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Secret Glenville Game
Ends Springboks’ Tour
By MIKE KANE
Gazette Sportuwriter
The South African Spring-
boks' controversial rugby tour
came to 4 peaceful end yester-
day afternoon on a Glenville
polo field, a full 24 hours before
the announced start of the
game.
* * *
The third and final game of
the Springboks’ American tour
was played amid new contro-
versy sparked by the bombing of
an Evansville, Ind., rugby club
and the disclosure that the East-
ern Rugby Union had accepted a
$50,000 contribution from the
South African Rugby Board to
defray costs of the American
tour
Yesterday's game, played at
315 p.m. at the Ow! Creek Polo
Club on Hetcheltown Road,
went on as anti-apartheid pro-
testers were planning to follow
the Springboks to a game they
thought wouldn't be played until
today
The Springboks defeated the
US. Eagles, a team of American
all-stars, 38-7. The game was
over by about 445 pm
Only about 30 curious neigh-
bors attended the game orgun-
ized by ERU president Thomas
Selfridge of Glenville. In con-
trast, 2,500 persons demonstrat-
ed against the Springboks’
Albany appearance when the
Springboks defeated the East-
ern Rugby Union all-star team,
41-0.
Gov. Hugh L. Carey's attempt
yame was successfully chal-
enged by the ERU in federal
court.
Wherever the Springboks
have gone, they have aroused
the ire of demonstrators who
object to South Africa's gee’ of
apartheid, a government policy
of forced racial segregation
The team’s recent appearances
in Wew Zealand sparked mas-
sive rioting.
Team manager Johannes
Claassen said some of the
en visted the Baseball
all of Fame in Cooperstown
yesterday afternoon while
others went to the game site.
An estimated 50 State Troop-
ers providing security at the
Glenville site drew more atten-
tion from passing drivers than
the game itself
Glenville police were not in-
volved in security arrange-
ments and, in fact, were not
aware of the game until it was
almost over.
Steven Morello, a spokesman
for Carey, said the governor had
been notified that the game
would be played earlier in the
day Friday. He said that state
police were present at the field
as a routine security precaution
because “there are no local au-
thorities”’ in the rural area
where the match was held.
Selfridge had announced the
final game would be a private
game to played at 3 p.m. today
at an unannounced location
within a three-hour drive of Al-
bany. He said after the game
resterday he had “lied to the
media only for the protection
for everybody concerned.”
to block the Bleecker Stadium | P*
| A reporter and a photogra-
pher from the Gazette and a re-
orter and cameraman from
RGB-TV were the only mem-
bers of the media present.
Paul Kant, the owner of the
»1lo club, said he made arrange-
ments with Selfridge more than
a month ago to use the Owl
Creek facilities as a backup to
Bleecker Stadium. Then, while
Selfridge was saying that the
Springboks’ third U.S. game was
to be played Saturday in a secret
location, arrangements were
quietly made to prepare the polo
field for rugby play.
| Before the clandestine game.
the Springboks, who had eluded
a group of reporters keeping
watch at their Colonie motel,
gathered at Selfridge’s home,
not far from the polo field.
Michae! Dollard of eg a
| spokesman for the Capital Dis-
trict Coalition Against Apart-
heid, said the game’s organizers
“faked us out.”
Kant, who said he provided
the field to the ERU free of
charge, added that a South Afri-
can team from the Cape Town
Hunt and Polo Club had been his
club's guest over the weekend.
He said he avoided publicty over
the visit to discourage possible
protesters
» * *
“The president of the (United
States) Union doesn't even know
this game is taking place,” Sel-
fridge said as he watched the
contest. “We talked last night
and it was decided that I should
have full authority over this
game. I've been trying to call
him, but have been unable to
| reach him. I have to admit we
are operating under a very
unique situation,”
Selfridge made the decision to
play the game at 5 a.m. yester-
day after taking inte econsidera-
tion both security and the
weather.
“We have felt all along that
the security and 4
players We
game," he said We
jooked at the weather forecast
and it was suppesed to rain to-
morrow (today) We had both
;teams here ready, so we decided
| to play it.”
<6
“R treed Peery
today, ngboks’ assista
manager Cornelius Smith said
American Committee on Africa,
a critic of the tour. ‘
“I think it has been very clear
to them that they haven't
the glory they wanted from this
tour, They ve had to play behind
closed doors and run from re-
porters. It hasn't served their
a. :
first American game on
_| Sept. 19 was moved from Chica-
’ go to Racine, Wis., because of
ears of violent demonstra-
tions.
The explosion in Indiana,
which destroyed the building
housing the Evansville Rughy
ng
Club, was the second bom
this week apparently related to
the Springboks’ tour. Tuesday
| Morning, a bomb exploded out-
')side ERU offices in Canal
©! Square on State Street in Sche.
'} nectady. -
d/ As in the Schenectady blast,
‘S}no one was hurt in the early
Ti morning explosion in Evans.
ville.
{| The Evansville club provoked
'| controversy last week by voting
* Ae Seek & Enetch with the Spring .
"| No arrests have been made in
either the Evansville or Sche:
‘| nectady blasts.
Meanwhile, the Boston Globe
eg yesterday that the
ERU had accepted a $50,000
pyciehme ere oe a
African Rugby ra to defra
the expenses of the Springbok
tour
Earlier it had been reported
that the ERU, sponsors of the
American tour, had accepted a
$25,000 donation trom Seuth
African businessman Louis
Luyt.
Selfridge had said previously
_ that the Luyt contribution would
‘not be used for the: Springboks’
tour.
Selfridge confirmed the
$50,000 contribution, The Globe
reported, but he said it was a
routine way to defray costs of
the team’s tour.
This story is based on addi-
tional reporting by Gazette
Reporter Phil Blanchard and
on wire sermce dispatches.
een iceeie |
~*~ te oe oe
4/ab/82.
all-star American team. A Springboks game in Albany
Weather
CLOUDY, SHOWERS
SCHENECTA
Published Every Day Except Sunday
Details Page 17
Y. 12301, SATL
LXXXVII No. 310 SCHENECTADY. N.
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SURPRISE ENDING — Members of the South African Tuesday drew about 500 fans and an estimated 2,500
Springboks rugby team leave the field at the Owl Creek protestors against South Africa’s apartheid racial poli-
Polo Club on Heicheltown Road, Glenville, after the con-| cies. In contrast, yesterday's match, was played before
clusion of yesterday's unannounced match against an} about 30 Spectators, including some residents of the area.
