University of Virginia Library

Weekly Ends Bid
To Bring Newton

Panthers, University Stand Firm
On Matter Of Frisking Audience

By Holly Smith
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

The question of Huey Newton's
appearance at the University was
conclusively resolved yesterday when D.
Alan Williams, Vice President for Student
Affairs, made it clear that no frisking
could be permitted at University Hall.
The frisking procedure was the sole
condition on which the Black Panthers
would not concede.

Procedure

It is common procedure for the
audience to be frisked for firearms at any
speech given by a high-ranking Panther
Party member.

The Virginia Weekly newspaper took
up the sponsorship of Mr. Newton's
speech on Monday after the University
Union was unable to reconcile Panther demands
with University regulations. Al Long and Jeff
Bigelow, Weekly staffers, Gail Marshall, an
assistant professor of law, Tom Gardner, former
Student Council representative, and Larry
Schindel, a Panther representative, met with
Mr. Williams yesterday morning.

In that meeting, according to Mrs. Marshall,
Mr. Williams explained to the group that

although he still had qualms about the
constitutionality of the frisking, that was not
the sole reason for not permitting it. She said
that Mr. Williams stated that the idea of frisking
was offensive to the spirit of the University.
The final decision was made by Mr. Williams
and Edgar F. Shannon, Jr., President of the
University.

Official Policy

Portions of the official policy as stated and
released by Mr. Williams yesterday are as
follows:

contract terms...still include
requirements that persons attending be
searched by representatives of the sponsoring
organization and that no uniformed police be
present in the auditorium.

"The University will not abrogate its
responsibility for security in University facilities,
including permitting persons to be thus
searched, and therefore I will not withdraw the
objection I have made to confirmation of the
reservation."

The Virginia Weekly held a press conference
on the steps of Cabell Hall following this
meeting. Mr. Long and Mr. Bigelow announced
that since the Panthers could not be promised
tight security that Mr. Newton would be unable
to appear in Charlottesville.