Police Scatter Negroes Again

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30094, 30 March 1963, Page 11

Police Scatter Negroes Again

( N.Z.PA.-Reuter— Copyrig ht) GREENWOOD (Mississippi), March 28. Fifty negroes filled out applications to vote today in the racially-tense city of Greenwood, then were scattered by police using dogs as they marched away from the Courthouse singing, United Press International reported.

It marked the second time in two days that police scattered a group of negroes marching on the streets of the north Mississippi city of 20.000.

Eleven negroes who were arrested during a demonstration yesterday will appear in Court later to answer disorderly conduct charges. Witnesses said a police dog on a long leash bit the Rev. D. L. Tucker, pastor of a church where negro voter registrations rallies have been held, as the crowd broke up today. No arrests were reported. The Greenwood area has

been the target of an intensive voter registration campaign among negroes in recent weeks. One registration worker was wounded last month by gunfire from a moving car and two shotgun blasts were fired into a negro home earlier this week.

Today, the group ot negroes went to the Leflore County Courthouse in twos and threes. They were received politely in the circuit clerk’s office and given vote application forms to fill out After completing the forms, the negroes gathered on the courthouse lawn, then started their march away from the building. Police ordered the marchers to disperse.

When they refused, one ot the three dogs held by police was turned loose on the group. The negroes scattered and crowds of whites began forma ng on street corners. Mr Tucker was bitten on the leg and was seen hobbling down the street supported by two negroes. Police confiscated a motion picture camera belonging to Columbia Broadcasting System news photographer, Fred Perez after charging that his car was blocking traffic. Perez said he wss told by the officer that his camera would be returned to him at the police station. He said he retrieved it “without the film.”

Another photographer was jostled by a crowd ot whites as he stood on the side of the street taking pictures. He was not injured.