Separatists May Stage ‘Sit-In’

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30562, 3 October 1964, Page 13

Separatists May Stage ‘Sit-In’

(N.Z.P. A.-Reuter—Copyright) QUEBEC CITY, October 2. The French Canadian Separatist leader hinted last night that the Queen may face a mass sit-in when she visits Quebec next week.

Mr Pierre Bourgault, president ofs the Reassemblement Pour I’lndependence Nationale, was asked at a businessman’s dinner if the organisation had recruited any American Negro civil rights workers for the Royal visit as he had planned. He replied: “We were very impressed with the civil rights sit-ins in various parts of the United States to get a point of view over. We contacted Negro leaders but I do not think now that any will be coming to Quebec.” Asked if the R.I.N. planned

to use sit-ins along the Royal route when the Queen visited Quebec city on October 10, he paused and said: “Yes, it is a possibility.” Earlier Mr Bourgault, dynamic leader of the R.1.N., which claims a membership of more than 7000 and seeks an independent Quebec, announced a “giant protest rally” would be held on October 9, the eve of the Royal visit. He. told a press conference he would announce at the rally plans “to show our displeasure at the Queen’s visit and press our cause. “We do have plans to show how seriously we want a separate Quebec,” he said.