Se
— on onsen itines PDS nererreeven eens
aed
+
IRDAY MORNING, SEPTEMBER 26. 1981
~( G» “tte Photo — Sid Brown es
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Communist leader, companion indicted
Spearman, 31. also of New York City, the car in which he was arrested It is alleged that a 38-caliber revolv-
By Shirley Armstrong are accused of a single count of Monday night had been reported stolen er. loaded with five rounds of ammuni-
Statt Writer criminal possession of a weapon, third in New York City However, Assistant tion, was found in the car driven by
Two oe men, ‘eer ct degree Public Defender Stanley Segal told Spearman and owned by Young
4 gun was found in a car near the mote ae ne ain , , ee
where the Springboks rugby team was _ District Attorney Sol Greenberg said JUd8€ Joseph Harris during a bail Assistant District Attorney Joseph
, igh Aesth Ah nob. hearing Thursday that Young owns the Donnell told the court Thursday that
Staying before Tuesday's game, were “the mvestigation is continuing” and Car and had given Spearman permis. police, baking for guns in an Albany
indicted by an Albany County grand i “possibly lead to charges else. sion to use it apartment where the two men itaved
hiry Friday. i Both men were remanded to jail by found a Speed loader gun cylinder
Michael R. Young, 28, of Brooklyn, At the time of his arrest. Spearman Harris in heu of bail set for each at among Young's belongings. He said it
leader of the Communist Workers was also accused of possession of Stolen $10,000. Neither had posted that sum was loaded with ammunition for a 38
Party in New York City, and John Property, first degree. Authorities said late Friday. caliber revolver.
642
LA. mayor asks Cornin
Continued from Page 1
\iSoviet Union er the Unites States?” he
: ‘asked. The Washington Post reported last
s {withdraw visas for the South Africans The
-; Anti-apartheid demonstrators, organized
‘from New York City. plan a protest
‘demonstration in Albany when the match is
- held.
Albany is the only city in the United States
.Which is allowing the South Africans to use
‘Municipal facilities. New York, Chicago and
Rochester withdrew permission for munici-
- pal facilities, although rugby tour organiz-
ers Say games will he played in those cities
at secret, Privately owned locations.
Meanwhile, about 15 anti-apartheid dem-
onstrators picketed the Glenville home of
tour organizer Tom Selfrid e Sunday. They
' dispersed when police sai they would be
"arrested for disorderly conduct
-; In Albany Sunday morning. parishoners
*yat downtown churches were asked to take
* part in the Sept. 29 demonstration Leaders
of virtually all of
denominations have
demning the South
The Rev. Alvin
Baptist Church,
“Yes. I'll be the
marching and I'm
in my church to
“I think Corning is
said Porteous. “This ga
legitimize South Africa
tarnishes the reputation
Porteous said he “d
Mayor's decision to iss
4 city-owned stadium.
“It’s obviously a wro
“I think politicians in
the South Africa, wil}
how the Springboks
bany.”” Porteous said.
He contended that is wh
important for reli
Capitaland's religious
issued staternents con.
African tour.
C. Porteous, of Emmanuet
Said Sunda
Te (outside t
morning:
stadium)
Soing to urge all the folks
be there. too."
being very naive,”
me does nothing but
and apartheid, and
n of Albany.”
eeply deplores” the
ué 4 permit for use of
ng decision, ‘he said
Pretoria, capital of
watch closely to see
are received in Al.
9 Springbok ban
Rain acceptability and respect in the United
States."" The Springboks team was sched
uled to arrive in Los Angeles early this’
morning after a stopover in Honolulu, where
the Springbok arrived quietly after demon-
strators gave a noisy and violent send-off in
New Zealand.
Springbok team manager, Johannes Clas.
sen told UPI on the stopover en route to Los
Angeles. ‘We've come here ‘to the United
States? to play rugby. I'm not a politician
and as far as the political stuff is concerned
it's No concern to me.
We are here as Sportsmen _. to play a
few games of rugby,” said Classen. “That's
our only purpose.”’
ters fought police, slashed television lines
and dropped flour bombs on the players
from a Single-engined aircraft that buzzed
the stadium. Some 43 peopic were injured.
At Auckland airport, New Zealand police
Said some 250 protesters chanting Slogans
and waving banners burst into the depar-
ture lounge as the jetliner carrying the
South Africans prepared to leave
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By Shirley Armstrong
Staff Writer
With the eyes of the world focused on a
significant constitutional controversy in Albany
this week, the ever-expanding protective parasol
of the First Amendment was, for the first time.
extended to cover a sports event.
But that doesn't mean every athletic match is
entitled to such protection
It all depends upon “context."' explained Feder-
al Judge Howard G. Munson, who stressed the
political overtones of Tuesday's rugby game in
Albany between the South African Springboks and
the Eastern Rugby Union as he rebuffed Go
Hugh L. Carey's effort to ban it. ‘
The unique situation developed after Albany
Mayor Erastus Corning Il refused to withdraw a
permit for use of the city’s Bleecker Stadium by
the teams, despite claims of protesters that the
Springboks symbolize South Africa's white su-
premacy policy of apartheid
Corning said that cancellation of the game
would be unconstitutional.
Carey entered the picture after, he said, State
Police Superintendent William Connelie had pro-
vided him with an intelligence report indicating
that the event could draw throngs of demonstra-
tors, including Ku Klux Klan and Communist
Workers Party members, and a riot might ensue
When Corning asked that the state provide any
law-enforcement assistance which Albany police
and Albany County Sheriff's Department might
need, Carey said the cost would be prohibitive,
and he asked that the game be called off.
Corning interpreted that as a directive and said
he would accept it, although he did not retreat
from his original stand on the constitutionality
issue.
- At that point, the controversy spilled into the
court system. Tom Selfridge, president of the
Eastern Rugby Union, and one member of the
Springboks team went to U.S. District Court
seeking an injunction against the cancellation.
The case was assigned to Judge Munson of
Syracuse, presiding over a special term of
Federal Court in Albany. The day before the
game, he heard arguments, including an unusual
personal appeal by Corning and presentations by
attorneys for intervening . The New York
Civil Liberties Union backed the team's right to
play; the Albany Coalition Against Apartheid
challenged it.
Hours later, Munson returned to the bench to
hand down a verbal ruling, on which he elaborated
in a written decision the following day.
“The constitutional protections that derive from
the plaintiffs’ freedom of association are under the
First Amendment of the United States Constitu-
tion,” he said. “By enjoining the scheduled
See FIRST / B-3
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Court dug to roots of First Amendment”
to allow rugby match
mentary components
concept of individual freedom of
“Ag this juncture,” said Munson, “a.”
’ ; denial of a
safe public forum weeld place the plaintiffs in
stymied silence and 4 yy nc in gh
i tical an
scteiee wen Gas ia vee ar upaiittes
The Civil Liberties Usion argued that the match
Attorney Steven poitted out that the U.S
Supreme Court had @lituady found that “‘entertain-
inant as well as politied and Speect: im
feetexted” wy the wa
never directly addressed the question of whether
Amendment, it did say nude dancing could not be
prohibited by a zoning ordinance.
an adult book store’ should be entitled to greater
protection than the rugby match.
Munson, however, did not buy that reasoning,
which would have extended First Amendment
Shapiro also argued that “constitutional rights
should not be limited because they might provoke
opposition." This, he warned, would exert the “so-
called heckler’s veto."’
Walsh, who accused Carey of “a dangerous
abuse of his power,” asked, “If he can ban a'public
can go? If there should be a threat of protesters,
could he ban the Republican state convention?”
discrimination in the world."’
During an exchange between the bench and the
lawyer, Munson asked whether the American
hockey team condoned the Russian system by
taking part in the Olympics. “That's different,”
said Walter. “How?” persisted the judge.
