Whitlam kicked and punched

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33493, 26 March 1974, Page 12

Whitlam kicked and punched

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) PERTH, March 25. The Prime Minister of Australia (Mr Gough Whitlam) was punched, kicked, and pelted with debris during a violent demonstration at a state election rally in Perth today.

Demonstratorsjimong a crowd of 10,000 people at the rally, rained eggs, tomatoes, and drink con* tainers on Mr Whitlam.

Eyewitnesses said that a red-faced and obviously shaken Mr Whitlam yelled back at the demonstrators: “Cowards, cowards,” after he was hit on the back of the head by a full can of soft drink.

He was forced to abandon his 35 minute appearance 15 minutes early. The rally was in support of an Australian Labour Party candidate for next Saturday’s elections in Western Australia.

As tightly-bunched security men shepherded Mr Whitlam back to his car he wasi punched and kicked by the shouting demonstrators, eyewitnesses said.

Many of the demonstrators appeared to be farmers who, have been strongly critical recently of the usually-, popular Mr Whitlam, for re-i

poking a Government programme on fertiliser aid. Throughout the demonstration, Mr Whitlam stood ion the back of a lorry, speaking from a microphone, j His words were drowned frequently by the shouting and at one stage the microphone cord was cut. silenc- | ing him -completely. The Labour Premier of Western Australia (Mr John 'Tonkin), who appeared with Mr Whitlam, was also heckled and jostled. The police were kept busy controlling several fights which broke out in the | crowd, but they said that no -arrests were made.