University of Virginia Library

Youths Clash With Police
Following Ginsberg Reading

Chanting, singing, beer can and
bottle-throwing students clashed with
police late Monday night in a
student-oriented business area near
Virginia Commonwealth University.

At least 15 persons, including four
policemen, were injured. The four
officers and 11 others were temporarily
hospitalized, mostly for treatment of dog
bites.

Police reported 23 arrests during the
melee that began shortly after Beat
Generation poet Allen Ginsberg had ended a
reading at the school.

Toward the end of his reading, Mr. Ginsberg
was given a handbill and was requested to
announce a block party in the 1100 block of
Grove Avenue in the heart of the student area.

Mr. Ginsberg made the announcement but
did not attend the party, nor was he involved in
its start.

Upwards of 1,000 persons, most of them
appearing to be students, milled around the
area listening to a rock band and drinking beer.
When police moved in about 10:45 p.m. in
answer to a report of a fight, the first patrol
units quickly called for more assistance. When
police ordered the crowd to disband, rocks,
cans, and bottles were thrown.

Det. Sgt. A.L. Winstead was struck in the
head by either a brick or a bottle and was taken
to the Medical College of Virginia.

K-9 patrolmen and their dogs tried to clear
the sidewalks and a number of persons,
including one policeman, were reported to have
been bitten by the dogs.

As the police moved up the streets, the
crowd jeered and chanted "Seig Heil," while a
group in a park sang "The Battle Hymn of the
Republic."

Student leaders and police officials sought
to get the crowd to disperse, and after some
speeches by students the crowd broke into
several small groups, one going to nearby
Monroe Park along heavily traveled U.S. 1. As
the crowd thinned out, police reopened the
streets to traffic.

Activity continued in the area after
midnight, but no violence to equal the earlier
disorder was reported.