Walter said the Russian hockey team “does not
represent the kind of policy which is anathema to
our system."" Sounding incredulous, Munson
asked, “You mean the Russian political system is
not anathema to our own political system?"
Walter said he meant that the Russian Hockey
team does not represent discrimination against its
own countrymen. When Munson asked if the
At one point, Munson asked Walter, “How do we
teach the rest of the world what our historical
roots are if we will not let them come here to see
what they are?”
In his decision, Munson said Carey had used a
“paltry showing” of possible riot to ban a lawful
public assembly. He said the governor's commu-
nique and an affidavit from Connelie, stating that
the game could cause “widespread violence,"*
failed to describe ‘‘the intelligence procedures or
the sources used to substantjate what otherwise
appear as mere suppositions.”’
The judge did not comment directly upon the
report from Connelie to Carey, which was given to
the court for its own inspection and has not been
made public. But it was evident that he found it
unconvincing.
He did say that all three documents acknowl
edged that “extended security protection “ (ie.
State Police and National Guard resources) could
be provided but were “limited by considerations
of cost and timeliness of the request.
aps
wholly unacceptable to support a rationale for
total prohibition of plaintiffs’ rights."
Dl baw, “T-V
Cue tO es
’
'
Firs
Continued from B-1 |
sporting event, the governor
of New York seeks to destroy the very
Constitutional freedoms which have
enabled a more than century-long
Struggie in this country to ensure racial
equality.” |
Despite frenzied efforts of the attor- .
ney general's staff, representing the
governor, both the U.S. Court of Ap-
peals, Second Circuit, and the US.
Supreme Court refused to disturb the
ruling,
Although the situation was unique in
several respects, Munson said later this
week that he does not feel his decision
opened a new First Amendment fron- ‘
‘ler.
. “TL think the law in this regard was
pretty much previously set,’’ he said.
“It's the duty of elected officials to
protect freedom of speech, not to ban
a
The game, played in a downpour,
failed to attract the 10,000 protesters
anticipated by Carey, and there was no
violence. Some 1,200 demonstrators
were kept orderly by. their own mar-
shals and by Albany police and deputy
sheriffs, as a contingent of State Police
stood by.
In reaching his decision, Munson
grappled with two pivotal issues. Be-
fore he could determine whether the
_ cancellation had violated the Constitu-
' tion, he had to find that the game was
entitled to constitutional protection —
and if so, under which amendment.
_. Although Munson said he found merit
in Claims that the i4th Amendment
guarantee of equality of access and its
prohibition against censure on the basis
of content might apply, he said he found
no reason to spell out that rationale
‘since there were “sufficient constitu-
tional protections under the First
Amendment.” 50°. a' i!
: ee : My ae
‘ “While superficial analysis exposed
nothing more than a request to extend
constitutional protection to a Sporting
event,”" Munson said in his written
st Amendment
|,» JUDGE HOWARD.MUNSON |
decision, “this court recognizes that
4 [29/9
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this particular match has attracted
extraordinary political prejudice, re-
flecting current global awareness of
South Africa's apartheid policies.” |
Paradoxically, it was the combina-
tion of conflicting claims as to whether
the game was political /< further |
complicated by the parties’ contradic-
tions of their own
the court to find the First mendmént |
applicable, =| |, oe
At the outset, the players insisted
their only interest in appearing in the
Stadium was to play rugby.
But Selfridge's attor » Richard
Walsh of a
tion is politi¢al, told the court in his oral
argument that the game was also
covered by freedom of assembly. That,
he said, has in the last 10 veare haan
a‘factor in r
, &%
sitions — that led °
mas Ra od
'
ie
ugby ruling
‘
“ iE expanded by the courts to cover
even social gatherings, and he said the Springboks
match was ‘even more deserving because of the
. political implications,” }
Meanwhile, in the opposing camp, the gover-
nor's office had banned the game for fear its
political overtones would bring about an uncon-
trollable demonstration. But Assistant Attorney
. General Peter Yellin argued before Munson that
' the game is “purely a sport’ and “‘not a forum for
political expression." Thus, he said, there was no
constitutional issue.
The court, in its ruling, found that in addition to
the right of association in a political context, an
additional right, not mentioned by any of the
attorneys, existed under the circumstances and
was consistent with the original claim of the
, Players that their athletic activities were not an
"expression of racism.
* That, said the court, quoting U.S. Supreme
Court Justice Warren Burger, is “thé right to
See next pace
By Carol Polsky
and Jonathan D. Salant
Statt Writers
A month ago, tall, rangy, sandy-
haired Tom Selfridge was an anony-
mous amateur athlete whose most
noticeable characteristic was a passing
resemblance to comedian Tom Smoth-
ers.
Now, Selfridge is probably the most
controversial man in the Capital Dis-
trict, and he's certainly the most
controversial figure in the esoteric
world of American rugby. .
Selfridge is the man who brought
South Africa's rugby team, the Spring-
boks, to Albany. :
And Saturday, while the South Afri-
Cans relaxed in their Wolf Road motel
, SwWaiting a flight home, he remained
' squarely in the center of the enormous
storm the trip created.
On the one hand, he’s been picketed
and condemned for promoting South
African racism. On the other, he’s been
lauded for his devotion to rugby and a
rigid separation between Sports and .
politics
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controlling the ERU,
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bers said
amount to improve it,” sais
increase dues. Several mem
of the 16club Mid-South
generally viewed as a South
African attempt to break out of its isolation :
the ERU.
The first test could come Wednesday when the New
“In the year that he’s been
he’s done a tremendous
oppose the increase aS a protest
team captain in Boston, Al Baker.
also call for a vote W.
Most of the world's
England Rugby Union, one
up the ERU, is scheduled to
Selfridge’s resignation
Spike Eggleston, head
Rugby Union, part of
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Selfridge became
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“Ht (the American tour) is seen aS @ break.
through,” said John Dugard, a professor of law at
South Africa's University of Witwatersrand. “It’s not”
simply an interest in the game. It's an interest in the
political impact of the tour.”
The boycott of South African rugby especially hurt.
“In South Africa, rugby is religion,” said Edward
guys
But in the United States, the South Africans found a
willing host in Selfridge, & Schenectady businessman
solicitation.
Selfridge also sought contributions from 300
American corporations with South African business
interests. None could be found that gave any money.
As the controversy unfolded, Selfridge became the
chief defender of the tour. He directed the operation
He held the press conferences. He appeared on
national television.
“Sports and politics do not mix, because if they do,
Selfridge Is certainly
the most
controversial figure
in the esoteric world —
of American rugby.
we cannot decide where to draw the line,” Selfridge
Said.
He emphasized the differences between the South
African government and the South African rugby
establishment, which is privately run and privately
funded.
But Mare Fasteau, staff director of the Study
Commission on U S. Policy Towards Southern Africa,
‘Said the division is not that clear-cut.
“Very few things are purely private in South
Africa,” he said. “There is 4 great deal of informal
influence within the Afrikaner community that runs
frem government."’
in addition, the Springboks are different from the
other South African rugby teams.
“They represent the country and that's what
makes the team special,” said Reed Kramer, editor
of African News. There's no government sanction,
but its standing as a national team is not in question
by anyone.’’
