Evening star., 1960-05-14
Police Use Clubs and Fire Hose to End
Riot of 200 at West Coast Red Quiz

SAN FRANCISCO, May IA
(AP).-Rioting ragged at City
Hall yesterday when 200 shout
ing persons tried to squeeze
into an already jammed hear
ing Of the House Committee on
Un-American Activities.
1t took more than 400 police
men-using clubs and fire hoses
to handle what developed
into a wild melee inside City
Hall. Twelve persons-includ-
ing eight policemen-were in
jured. none seriously.
Sixty-Six rioters were arrest
ed. The San Francisco Jail was
packed to overflowing and
many of those arrested were
taken to substation jails.
The hearing had been called
to investigate Communist ac-
tivities in Northern California.
Policeman Beaten
Behind the riot was one
specific incident - and gen.
eralities.
Specific: A policeman closed
the hearing room and an
nounced it was filled. Persons
up front in the noisy crowd
outside fioored the policeman
and beat him with his club.
When they started to storm
the closed door, police turned
on fire hoses.
The general causes of the
riot were more difficult to de-
termine.
One hostile witness had
charged the hearing room
audience was rigged. Police
investigators said this charge
apparently brought out many
persons who we're friendly to
the hostile witnesses.
Inc crowd included scores of
students attracted by advance
notices that the hearing would
delve into the careers of teach
ers suspected of communism.
Hostility was famed further
by such charges as that of Mrs.
Phyllis Heikkala. Her husband,
William. died this week of a
heart attack while immigration
authorities still were trying to l.
deport him to Finland as a for
'mer Communist. She tele-
graphed the subcommittee
chairman, blaming its activities
for helping hasten her hus-
bands death.
Organizations which had
filed protests in advance of the
hearing diSclaimed response
bility for the riot.
Mayor Makes Appeal
Mayor George Christopher
appealed to the demonstrators
from a police car. Speaking
over loudspeaker, he said:
Il do not want this to be-
come a black day in the his
tory OF San Francisco. Please
obey the law"
He was answered with boos
from the shouting, jeering
crowd.
Representative Edwin E. Will
lis, Democrat of Louisiana,
chairman of the Un-American
Activities Subcommittee, was :
appalled,. 49, :
Very unfortunate, very re-
grettable," he said. This was
probably the worst incident in :
the history of the committee. /:
The Congress man said
these young people have been >
misguided" but didn't offer any :
suggestions as to who did the
misguiding. =
The hearing went on-de-
spite the clamor in the cor
ridors.
Seven persons were thrown
out Of the hearing chamber
Thursday after an outburst :
touched of by Archie Brown,
a longshoreman subpoenaed by a
the committee. I
Brown has often been a Com c
munist Party candidate for Of =
flee. He has run--unSucceSS- :
fully-for Governor, the United n
States Senate, the State Senate b
and the San Francisco Board
of Supervisors. =
Noting that most Of the spec a
tators in front seats had spe- h
cial passes, Brown had !,
screamed: g 9,
Why didn't my friends get S
special tickets?" v
Actual Reason Unknown p
Many in yesterdays raucous =
demonstration were believed to
have come as a result of Browns
question.
Several reputable organiza-
tions had protested the COM
mittee's scheduled hearings
here. claiming they were de-
signed to harass teachers in the
area. A hearing scheduled sew
erals months ago had been post
poned.
The students in yesterdays