White riots injure 38 in Kentucky

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33942, 8 September 1975, Page 13

White riots injure 38 in Kentucky

(New Zealand Press Association—Copy light LOUISVILLE (Kentucky). September 7. All large public gatherings were banned in Louisville yesterday, as hundreds of National Guardsmen and police patrolled Jefferson Countx following a day and night of \ iolent anti-busing demonstrations.

At least 38 persons! were injured and an' estimated 325 arrested ■ on Friday and Friday I night. Two buses were set on fire at one school and 37] others damaged, as mostly] white crowds numbering in' the thousands clashed with police and threw rocks and bottles. As darkness fell on Satur-! day, police reported the situ-j ation tense but said there i were nd major problems.' Police said several hundred Ku Klux Klansmen, the anti- ] black secret society, had gathered on private land in] the southern part of the county, but no trouble was' reported. Earlier, police arrested i Phillip Chopper. “grand! dragon” of the Klan for! Kentucky. Police said he I was charged with third degree conspiracy but did not elaborate. Arrests after han

The state Governor (Mr Julian Carroll) who has been an opponent of busing, ordered 800 guardsmen to duty yesterday after county police and State troopers had battled with thousands of young white rioters in the area.

Later, the Mayor (Mr Harvey Sloane) said no rallies or demonstrations of any kind would be allowed in the city. Some 60 people were arrested during the morning for violating the ban.

I The police chief (Mr John! | Nevin) said those arrested were carrying signs and “I ] assumed they planned to I I march." A Federal chief marshal said today that it would be nearly impossible to guarantee the safety of the students should classes re-open I tomorrow. The violence erupted on I the second day of court-] jordered busing of black and ] white students between the city and suburban Jefferson: :jCounty. The order is aimed 'at achieving racial balance] in schools. Schools open Officials plan to reopen ■ schools as usual tomorrow! with police escorts for buses i carrying children under a I Federal court desegregation order. But United States Chief Marshal (Mr Jesse Grider)! said it would be almost im-j possible to guarantee the safety of the 120,000 stu-] dents in the county’s school ] system, the twelfth • largest l in the country. Mr Sloane said that thei ] riots appeared to have been I organised, adding that sev]eral members of the Klan] (had been arrested.