The three-game series with the Springboks ended
Friday on a vacant field in Glenville. Selfridge had
been saying the game was Saturday and shifted it at
the last minute. No protesters showed up.
Also left behind was Chambers of the U.S. Rugby
Union, who was something less than pleased with
“The bottom line is we are all sportsmen, and we're
all disappointed that we did not get to watch the
game," he said, adding that the parent organization
will conduct a “‘full inquiry into Selfridge’s action."’
“I am extremely pleased with what I did,”
Selfridge said.
The only officially sanctioned game — one was
played Sept. 19 on a private field in Racine, Wisc. —
was played Tuesday at Bleecker Stadium in Albany
and drew 1,200 protesters and about 1,000 spectators.
For his support of the tour, Selfridge may have
collected some 1.0.U.s from South Africa which,
critics say, could be turned into a continuing supply
of money for the growth of rugby here. 7
“It would not surprise me if there was a continuing
relationship with South Africa,” said Richard Lap-
chick, a co-founder of Stop the Apartheid Rugby
Tour. “The Eastern Rugby Union will certainly
benefit in the Sduth African community.”
One player said Selfridge was unwittingly used by
the South Africans as a way to break out of their
“I think Selfridge is a very naive person,” Logan,
of the Boston club, said. “He does not understand he
is being used to circumvent the international
boycott.”’
“AS long as it (South African Support) goes into the
game of rugby, no matter what their intentions are,
there's nothing wrong with it,” Selfridge said.
And even some of the tour's most vocal critics
within rugby say they don't question his motives in
inviting the South Africans.
“In this country, at least, everyone was acting in
B0od faith, I'm positive,” said Dan Porter, coach of
the 60-member team at the University of California at
Santa Cruz. “I think inviting the South Africans wasa
terrible mistake but, if he's a g00d administrator,
there should be no reason he shouldn't continue
(running the ERU),"’
. Rugby players are aiso divided on whether the tour
= rag Springboks has helped or hurt the Sport in the
“The players who got to play against the Spring-
have learned a little more about the game," said
Tyke Noliman, vice president of the Midwest Rugby
bg gna Sponsored the first Springbok game in
The Pacific Coast Rugby Union, which had opposed
inviting the Springboks to the U.S., feared that
adverse publicity from the tour could hurt American
rugby's fund-raising efforts and recruitment.
“The question was whether we couldn't afford to
alienate anyone," said one player, Jay Hanson, a
former member of the U.S. Rugby Union's Eagle
team. “it's hard to go to a corporate sponsor when
you have a poor public image.”
Added Porter: “I'm not looking forward to trying
to recruit black players."
255
st
~~
‘ Bad
R iC j
*
' ify
S Ri i* ¢
tat
”
t
erthwer TGhil irr
jury to eye Indiana
cp. rhe Evansville club had been trying
os.
Federal grand
The South African Springboks rugby
team left Albany Sunday, expected to
ative in New York City for a flight
home to South Africa.
The Springboks are expected to leave
from Kennedy International Airport,
where anti-apartheid demonstrators
clashed violently with police Saturday.
A police officer was temporarily blind-
ed in the clash when demonstrators
hurled jars of mace and vinegar at a
jetliner
Demonstrators arrived at the airport .
Saturday after police erroneously said
the team was expected to depart on a
South African airliner that evening.
The rugby team actually checked out
of the Sheraton Airport Inn in Albany
between 9 and 10 a.m. Sunday. hotel
employees said. They left on two
chartered buses, which were reported
headed in the direction of New York
City by toll collectors on the New York
State Thruway.
During their two-week stay in the
US., the Springboks’ game schedules
South African government used the
rugby tour as a propaganda tool.
4uber, a member of the Capital
District Coalition Against Apartheid,
said said the donations of $25,000 from a
South African businessman and anoth-
suddenly on several’ occassion in at-
tempt to elude protesters who have
hounded the team.‘
The team's visit to the United States
has been rife with demonstrations by
protesters who oppose apartheid, South
Africa's policy of racial segregation.
Spokesmen for the team and-for the
Port Authority of New York and New
Jersey refused to say when the players
would leave. But Port Authority police
said they were told the team would be
leaving from New York.
“ET can tell you one thing though, they
(Springboks) are not leaving today,”
Port Authority officer Richard Sheehan
said Sunday.
Thomas Selfridge. president of the
Eastern Rugby Union, sponsor of the
three-game tour, said that when the
team left its Albany hotel the players
were ‘‘on their way home.”
But the departure of the South
Africans has not ended the controversy
caused by their tour. Sunday, Paul
Zuber, professor of Urban and Environ-
mental Studies at Rensselaer Polytech-
nic Institute, called for a Congressional
investigation into allegations that the
The Port Authority, which operates
the airport, said the “mini-riot” result-
ed in the temporary blinding of one
officer during a clash between police
and about 60 demonstrators.
————_Ie inured officer, Evan Gooitstein,
The departure of the South Africans has not
ended the
nion need further
Selfridge said the $25,000 was a gift to
the Eastern Rugby Union, and the
$50,000 was intended to finance the
Springbok tour.
Zuber urged civil ‘ri groups to
write the African Hel aid af the
House Foreign Relations Committee, to
prompt an investigation of the tour.
Meanwhile, four women and one man
' ‘ted arra in Criminal Court
(variety of charges stemming from
the protest in which 10 police officers
were injured Saturday night.
mao
controversy caused by their tour
perma ;
: police officers sustained scratches and
other minor injuries in scuffles with
protesters,
Apartheid Rugby tour, | ~
A police spokesman said the demen-
stration _— at about 3:20 p.m.
Saturday in ront of the British Airways
facility at the airport, which also
houses the South African Airways
terminal.
4
organized the demonstra-
Con ot of the 60 demonstra-
also injured in the clash.
said demonstrators were
leave when they entered a
protest was
, 1 think that it
reinforces the fact
made to keep (Friday's) game secret
was a good one.”
ited States of America Rugby
youn ail Union has criticized Sel-
fridge’s handling of Friday's game.
The airport clash was not the first
of an Evansville, Ind., rugby team that
nied to play the Springboks.
‘pound the protests, the Springboks
managed to play three games spe
ican teams.
— Albany; and Schenecta
goals compared to only 19 for ‘the
Americans.
_ the team at Albarty’s
Basehor tandiwe, beating ie Basen
Rugby Union's Colonials 41-0. Friday,
the team played a team of ge nage
a
all-stars on private property
handful of spectators in the
9s
Ti:
Mba
Kuirdeerlovckey eas
4392
Stratton, Solomon cast
By ERIC FREEDMAN
Reps. Samuel Stratton, D-Amster-
dam, and Gerald Solomon, R-
, Voted last week
The resolution criticized the South
African government's “morally re-
prehensible policy of apartheid.” it
pro-Springboks votes
country, had been approved the
ium, Stratton said.
During the House debate the day
before the match, Stratton praised
Corning for acting “wisely and
courageously’ in the matter.
Solomon, who did not participate
in the House debate, said, ‘I share
Sam Stratton’s views almost entire-
ly on it.”
Solomon also said there had been
no protests when “Russian teams,
Red Chinese teams and Libyan
teams" took part in athletic events
in the United States.
