Fraser flees protesters

Press, 24 August 1976, Page 1

Fraser flees protesters

PA Melbourne The Australian Prime Minister (Mr Malcolm Fraser) fled from demonstrators at Monash University after they had thrown bricks at him, and stormed a building where he was speaking. Mr Fraser ran to the safety of a police car after police reinforcements told him thev could not guarantee his safety. The demonstration came onlv a short time after a similar demonstration against the Australian

Governor-General (Sir John Kerr) at a university in Sydney. One of Mr Fraser’s bodyguards had glass lodged in his eye when a brick shattered a plate-glass window, and aides with him were kicked and jostled by the demonstrators. His assistant press secretary, Mr Alistair Drysdale, said by telephone from Melbourne after the demonstration that the Prime Minister had said the de-

monstration was frightening. “Just before he (Mr Fraser) began speaking, the police passed him a message, saying they could not guarantee his safety if he carried out the remainder of his official duty, and they thought it unsafe for him to walk 200 to 300 yards to unveil a plaque.” Mr Fraser’s partv waited in the manager’s office, below the theatre, about one hour and a quarter, said Mr Drysdale. “We made one attempt to leave, sur-

rounded by police, but we could not get through the door. We were in the foyer about three minutes. “We went back to the office, and after about 30 minutes we were able to get the key to a workshop. We literally ran out, but we were spotted, and there were cries of ‘He’s coming, he’s coming.’ “We ran down an embankment about 50 yards to an unmarked police car and leapt into the back seat.”