Negro Students In School Uproar

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31499, 13 October 1967, Page 15

Negro Students In School Uproar

(N.Z. Press Association —Copyright;

CINCINATTI, October 11. Gangs of Negro students roamed the corridors at Hughes High School in Cincinnati for three hours today, beating white students and screaming Black Power slogans at police.

The trouble started at 11 a.m. when a false fire alarm was turned on and school officials evacuated the building.

When the alarm was over, the school principal, Mr Richard Hobson, said all but 600 of the 2600 students returned to class.

The rest remained in the halls and reports came in that they were being attacked, first in one section and then in another, he said. Fourteen white students, including eight girls, reported they were beaten in a series of incidents but no serious injuries were reported. Police, called in later in the day in an attempt to quell the disturbances, were met outside by 200 jeering Negroes. Ten arrests were made. Mr Hobson said at least

four of those arrested were Hughes students.

The police chief, Mr Jacob Schott, blamed the rampage on “purveyors of hate and Black Power.” He did not elaborate. Mr Hobson said he did not know whether the violence was spontaneous or inspired by outside “influences.”