Man arrested on gun count
during rugby week arraigned
session of a weapon and was re-
leased on $10,000 bail.
25y
Police security for the South African 2
Springboks rugby game cost Albany
about $45,000 last Tuesday, the city. >
comptroiier's office said Mofiiay. si
Comptrolier James Brunet said this t
is the amount of money the city must 48)
pay about 300 police officers on duty the .@)
night of the game, excluding the Sumeue
amount paid to officers who would
normaily have been on duty at the time. <C
fe}
Brunet said the $45,000 represents
overtime, meals, damaged equipment
“and other incidentals’ during the
game.
Under the terms of the police union's
contract with the city, Brunet said, any
ing at home.
officer called in for extra duty must be
paid for at least three hours of overtime
and is entitled to $6.50 for meals aftér
four hours of overtime.
Police Capt. John Dale said about 300
officers were on duty the night of the
rugby game between the Springboks
and members of the Eastern Rugby
Union, which is headquartered in Sche-¢
*
Kennedy airport at 7:55 p.m.
Airways’ Flight 202 for © 17.
boks
South
_ The group departed
pooard South African
100 heavily geared pol
But there were no
trouble as the Springboks
area for the flight was
vehicles entering
259
City pays $45,000
to see Springboks
expenses in the 1961 fiscal year
because of a contract settlement in
June with the Albany Police Officers
Union.
Brunet, however, said he was
confident the additional $45,000
could be found elsewhere in the
budget and transferred to the Police
Department account.
“There was talk about the possi-
bility of seeking state aid or even
federal aid for it,’ he said, “Let's
just say we're looking into that.”
The Police Department had 300 of
its 365 officers on duty when the
Springboks played a rugby match
last Tuesday in Bleecker Stadium.
The match prompted a protest
demonstration attended at its height
by about 1,200 people, but there was
no violence at the stadium and only
nine persons were arrested in con-
nection with the protest.
The Eastern Rugby Union, which
sponsored the Springboks’ visit, was
responsible for security inside the
stadium.
City police also kept watch on the .
Sprinbgboks during their stay in the
Best Western Thruway House on
Washington Avenue.
Mayor Erastus Corning H was eut
of town and could not be reached for
comment Monday en the cost of the
police coverage. :
Springboks,
including several plainclothes troop-
ers assigned to the rugby team
“There was an inconsequential,
sum of tnonay involved," he, said.
Lt. Edward Frank of the Colonie
Police Department said the town
department incurred no additional
overtinme costs in pss with
the appearance by the Springboks,
who spent their last three days in the
searched for weapons and explo-
sives.
Other passengers boarded ahead
of the team, which was bused from a
nearby airport hotel to the plane for
boarding at the last minute.
The flight, scheduled to take off at
7? p.m., was slightly delayed while
cargo was shifted around in the hold.
NRL NRE R LR TREO STRAPON RSE
area at the Sheraton Airport Inn on
Wolf Road.
“We just had routine patrols,"
Frank said.
The Albany County Sheriff's De-
partment also was involved, in-
creasing security coverage at the
county airport when the Springboks
arrived there Sept. 20 and sending
about 80 men to assist city police the
night of the rugby match. Sheriff
George Infante was not available for
comment on what costs, if any, the
' eounty incurred.
Meanwhile, Gov. Hugh Carey on
Monday defended his handling of the
Springboks controversy and his de-
termination that the South African
teayn not play in Albany against an
American team. |
! ‘booking back at last week's
* events, including the absence of
‘Violence at Bleecker Stadium as
feared, Carey said he would not have
acted differently in retrospect.
(the Spring:
has been done
SFIe
sia . pis. AW aN) toy RS,
ne x S
THE MILITANT
south Africa rugby tour
hit by antiracist protests
By Melvin Chappell
ALBANY, New York—Nearly 1,500
opponents of racism came out into the
Idals\
. streeta here, September 22, defying
freezing rain and ignoring the threats of
violence that the media had been circu-
lating for days. Their protest was aimed
at the South African Springbok rugby
team that was in Albany te play a match
against the Eastern Rugby Union.
The Springbok team has been on a °
U.S. tour to soften the image of the ra-
cist regime in South Africa whose apart-
heid policies oppress 80 percent of the
country’s population, which ia Black.
CARA ns ed,
Vn ok
{ Cot \)
The Albany game was at first can-
celled by Gov. Hugh Carey. He said that
he had confidential information that a
slated protest would lead to “imminent
danger of riot.”
The Eastern Rugby Union and the
American Civil Liberties Union ob-
— a court order overturning Carey's
n. ‘
The “threat” of violence was heavily
Promoted by the local press and by the
cops when the game was rescheduled.
Newspaper articles printed headlines
that read: “Fear calls on stadium neigh-
bors” and “Security Units gird for
game.”
The tension was heightened when a
bomb went off in the building housing
the office of the Eastern Rugby Union.
This was in the early morning on the
day of the match. Immediately after-
ward, four organizers of the anti-apart-
heid protest were arrested. They are
still being held without bail for poses-
sion of Weapons and marijuana.
The attempt to smear the planned
demonstration as being violent prone
8 designed to discourage people from
rticipating. The Albany cops even re-
fused to give protection to the protes-
ters.
Despite the smear campaign and the
freezing rain, some 500 people turned
out the evening of the game for a rally at
the steps of the state capitol. Clara Sat-
terfield, of the Albany NAACP, told the
crowd: “Your participation in this dem-
onstration shows to the entire world
that we in Albany are willing to make a
public statement about our position on
those policies of the U.S. government
that give validity to this regime in
South Africa. A regime that has dedicat-
ed itself to maintaining white supre-
macy.”
The representative of the National
Black Independent Political Party
(NBIPP), Manning Marable, pointed out
that it’s a lie to say sporta has nothing to
do with politics. He pointed to Carter's
boycott of the Olympics to protest Soviet
troops in Afghanistan,
Among the other speakers was Alan
Mead, first regional vice-president of
the Civil Service Employees Associa-
tion.
At the end of the rally the protesters
marched two milea to Bleeker stadium
\o\a\ar
where the rugby match was to be held.
With the chants of “Freedom yes! Apart-
heid no! The rugby tour has got to go,”
they marched through the rain with
umbrellas, placards and a fifteen foot
banner leading the way that declared:
“Black Majority Rule in South Africa.”
The march was later joined by a con-
tingent of students from the State Uni-
versity of New York (SUNY).
When the marchers reached the stadi-
um there was already a picket line of
100 people that had been in progress for
several hours.
Albany City Alderman Nebraska
Brace said the turnout was particularly
impressive because of the uncertainty
created by Carey's cancellation of the
game and the court reversal.
Dennis Brutus, a Black South African
fighting against a deportation order,
told the crowd, “You are not only send-
ing a message to the racists in Pretoria,
you are also sending a message to the
racists in Washington who support the
racism in South Africa.”
The other speakers included Rev.
Brian O’Shaunessy, Adeyemi Bandele of
the National Black United Front, and
Elombe Braith of the NBIPP.
The noted folk singer Pete Seeger per-
formed.
