alarms. Targets also included the University of Iowa Recreation Building, an Army ROTC office at the Fieldhouse, the Iowa City Post Office and the Armed Forces recruiting center. The action came about six hors after a small demonstration at the UI Placement Office and the presentation of a list of demands to the State Board of Regents meeting in Iowa City. A Sioux City youth was the only person arrested in the evening disturbance. Gary D. Patton, 20, was freed on $150 bond after being charged with disorderly conduct and assault and battery. Patton is not a student at the university, officials said. Campus police said the first charge came when Patton set off a fire alarm at Quadrangle Dormitory. The second charge resulted from a fight with James G. LaRue, a resident of the dorm, police said. The raid began when about 50 persons - many of them daubed in red, white and blue war paint - left Iowa Memorial Union about 6:30 p.m. to "greet" an ROTC rifle drill team at the Recreation Building. One window was smashed at the Recreation Building before the protestors converged on an Army ROTC office in the Fieldhouse. William Binney, director of campus security, said the office was entered, a showcase with ribbons and medals was broken into and several desks were overturned. In addition, Binney said, windows to the office were broken and clothing and pipes were stolen from the office along with the medals. Binney said no estimate of damage has been compiled. "There were not very many instances of vandalism occurring on campus," he added. The protestors then continued to the dormitories where an American flag was burned in the Quadrangle Court. Fire alarms were triggered at Rienow II, Quad and Hillcrest between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. The marchers subsequently paraded back to the union for reinforcements and marched up Market Street past campus security headquarters to the Post Office. Apparently headed for the U.S. Selective Service office in the Post Office, the demonstrators were turned back by a steel gate blocking the stairway to the draft office. When Iowa City police entered the Post Office, the marchers left. The chanting contingent - now numbering more than 80 - then proceeded to the recruiting office at 221 South Linn Street where a glass door was smashed by a firecracker followed by hurled pieces of ice. The group later paraded to Old Capitol to pose for pictures, then trudged back to the union for coffee. The two-hour raid left the National Guard Armory - one of the first targets in last May's disturbance- as the only Iowa City military establishment unscathed. Binney said his force is investigating the disturbance with an eye on more arrests. He conceded that police will find it difficult to implicate individuals with specific violations because of the nature of the protest. However, informed sources report that agents from the Iowa Bureau of Criminal Investigation arrive in Iowa City late Thursday. "You're not going to get a lot of arrest in a thing like this," Binney noted. Any further actions planned for today remained unclear although several protesters attempted - unsuccessfully - to sign up Thursday for interviews today with a Bank of America recruiter. About 40 students attempted to confront the recruiter Thursday noon, but failed when he remained in the Placement Office through the lunch hour. Vice Provost Phillip G. Hubbard talked with the students for about 30 minutes as they sat in the lobby outside the Placement Office. Hubbard told students he had asked the Bank PROTEST Turn to Page 2A [photo] Protest Target Anti-war protesters paraded through the University of Iowa campus and downtown Iowa City Thursday night, smashing windows at several points. Here, the door of the Armed Services Recruiting Center, 221 South Linn Street, was one of those that failed to survive the raid. An American flag was burned near the Quadrangle dormitory and three fire alarms were set off by the demonstrators. One arrest was made. (Press-Citizen Photo) Protest From Page 1A of America recruiter if he wanted to speak with them. Hubbard said the recruiter declined the invitation saying "he wouldn't be a very good participant in the dialogue because he doesn't have the answers." Hubbard told them they could sit in the lobby, but warned the contingent that any person blocking access to the facility would be "subject to disciplinary action." The group left the lobby shortly before 2 p.m. Thursday after discussing tactics to remove ROTC from campus, and what they termed university "complicity" with the war effort and build a broader campus base.