In a message dated 8/4/00 6:10:12 PM,
owner-sixties-l-digest@lists.village.virginia.edu writes:
>Roz's post on the War Is Over march in NYC, unfortunately forces me to
>recall a somewhat similar protest that took place in Berkeley in 1975....
> Unfortunately, the street
>demonstration soon degenerated into a trashing of stores and cars as at
>least some of those present chose to express themselves by breaking
>windows and overturning cars.<
I think you have confused events I never saw any trashing
I just happened to be in Berkeley when the Vietnam War was over. Saigon was
over run the the US embasy was taken.
The celebration did not just happen. In the morning the word went out and
were told to meet in Ho Chi Minh Park, (the park has another name now). Lots
of phone calls happened, radio announced it and Folks began gathering with
signs, noise makers and children. The group was led by a band that my friend
Bobby B was in. Lots of tubas . we marched up and down streets cheering,
yelling "the war is over" folks ran out of homes and buildings to join.
There were perhaps a few thousand folks. I remember folks throwing streamers
of toilet paper from the windows, confetti, running out banging pots. I
never saw any violence. This was a celebration, not a war. I always felt I
was lucky to be in Berkeley on that day, as Im sure this event did not happen
in other places in the USA.
Newsreel made a great film called Columbia Revolt. It is about the takeover
of Columbia University 1968 , considered the first student takeover. It is
a great movie . A short scene of the Grateful Dead playing a concert in it.
I have copies. roz payne
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