The rally was sponsored by the Capit-
ol District Coalition Against Apartheid
and the Stop Apartheid Rugby Tour
(SART). Other participants included
church groups, student organizations,
Urban League, Young Socialist Al-
liance, Communist Workers Party, Irish
Coalition, Peace and Justice Commis-
sion of the Catholic Diocese, Vietnam
Veta of America, Citizens Party, Com-
munist Party, and many others.
* * *
Three days earlier, on September 19,
the Midwest Rugby Union waa forced to
move the game between the Springboks
and the Midwest All Stars team from
the planned location in Chicago to a se-
cret one in Racine, Wisconsin, following
picketing, a protest of 400 in Chicago,
and the decision by the city council not
to have the game there.
But a busload of protesters found out
the location anyway and picketed, along
with residents who live near the field in
the Black community.
Local city official Marvin Happel and
Black community leader Joe Harris
were arreated for walking onto the field
to protest while the game was in prog-
reas.
Following the arrest, the Racine
NAACP called a meeting of 500 to de-
mand that charges be dropped.
The Springboks are scheduled to play
one more match before leaving the coun-
try. The site of that match is also being
kept secret.
$10,000 in Bail Is
To arlier Brinks Heist
|
Mount Vernon also was raided
but would not sa what, if any-
thing, was found there. No ar-
rests were made in either raid.
All the taken in the
robbery Tuesday was reco-
iss Boudin, 38, had heen
explosion at a Weather Un-
derground “bomb factory” in
York City that killed three
people. She and three other sus-
pects arrested following the
face arraignment F'ri-
on murder charges.
York state police said
woman whose car was
ordered a hearing Thursda¥ to
determine if $10,000 in bail for a
woman whose car was used in
the fatal $1.6 million robbery
that led to Weather Under.
ground fugitive Kathy Boudin’s
arrest was taken in an earlier
Brinks heist.
Investigators said the bail
money that was brought to
Rikers Island jail about § p.m.
by attorney Sharon Flood as bail
for Eve Roshan, 30, mg | have
come from an earlier Brinks
holdup in the Bronx in which one
guard was killed.
FBI agents raided two apart-
ments in a search for suspects
| Still at large in the $1.6 million
| robbery attempt Tuesday. The
_ Faids were part of the search for
three to five black men who
@ shootout with police
in Nyack, N_Y., following the
of a Brink's armored
car in nearby Nanuet.
favestigs ors said they be-
lieve the Weather U ;
one of the most violent anti-
Vietnam war groupe of the
19608, has merged with the
Black Liberation Army, a ter-
rorist P that has claimed
responelbill y for several police
shootings.
arrested with Miss Boudin,
turned herself in to authorities
in Queens Thursday morning in
an unrelated case involving mil-
ittant radicals,
She was among five —
who surrendered to authorities
to face charges stemming from
4 violent protest at Kennedy
Airport airport last against the
South African Serine rugby
team in which a police officer
was blinded by acid thrown in
is face.
Roshan, a reputed member of
the May 19th Coalition, had been
sought for questioning in the
Durant, ma have been wound-
traced police Tuesday night
to a New Jersey apartment
materials
Was registered in name.
Bail for Roshan was set at
$10,000 and when Ms. Flood
with the ryt a
suitcare, District Atter-
ney John Santucci obtained a re-
Gosae tone from Justice
George bach
A hearing on the source of the
~~ Wee, for Fri-
hi Tar cickoumes aaid
automa
{
Clark, 1, of New York; David
ly who saitiatty identified
himeelt to police as James Les-
i and Samuel
» the only black sus-
agents seized tie weap- FRI agents said the Weather
; shells, radios and Underground, in recent years,
savieas mp raid on an has been dominated by radical
apartment in the Bronx, He said
an apartment in suburban
used in the holdup, Carol}| |
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ANOTHER RE
Stee ty
City settles con
ALBANY
By ILENE WEINSTEIN
Record Reporter
ALBANY — The city police
force has established a pattern of
violating civil rights, according to
a would-be protester who recently
won part of a $47,000 cash set-
tlement from the city in con-
nection with her arrest before the
controversial 1981 South African
Springboks rugby game.
During a press conference
Tuesday, plaintiff Vera Michelson
of Albany claimed police officers
repeatedly abused their power in
the Springboks case as well as
other more recent cases.
“We think this needs to stop. We
think this needs to be seen as pres-
sure for police accountability,”
Said Michelson, a representative
of the Capital District Coalition
Against Apartheid and Racism.
Michelson and the coalition will
receive a $12,000 settlement of the
$9 million lawsuit approved by
U.S. District Court Judge Neal P. .
McCurn and filed with the court in
Utica Monday, the day the trial
was scheduled to begin.
A third plaintiff, Aaron Estis of
Maryland, will receive $35,000.
Michelson and Estis claimed in
their suit that the city and three
police officers — along with the
FBI and the Albany County dis-
trict attorney's office — falsely
arrested and imprisoned them to
keep them from peacefully
protesting during the South
African rugby team’s game at
Bleecker Stadium in September
1981.
Corporation counsel Vincent
McArdle Jr. said the allegations
about a pattern of police abuse
are “ridiculous.” If Michelson’s
indignation of what happened is so
Strong, “Why did she settle for
$12,000?” he asked,
The Springboks case is “seven
years old and so atypical it is
impossible to talk about a pat-
tern,” he said. The pair, along with
a third person, was arrested on
information gleaned from an FBI
troversial S
informant that led police to be-
lieve there were weapons in Mich-
elson’s apartment, he said.
“You have to understand the cir-
cumstances surrounding the event.
There was a bombing at the rugby
club in Schenectady (which invited
the team to the area) just prior to
the game.”
McArdle said he and Albany
Mayor Thomas M. Whalen Ill de-
cided to accept the settlement pro-
posed by the plaintiffs’ attorneys
because the judge had dismissed
the suits against the FBI, the dis-
trict attorney’s office and the city
in 1987, leaving only the three po-
lice officers to blame.
“There were some valid issues
left in the suit — like who was re-
Sponsible. We felt if we could
reach an amicable agreement,
without a lot of money, we would
do it,” he said.
Whalen was unavailable for
comment.
In the lawsuit, the pair claimed
federal, state and local law en-
forcement agents violated their
civil rights when they burst into
pringboks suit
Michelson's apartment at 400 Cen-
tral Ave, at 3 a.m. to arrest them.
The apartment was illegally
searched, said Michelson, and sev-
eral people there were charged
with possessing a small quantity
of marijuana and some firecrack-
ers found in the residence.
They were arraigned before Po-
lice Court Judge Thomas Keegan
and sent to jail without bail Mich-
elson spent three days in jail
Estis, a former Harvard Universi-
ty student and an official with the
federal office of budget and man-
agement, spent a week.
