1200 Arrested on Capitol Steps

WASHINGTON-U. S. Capitol police-assisted by members of the Metropolitan Police Civil Disturbance Unit (CDU)-arrested more than 1200 hold-over antiwar demonstrators here yesterday over the stringent objections of four members of Congress.

At the request of Rep. Bella S. Abzug (D-N. Y.), Capitol police chief J. M. Powell pulled back a line of police barring demonstrators from the Capitol building at 1:45 p. m., and protestors poured onto the east steps of the House wing, chanting and singing antiwar verses.

However, Powell reversed himself 30 minutes later and ordered the CDU to begin arresting the 1200 demonstrators blanketing the Capitol steps. Those arrested are charged with illegal assembly on the Capitol grounds, which carries a penalty of up to $500 and six months' imprisonment.

Abzug-who had invited the demonstrators onto the grounds to present the People's Peace Treaty to her and three other Congressmen-immediately accosted Powell and demanded that he stop the arrests and release the persons who were being loaded into a fleet of police buses.

But Powell ignored Abzug's protests-as well as those of Representatives Ronald D. Dellums (D-Calif.), Perren J. Mitchell (R-Md.), and Charles B. Rangel (D-N. Y.)-and CDU police in riot gear continued to clear the steps for three-and-one-half hours.

Powell ordered the arrests after consulting with House Sergeant-at-Arms Zeake W. Johnson Jr., and with House Speaker Carl Albert (D-Ckla.). Both, he said, agreed with his belief that the demonstrators were "disorderly and disruptive."

Powell told Abzug and the other Representatives that their invitation to the demonstrators was invalid because they had not obtained permission for the assembly from the Capitol police.

"Perhaps inadvertently the Congressmen encouraged illegal acts," Powell said. Dellums disagreed, terming the police's action "fascist."

Dellums also said that he, Abzug, Mitchell and Rangel did not hear any of the 12 warnings which Powell said he issued for demonstrators to clear the Capitol steps or face arrest.

Demonstrators danced, sang, and chanted as the police cleared the steps one at a time. One man removed his clothes and stood facing a crowd of about 1000 who watched the sweep from behind police lines.

After police finished clearing the steps and began to withdraw at 6 p. m., about 250 spectators rushed across a short expanse of driveway and sat down on the steps.

Police thereupon turned around and resumedtheir arrests, clearing the Capitol grounds for the remainder of the day.

Demonstrators offered no resistance; many went limp when confronted by police. The CDU dragged at least 40 down the steep concrete steps after holding them up by their collars to photograph them.

The Capitol sit-in followed a short march from the Mall on the west side of the building, where Mayday organizers held a "People's Press Conference" for the second straight day.

At the same time over 500 members of a group calling itself the Federal Government Employees Against the War began a three-hour rally in Lafayette Park opposite the White House and listened to Representative Paul N. McCloskey (R-Calif.) and others denounce President Nixon's handling of the war.

The group announced that as of Monday, a survey being conducted within federal agencies found that 6116 out of 7407 persons-or about 83 per cent of the employees-supported the immediate and complete cessation of bombing and the immediate and complete withdrawal of U. S. troops from Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.

Late Tuesday, Rennie Davis and John Froines-two Chicago defendants arrested in Washington by FBI agents and charged with conspiracy-gained release after paying 10 per cent of the $25,000 bonds set for them. Davis and Hosea Williams, deputy program director of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, spoke at a rally yesterday at the University of Maryland, where 1500 demonstrators blocked U. S. Highway 1 for over an hour.

After being dispersed by police, demonstrators tried unsuccessfully to storm the university's administration building, where they engaged police in a serious scuffle.

Police were careful again yesterday to photograph and fill out short arrest forms for each person taken into custody at the Capitol, thereby insuring that no one would gain release because of illegal arrest procedures.

Washington Chief Superior Court Judge Harold H. Greene ruled Tuesday that police had employed unlawful procedures in arresting over 7000 demonstrators during widespread street-fighting Monday.

Superior Court judges are working around the clock arraigning the 4500 demonstrators arrested yesterday and Tuesday. Bail varies from case to case but is usually about $200 to $250. Some persons are being released after paying 10 per cent bail collateral, while others are being held pending payment of the full amount.

Several persons arrested Monday-including at least two newsmen-have indicated that they will file suit in Federal court against the Washington Police Department for illegal arrest.

Thousands Still in Custody

It is difficult to judge how many people are still in custody awaiting arraignment, but estimates range from 2500 to 4500. The Washington Coliseum-one of the temporary detention centers established by police-is reportedly nearly filled to capacity. Police are having difficulty feeding and making other arrangements for arrested demonstrators.

Washington police reported no traffic disruptions yesterday during rush hours. Substantial numbers of policemen had been dispatched to Mayday targets for the third consecutive day.

Almost all Federal troops are out of the city already and police shifts are beginning to wind down for the first time in over two weeks.

Mayday organizers say they will resume antiwar demonstrations today, although numbers are dwindling due to arrests and to the increasing number of protesters leaving the city. Almost 200 people met last night at St. Stephens Church in Northwest Washington to decide strategy for today.

As one tired policeman, on duty for the 15th consecutive day, said yesterday at the Capitol, "Jesus, these people have a lot of energy."