London Mob Attacks U.S. Embassy

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31632, 19 March 1968, Page 15

London Mob Attacks U.S. Embassy

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter— Copyright) LONDON, March 18.

More than 220 people have been charged with offences after yesterday’s violent demonstration against the Vietnam war outside the United States Embassy in Grosvenor Square, London.

Thousands of demonstrators clutching Viet Cong flags surged across Grosvenor Square in an effort to smash their way through the heav-ily-guarded gates of the Embassy, only to be met by more than 1000 policemen, many of them mounted. i

At least 80 of the 150 people injured in the hourlong brawl that ensued are said to be policemen, about 25 of whom have been detained in hospital, some of them badly hurt. Throughout the night queues of demonstrators were being charged at the police station in Central London to which they had been taken in bus-loads.

During the brawl the mob pelted the police and the front of the embassy with stones, smoke bombs, fire-crackers, clods of earth and branches ripped from trees. Policemen’s helmets were sent flying through the air as demonstrators thrust their way up to the police horses and banged their riders on

the head with banner poles. Screams and cries of pain mixed with yells of “Sieg Heil” and cries of “Hey, Hey, L.8.J., how many kids have you killed today.” When the police rallied and charged the demonstrators fled wildly across the grasscovered square. Beatnik - clad youths and mini - skirted girls were bowled over in the rush, and one fur-coated blonde was kicked on the head by a horse.

When the square was finally cleared, ambulance men collected prone figures from the debris of banners, shoes and torn clothing. Thirteen of the embassy’s windows were broken, and a few were smashed in the

nearby American Chamber of Commerce building, which was also splashed with red paint. Some American demonstrators burned their draft cards amid the chaos. CENTRAL RALLY

The demonstration, organised by about 40 different Left-wing groups, had begun as a 100,000-strong rally* in Trafalgar Square, less than a mile from the embassy. Some of the demonstrators boasted they had a floor plan of the embassy. Several thousand fell out before the march reached the embassy. When the remainder reached Grosvenor Square the police had cordoned off both ends of the roadway. The first marchers' went

tamely by, but the main body pushed through the police lines and into the square itself.

The actress Vanessa Redgrave was one of the few protesters allowed to approach the embassy with a petition. She had been one of the main speakers at the premarch rally. Afterwards, some of the crowd drifted off and tried to march into the nearby Europa and Hilton Hotels. Staff hastily closed their doors until the police had moved on the demonstrators.

The mounted policeman’s white horse in the cable picture shies at an explosive missile thrown by a demonstrator outside the embassy.