The charges were later dismiss-
ed. :
Attorneys for Estis and Michel-
Son said they will appeal the
judge's decision to dismiss the
lawsuit against the other parties
and seek to get the identity of the
informant, which has been with-
held. “We want to question the
informant to get information
about the search Warrant,” said
Michelson. “There were a lot of
lies on that search warrant ”
”
VICTORY PARTY
Have Fin! Celebrate Albany's Largest
c, Anti-Apartheid Demon
DORSEY’S CAF F
oe SEGABWAY, ‘ALBANY
(Near Palace Thea
TUES. DEC. 8, 6 3 PM
Cash Bar Home Cooked Buffet Available
DUOR PRIZE s al: I) V0 J 10 Gl SUIT TIERON CONCERT
~FUNDRASER FR
COALITION AGAINST
APARTHEDD DEFENSE om
info. call 438-7041 or 463-137] (evenings)
Box 3002 — Pine Hills Station
Albany, NY 12203
APARTHEID (PRONOUNCED APART HATE) 18 THE sYsTemaTiC REPRESSION OF THE
LACK MAJORITY OF SouTH AFRICA BY THE WHITE MINORITY. Tuts REPRESSION
OF THE BLACK POPULATION $8 INSTITUTIONALIZED IN Laws PASSED 8Y A GOVERN.
MENT IN WHICH SLacks caNNoT PARTIGIPATE, AND ENFORCED BY THE ARMY AND
POLICE IN WHicGH SLacKks CANNOT SERVE,
HAVE NO POLITICAL FREEDOMS, NO RIGHTS TO CHANGE
WHERE THEY PLEASE, OR MIX WITH
WHOM THEM CHOOSE. THEIR WAGES ARE ONLY A FRACTION oF THOSE OF WHite
WORKERS, AND, IN THE VasT MAJORITY OF CASES, FALL WELL BELOW THE POV
ERTY LINEe THE LIFE or a DLacK SOUTH AFRICAN Is ONE WITHOUT RIGHTS,
ONE IN WHICH DEATH Is OFTEN SEEN AS A WELCOME RELIEF,
THE Sp $ c ~ BECAUSE sPORT IN SouUTH AFRICA 18 AN ARM OF THE
. SYSTEM OF APARTHEID, AN INTERNATIONAL SPORTS BOYooTT OF SouTH AFRICA
HAS DEVELOPED, THE soycort Has iTS ORIGING ITN THE 1966 caLt oF tue
“™ SUPREME COUNCIL FoR SPORT IN AFRICA FOR aA BOYCOTT OF THE OLYmPics tr
SOuTH AFRICA was ALLOWED TO PARTICIPATE. In 1968 THe USN. GENERAL
ASSEMGLY ADOPTED RESOLUTION 2396 WHICH REQUESTED "ALt YTATES TO agus~
PEND CULTURAL, EDUCATIONAL, SPORTING AND OTHER EXCHANGES WITH THE
RACIST REGIME AND WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS OR INSTITUTIONS iN SouTK
AFRIGA WHICH PRACTICE APARTHEIDe” [nN 1977 tHe GENERAL AsseMBLY apopre>
ST APARTHEID IN SPORTS: "Srares
TO BRING ABOUT THE TOTAL CESSATION
RY PRACTICING APARTHEID, AND gw alt
ASSISTANCE, OR ENCOURAGEMENT oF
<He Russy Tour = THe Soutn Arrican NATIONAL Rugey
GALL GAME DEVELOPED FROM SOCCER, ) 1S SCHEDULED TO PLAY THREE Games iN
THE U.S. IN Sepremueca: CHicaco, ALBANY ano New YORK. Tats TOUR 18 A
PROPAGANDA TOOL OF Tie GOVERNMENT OF SOUTH AFRIGA AND [73 POLICY OF
Team (Ruasy ts «4
APARTHEID «
r a
Say "NO" to Apartheid
Step the South African rugby tour
«
vom
STOP THE APARTHEID RUGBY TOUR
\ 0/0 Untren Merwopter Orrice For tHe UN * 11
TH FLOOR 777 U.N. Plaza
New York, N.Y. * (212) 682.3633
AES ARE LEASE
FoR tmmeptate RELEASE
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATIONS
SEPTEMBER 2, 1984
Witttam Rospinson
eS 462-1823 pays
518) 436-8008 arrern 6pm
TODAY BY Bttt Harrner, Treasurer OF THE ERU (Eastern Rueay UNION) THaT
THE PLANNED SeptremBern 261TH ROCHESTER GAME oF THE APARTHEID SpRinesox
RUGBY TEAM Has BEEN CANCELLED AND WILL Be MOVED TO A SECRET LOCATION
IN AN UNIDENTIFIED NORTHEASTERN CITY.
THe Coatition REGARDS THIS MOVE BY THE ERU as ANOTHER VICTORY FoR
THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, THe ERU was FORGED TO CANCEL THE MaTON BECAUSE
OF THE PRESSURE MOUNTED py tHe SART Forces in Rocwester, THe GAME HaD
EARLIER BEEN MOVED TO RocHEsTER AFTER THE FORCED CANCELLATION OF THE
New Yorw City MATCH BECAUSE OF
SART PRessiag in THAT CITY. Iumedtatery
UPON THE ANNOUNGEMENT OF THE MOVE, LOCAL ANTEI@APARTHEID FORCES FORMED
A Rochester SART CHAPTER AND BEGAN To COORDINATE OPPOSITION TO THE GAME
THey're
FROM CITY To olTry
SAID SART Natruowat CHAIRPERSON Juper
THE REASON FoR THIS LATEST MOVE, HaFFNeR CITED "THE THREAT OF
VIOLENCE From PROTESTERS,"
WE RESENT BEING ACOUSED OF PLANNING FoR
ly t8 THe RAGHST SoutH Arrica REGIME THAT PRACTICES VIOLENCE
ON A DAILY Basis, APARTHEID
VIOLENCE,
'D BASED ON AND MAINTAINED By VIOLENCE,
#% MORE #8
‘CRESS ore uaa SR ONEESEREANS HSE NTRS AS hd AAS en pnsishiseasnn vend i , i
he
a
As South Arraic's National rucsy TEAM, THE SPRINGBOKS ARE AMBASSADORS
OF THES VIOLENCE. IT 18 PRECISELY BECAUSE THE SPRINGBOKS syYMBoLt ze
THAT VIOLENCE THAT WE ARE PROTESTING THEIR PRESENCE. “FROM THE START,
WE SAID WE WOULD CREAT A NATIONAL ANTI@APARTHEID MOVEMENT. AS THE
ERU MOVES FROM TOWN TO TOWN WE ARE BUILDING fHAT MOVEMENT,” saip SART
ORGANEZER RicwarD LapcuioKk.
THIS VICTORY ONLY INTENSIFIES OUR DETERMINATION TO FIGHT THE Racist
TOUR WHEREVER IT TAKES PLACE. WE INTEND TO REMAIN VIGILENT. “WHERE@
EVER THEY PLAY, WE WILL FIND THEM,. WHEREVER we FIND THEM,WE WILL
PROTEST,” SAID ALBANY SART spoKESPERSON NtOHAEL DOLLARD.»
ti 30 tf
|
EGR LMHEB IAL: Aek3
oon ee Me a ~
The Albany WAACP commends the Albany Co. curv that. recently found John
Spearman and Michae} Young innocent of the trurped vp Sbarges ledged against them
This group of typical Albany Co. citizens careluliy considared the evidence,
rightfully conciuded that the pelice story did not make. sense, and couraczous ly
prevented these two young men from becoming political prisoners in America,
prevented them from wasting some of the best years oF their lives falsely
imprisoned for participating in the sacred Ams «iccn tracition of peaceful protest
Tne, Albany NAACP praises Mr. Spearman anc Ni. Yourg for tneir conduct in thi
sordid affair, and for their determination Co fight vicsrously against a corrupt
local system that attempts to stifle protest wii le protecting representatives of -
vicious, racist government that knows not the “weaning Gt freedom and justice.
