University of Virginia Library

'Daily Gator' Invaded;
Editor, Staff Beaten
By Angered Readers

John Summerskill, the President
of San Francisco State College,
has promised "appropriate
action" against twelve Negro
youths who invaded the school's
student newspaper office and assaulted
its editor, two staff members,
and a part-time journalism
instructor.

James Vaszko, 21, editor of
the Daily Gator, was the main
target of the 10-minute melee,
which occurred Monday.

He said he was "knocked under
a table, kicked in the head
and back, and punched." He is
hospitalized with possible internal
injuries, and is listed in satisfactory
condition.

The assailants included members
of the campus chapter of
the Black Student Union, which
has expressed dissatisfaction with
the newspaper's coverage of
Negro news.

Mr. Vaszko said the Negroes
were upset because their organization
had been referred to as
a "club."

San Francisco State authorities
reported members of the Black
Student Union have been at odds
with the Daily Gator for some
time, claiming that the publication
sometimes slants or underplays
news about Negroes. They
said ill-feeling had developed
over a delay in running a picture
of the union's candidate for
homecoming queen.

Campus Negro leaders were
not available for comment.

Mr. Summerskill asked police
to investigate and arrest all of
the assailants who can be identified.
He said, "The college will
take appropriate action as soon
as the facts are established."