MARCH ON GAOL

Press, Volume C, Issue 29699, 18 December 1961, Page 9

MARCH ON GAOL

Gas Fired At Negroes <NJlJ>ut.-R«der-Copvrteht) BATON ROUGE (Loutatane), Dec. WPolice yeoterday opened fire with teen- gm on more than 2000 singing negro demonotrotor* marching on the city gaol. • The crack of teer-gas shells began a* Sheriff Bryan Clemmons shouted to the crowd through a microphone: “We have allowed you to demonstrate peacefully. Now break ft up" The negroes broke and ran screaming to confusion. About ISO organised a secondary march on the State Capitol and police again ran them off with tear-gas. Thirty to 40 were arrested and booked at the Sheriff's office. The march was held because 23 members of the Congress of Racial Equality, arrested for picketing stores in Baton Rouge, were in the gaoL The protest march against the gaol was organised at Southern University, north of Baton Rouge. Police stationed at 10ft intervals kept the negroes from entering the square where the gaol is located. The negroes lined up across the street from the four-storey Court bundling that includes the gaol. They sang “America" and other such songs, and carried signs. One sign said: "Let’s don't buy this Christmas." When reports spread that the negroes were going to march on the Capitol, state and city police, armed with both tear-gas and riot guns, ' took up positions at *ll to- ; terseottons along the street that leads to the Capitol : building.