Police, marchers clash in Aust.

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32406, 19 September 1970, Page 18

Police, marchers clash in Aust.

(A Z. Press Association—Copyright) SYDNEY, September 18. Police and peace marchers clashed in Australia’s major cities today as thousands of people turned out on the streets to support the country’s Vietnam moratorium day.

In Sydney, 80 persons! were reported arrested 1 as a column of 15,000)' marchers blocked city ] streets and brought L rush-hour traffic to al halt. 'i

The worst clashes of the day were in Adelaide, where I a moratorium march by 4000 people turned into an ugly melee after they refused a I police order to disperse. Several people were taken to hospital—including a

• policeman who fell from his . horse—and at least 100 arI rests were made. The South Australian Labour Premier (Mr Dunstan) said yesterday that his police commissioner (Mr J. McKinna) had refused a State Government request to allow demonstrators to take over certain streets during the . moratorium.

In Sydney fighting broke out as thousands of protesters converged on the Town Hall tonight, aiming to block the busy roadway. In Melbourne, about 10,000 demonstrators staged a street sit-down in the heart of the city for half-an-hour. Scuffles broke out when police moved in to clear them away. Other smaller marches in Perth, Brisbane and Hobart —where a freak snow-storm kept the numbers down-rail went without incident. The moratorium was called in opposition to the Australian Government's participation in the Vietnam war.