DEMONSTRATORS THROUGH STREETS; WHITES HELD BACK; SIGNS; SMOKE BOMBS EXPLODE; MAN ARRESTED (NAT SOF)




Initials ???/V/CCT/???



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Background: A CROWD OF WHITES DEFIED A MASSIVE FORCE OF NATIONAL F
GUARDS, POLICE AND STATE TROOPERS YESTERDAY (SUNDAY) AND AMBUSHED A HANDFUL CIVIL RIGHTS MARCHERS UNDER A BRIDGE -- ATTACKING THEM WITH FISTS, CLUBS AND STONES. EARLIER, JEERING WHITES HURLED BOTTLES AND EGGS AT THE LITTLE COLUMN OF 200 DEMONSTRATORS BUT THE HUGE FORCE, INCLUDING 2,000 NATIONAL GUARDS, PREVENTED ACTUAL FIGHTING.

THE FIGHTING BROKE OUT UNDER A BRIDGE AT THE END OF THE MARCH AND THERE WAS CONFUSION BECAUSE OF THE DIM LIGHT. AFTER 10 MINUTES CHICAGO POLICE LINKED ARMS AND PROTECTED THE MARCHERS FROM WHITES. SEVEN PEOPLE WERE INJURED, INCLUDING TWO POLICEMEN, BUT NONE SERIOUSLY.

THE MARCH WAS ORGANISED BY THE CONGRESS OF RACIAL EQUALITY (CORE) AS THE FIRST SHOW OF STRENGTH IN AN ATTEMPT TO BREAK THE HOUSING COLOUR BAR IN CICERO, AN INDUSTRIAL SUBURB OF CHICAGO, AND SCENE OF ONE OF THE WORST EVER RIOTS IN THE UNITED STATES 13 YEARS AGO.

WHEN THE MARCHERS MOVED INTO CICERO FROM THE CITY AREA OF CHICAGO, CROWDS OF WHITES GATHERED ALONG THE STREETS SHOUTING "WE DON'T WANT TO INTEGRATE." SOME CARRIED PLACARDS READING "WHITE POWER".

DISCARDING TRADITION SET BY EARLIER CIVIL RIGHTS MARCHERS IN THE CHICAGO AREA, SOME OF THE DEMONSTRATORS SHOUTED BACK AND SANG A FREEDOM SONG.

STEEL-HELMETED NATIONAL GUARDSMEN, SOME 2,000 OF THEM ORDERED IN BY GOVERNOR OTTO KERNER OF ILLINOIS, HAD PRACTICALLY SEALED OFF CICERO BY THE TIME THE MARCH BEAN. THEY PRESSED ONLOOKERS BACK ON TO THE PAVEMENTS AS THE DEMONSTRATORS PASSED.

THE TROOPERS HAD BEEN WARNED TO "SHOOT TO KILL IF FIRED UPON."
CICERO IS A LOWER MIDDLE CLASS ALL-WHITE SUBURB BOTH RESIDENTIAL AND INDUSTRIAL.