description:
Brutality mars Loop peace march by Aldine Favaro What started out as a peaceful march April 27, erupted into violence at the Chicago Civic Center. Mundelein freshman Rose McKiernan remains in St. Joseph hospital as a result of being beaten by police. The march, organized by the Student Mobilization Committee, drew an estimated 7000 people to Grant Park. Sister Mary Griffin, academic dean, described the group that gathered as an interest ing cross-section with college groups, clergy concerned about Vietnam, sisters, adults and children. The march began after an hour's delay at about 3:00, with its destination the Civic Center Contrary to how the papers presented the group, Sister Donna Merwick said that I was proud to march with the other teachers, students, and parents. The participants were not eccentric extremists. In explaining why she partici pated in the march, Sister said I feel the government position on the war is immoral and the American conscience needs to be awakened to this. Public demonstrations are one way of bringing this about. March Procedure Some frustration was experi enced at Grant Park because the amplifier system promised by the Park District failed to materialize and only a small number of those gathered could hear the speakers deliver talks on the war from about 1:30 to 3:00. Although the absence of an amplifier system brought an expected amount of confusion, the groups were handed mime ographed material specifying the march procedure. plaza. The general consensus of all Mundelein people involved in the march is that at this ear ly stage it was well organized and all participants were in good spirits. The marchers were walking 8 to 10 abreast, carry ing signs and banners as a symbolic expression of the sympathies of those involved. Later the signs were to be de livered to the City Hall by a truck sent from the Civic Center. As the group left Columbus Drive and began to march down Michigan Ave., it was met by police who informed the marchers that they could use the sidewalks only and were to stop at all lights. This action slowed the march con siderably as the marchers then had to walk two or four abreast. Also at this time, the police told the marchers that only one person could carry a sign or banner. Because some ban- Vol. XXXVIII Slnracroper photo by Kathleen Flynn AS PART OF the 11 day Mundelein Student Mobilization, April 2t-3 , students and faculty members congregated last Friday on Coffey Hall steps in a prayer vigil for peace in Vietnam and racial justice in the United States. The prayer vigil climaxed the afl day teach-in which Mundelein SDS members substituted for die inter national student-faculty strike day. Ob Saturday, many of these students participated in the Chicago Peace Condi's rally and march to demonstrate against the war. The rally evolved into a demonstration of police brutality which hospitalized a Mndekta student. Mundelein College, Chicago, W., 60628, May 3. 1968 ners stretched across an entire street, confusion began to build and Sister Prudence Moy lan described the situation at this point as being one of building tension. Police Action The march was very slow, she said; We were forced to use sidewalks and there were policemen at every light who stopped us from crossing. It was obvious that the police were as unsympathetic as they could be, without being out- rightly antagonistic. All agree that the police ac tion from the time the group reached Michigan Avenue ap peared designed to create ten sion. Rose McKiernan said she be came aware that trouble was imminent because of the police tactics of breaking the march ers up into little groups by holding them at the lights. The marchers began chant ing Peace Now and rumors started filtering back through the crowd of people being beaten or arrested by police. By about 4:30, the Munde lein group reached the Loop where other marchers were al ready singing and chanting. When the Mundelein contin gent finally reached Dearborn and Washington, they found the Civic Center plaza roped off and were told they were al lowed to march only around the Center on the sidewalks. Increased Harrassment At the plaza, all was peace ful until the police began holding marchers on the cor ner instead of letting them cross to the plaza itself. Those who were already at the Civic Center began screaming to let the others cross. Groups began walking with the green light to the plaza where the police arrested any one going to the center of the plaza. Marchers were arrested for caulking, that is putting printed material on the plaza square. This caused more con fusion among marchers who wanted to leave their posters in the square as planned. Police Threats Mary Montavon, freshman, who was in one of the last groups to arrive at the plaza, said that no one knew what to do at this point. The police began yelling You kids better hurry up, and get out of here. We're opening up the vans Anyone who charged to the center of the plaza was clubbed by police and arrested. Diane Heftel, freshman, said that when she questioned po licemen as to why the Civic Center was roped off, police answered her with, We have our orders. Don't aggravate She saw two boys being beaten with four policemen beating one of them on the ground. Describing the incident, Di ane said, The boy was on the ground and they kept beating him with their night sticks. Then they took him by the hands and legs and started to carry him off. There was blood all over his head, so one of the policemen put a newspaper over his head, I guess so you couldn't see. At this point a man appeared with a megaphone and ordered all marchers to hand their signs over to the police. He told everyone to disperse and gave orders to the police to push them back. Diane Heftel, Carol Stevens and Rose McKiernan locked arms, not knowing what was happening. They were sur rounded by policemen and pushed with night sticks. Confusion and Fear Carol describes the confus ion. One policeman grabbed my wrist and started pushing us, but there was no where to go. We asked them, 'Please help us get out. We really want to leave, but how?' There were police who pushed us back into the street and the police be hind us wouldn't let us leave. Rose McKiernan said that at this point a policeman pushed her and she fell to the ground. I guess I blacked out for a minute because when I looked up, there was no one around me. All I saw were cops. I guess I wasn't getting up fast enough because one of them started kicking me in the back. I got up and ran across the street into the crowd. Another Mundelein student at the plaza described what was happening. Katie Beckert says of the confusion, It was ridic ulous to me. We were all will ing to leave, no one wanted his head bashed in. When we tried to leave, we were sur rounded. When I asked the po lice, 'Why are you doing this?', all they'd say is that they had orders. Terrified Marchers Diane Heftel said that at the Civic Center, I was really afraid of the police. Thev ter rified me and I wanted to be with the kids because I knew that the police wouldn't help me there. They were working against us. This unanimous expression of fear followed the marchers even when they fled the plaza. Mary Robinson who ran to an el stop saw the police beating marchers as they tried to get away. Likewise, Mary Montavon started running. I went down the Milwaukee-Congress sub way and when I looked behind me I saw a policeman beating this kid at the top of the stairs. There was no need for it, none at all Involved In the march from Mundelein were Julie Gallo way, Marilyn Murray, Diane Heftel, Katie Beckert, Carol Stevens, Mary Robinson, Rose McKiernan, Sharon Pelletier, Sue Davy, Sheila Hiss, Mary Kate Cooney, Marnl Flanagan, Mary Montavon, Sister Prud ence Moylan, Sister Mary Jo Mcllhon, Sister Donna Mer wick, Sister Mary Griffin, Sis ter Elsa Copeland and Mrs. Connie Chobanian. Committee Errors Most agreed that errors had been committed by the committee. As Sister Donna Merwick pointed out, They Sky.c photo by Mariann* Fuilllo Rose McKiernan didn't announce that there would be delays in the march and this resulted in confu sion. Also, it was not made clear as to what was involved in the permits we had been issued. But the early march gave no indication as to what would fol low at the Civic Center. Sister Donna said, It was not unlike marches I've been in before. I had no idea of what would happen later. The students too felt disbe lief at the actions of the police at the Civic Center. Carol Stevens expressed the feeling of the marchers when she said, I cant condone what happened there at all. No matter who provoked who, the sight of the police hitting kids on the head with their night sticks as the kids ran down the street is the most horrible thing I've ever.seen.
title:
1968-05-03 (1)
publisher:
Women and Leadership Archives http://www.luc.edu/wla
creator:
Mundelein College
description:
Student newspaper for Mundelein College
subject:
Newspapers
subject:
Religious communities--Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary
subject:
Students
subject:
Universities and colleges
subject:
Women's education
relation:
Mundelein College Records
type:
Text
language:
English
rights:
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coverage:
Chicago, Illinois
coverage:
Mundelein College