Water Bombs, Placards

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31196, 21 October 1966, Page 1

Water Bombs, Placards

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, October 20. Water bombs thrown at police guarding the Salamanca road stop of the Kelburn cable-car shortly before the arrival of Mrs Johnson this morning resulted in a rigid security clamp-down on nearby Weir House, the student hostel of Victoria University.

Believed to be part of a student prank, the bombs brought a big contingent of police to Weir House.

A search was made, and a police guard mounted overi the hostel and over all the' cable-car tunnels in case of further “bombing” attempts. The subsequent passage of 1 the V.1.P.-laden car up the tine passed without incident. Banners supporting and denouncing the war in Vietnam were thrust at President Johnson at various points on his tour of Wellington. When he left Parliament Buildings to drive through the main streets a dozen or more banners appeared in the crowd. There was a scuffle as members of the crowd tried to tear down a placard carried by an elderly man proclaiming: "Mr President. We support 2000 United States clergymen who appealed to you in the name of God to stop it.” Police told the crowd to leave the demonstrator alone.

Other banners supported both schools of thought on the Vietnam war—“ Withdraw All Foreign Troops from Vietnam,” and “Welcome, L.8.J.”

Huge placards with the "Kennedy for President” slogan were displayed at Parliament Buildings. Some of the banners were 20 feet long. NEW YORK REPORT

An Australian Associated Press message from New York said “a crowd of about 500 youthful demonstrators heckled President Johnson and scuffled with police outside the Parliament House as the President arrived there for lunch. The demonstrators chanted, 'Hey. hey, L.B.J. How many kids have you killed today?’” A fiery cross burned furiously on top of Mount Victoria for about a quarter of an hour early this morning. A police official said the cross had been lit by demonstrators, “but as yet we haven't found the person who lit it.”

Firemen were called to put out the fire. A mile outside the R.N.Z.A.F. base at Ohakea, a small demonstration was led ’by an American holding a placard topped by the Stars and Stripes which read: “An American Citizen Protests at Napalm Bombing.” The American, William Olsen, aged 30. of Palmerston North, said: “I came along today as an act of conscience to show that not all Americans support the Vietnam war.” Mr Olsen has been teaching in New Zealand for four years. Other demonstrators standing with him on the roadside carried placards with the message: “Vietnamese Are People—Not Units.” .