Protest March In Support Of Utzon

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31000, 4 March 1966, Page 13

Protest March In Support Of Utzon

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) SYDNEY, March 3. One thousand architects and students carrying banners demanded the reinstatement of the Opera House architect, Mr Joern Utzon, in a noisy demonstration outside the State Parliament House this afternoon.

The demonstrators had earlier made a protest march from the opera house. Three architects were permitted into Parliament House to interview the New South Wales Premier, Mr Robin Askin. They gave him a petition signed by more than 2000 people demanding the reinstatement of Mr Utzon. Most of the demonstrators were art and architectural students from the Universities of Sydney and New South Wales. A group of about 30 members, 10 Parliamentary officials and a group of journalists and Parliament House staff watched the demonstration from the veranda of Parliament House. The Sergeant-at-Arms, Mr F. A. Mahony, on the Speaker’s instructions,

ordered the main gate to be closed when the demonstrators arrived. Mr Utzon resigned on Monday as the architect of the opera house after an argument concerning building materials for the project.