The Albany NAACP praises Lewis Oliver and «tiliam Kunsiler for providing a
Strong defense against political charges.
Conversely, we condem those police agencies thet soveht to foment violence
instead of provide order, that sought to stifl: crotest rather than keep the peac
and sought to frame innocent people ina futtic attempt is Gisrupt a peaceful,
legitimate challenge to the existing order.
The Albany Police Uepartment Claimed to be ssekt
reality behaved in an outrageously irresponsib! : rascicn, duing far more ve incit
violence than to prevent it. litem: they Staio cod aereascu: sitlersn en eB
buildings along the parade rovte rather than pucting tras: officers on che street
where the people were; you cannot coatrol a crod Be gre erias to k17} pecple fro
a rooftop. Item: after the rugoy game, they d'recoee ties cenarting spectators
directly into the crowd of protestors rather th-r kKi.api7 the two groups apart; y
do not prevent violence by forcing opposing areca: tr m'.gie with one another.
Item: they broke into Vera Michelson‘'s aparta:s: an ¢ aighiy irregular s@arcn,
warrant, arrested har and another law abiding citizen, confiscated property, sald
Ms. Michelson tncommuntcade for many hours, the. Setd far te Jatl for many days,
al} with no legitimate cause; you don’: encovrnce asses vit! ittega: oelice betay
And finally, they participated in the frama o/ “gearman iid Yourg.
We nope that the acquittal of Young and szarmad will vreginad the petica chet
they do not have a free hand to trample truth a: behaes is an irfasponstibis mani
The Albany NAACP serves notice that 12 M901 imnctiss fis vigilance 2
inappropriate police behavior. We cal] on tie ptlice f2 oratect our
persons from the muggers, the rapists, the burgits, ths ortminals ef all sorts,
ne tO maintain peace. out in
gains:
Homes and
> OI eRe sere mANoRn
also protect us when we protest injustices. Wa will challenge police impropriety
whenever we learn of it, and urge all citizens to do likewise:
Since 1968 the Albany NAACP has been attemmting to effect various changes in
the Police Department, including better training for a1) officers, increased
recruitment and hiring of minority-group officers, decreased harassment, and
increased protection in areas heavily populated by Blacks and other minorities.
We again call upon Mayor Corning to implement needed chenges. We would consider
his anti-racism rhetoric voiced while allowing the rugby game to proceed to be more
than empty words if he would reot out racism wherever it exists fn his own
adninistration.
And finally, we believe District Attorney Sol Greenberg was ill-advised to
speculate that the acquittal of Young and Spearman was because of a general public
attitude of skepticism toward the police. The jurors were some of the same peoole
that have convicted other people on the basis of rolice testimony. This case was
one of a political frame up, and the jurors wer: smart enough to see it. When the
police tell the truth, people believe them.
* Nas ~ 30 se
Corning criticized o
To the editor: Amick 4/7/
It
Q/11 /9/ Peck. MWtter
Anti-apartheid hecklers
“Isrupt Albany council session
al
By E..J. McMAHON Jr.
Knickerbocker News Reporter
A handful of hecklers, interrupting
Aibany Common Council members with
shouts of ‘Nazi’ and “'racists,"’
brought # council meeting to a near-
Standsti!! during a vote on a resolution
defendir.y the upcoming use of cits-
owned Bleecker Stadium for a rugby
tnatch featuring a team of South
Africans.
The resolution was approved Thurs-
day by an 11-0 vote, with one abstention,
wt not beiore several aldermen had
“been shouted dewn by militant oppo-
nents of South Africa's apartheid poli-
cies
About 25 demonstrators, many earry-
ing signs attacking Mayor Erastus
Corning I for his decision not tu revoke
permiss ior. for the match, had marched
Naren
—
Brace had left to await the resuits of a
Democratic primary in his ward.
A woman, who later identified herself
as Vera Michelson of the Central
Towers Committee Against Apartheid,
continually interrupted Alderman Jo-
seph Lynn #s he tried to explain his vote
in favor of the resolution. At one teint
she shouted: “What was the payoff ti,
Erastus Corning?’’
When Alderman Jchn “Pop” Signer
rose to explain his ‘aye"’ vote, he was
interrupted by a man standing vext to
Ms. Michelson.
The man, wro later gave his name as
Lester Wooten of Albany, launched into
4 diatribe against the South African
government, then said: “You Peupie 2»
on with your Nazi meeting.”
“Mr President, get this guy out of
here,” Alderman Leonard Fux shouted,
Hey,
outside City Hall before the meeting in
4 protest sponsored by the Capital
District Committee Agains{ ‘Apartheid.
Then, joined by about 20 more
spectators, the demonstrators went to
the council chamber to watch Alder-
man Philip DiPace present the council
Law Committee's report on a resolution
strongly condemning South Africa and
urging Corning to cancel the Sept. 22
rugby match. ;
The original resolution, introduced at
the Aug 17 council meeting by Alder-
man Nebraska Brace, was discarded
by the Law Committee on Tuesday and
was replaced with another resolution
Saying it would be “wrong": to cancel
the match. .
Brace, one of the city’s two black
aidermen, told the council he was
“disoe ised” with the committee's ac
but Council President James Giblin
mace nO move to eject the man, and the
city police officers standing by in an
outer room were not asked for assist-
ance. ,
Signer attempted .. continue with his
stafement.
“I represent 9.000 voters in the 9th
Ward, and I received no calls whatsoev-
er from my black voters or my white
voters,” he said,
“They're not your + oters,"* Ms. Mich
«ipan said. “You're a bunch of racists.”’
The final explosion was touched off
by Alderman Marvin Tanksley, the
only other black on the council. Tank-
sley, who was abseni from the counsi
meeting at which Brace tatroduced the
e-., nal resolution, sid he would have
io ebstain.,
tion.
“My resolution was a test for your
conscience," Brace said to prolonged
cheers from the audience in the back of
the room “It was a test of human
decency. a test of moral rights and
human rights,-and for you to show your
true colors, but you failed.
* “I hope tonight when you're deep in
your slumber you're not awakened by
the horrifying sight of 600,000 murdered
blacks in South Africa.”
The statement was greeted by a
Standing ovation, but the crowd thinned
out considerably as the counci) turned
to a more routine agenda of sewer
appropriations and building demoli-
tions.
By the time the council began consid
ering resolutions, the audience had
dwindled to about nine persons and
er eee | eat tone —s
oe
Se el
“IT haven't participated in the las
couple of meetings and 1 don't knov
what's. ‘ Tanksley said, his last fev
words drowned out by a torrent o
abuse fromm two black men in the bact
of the chamber.
“What kind of biack man are you?’
one of them shouted.
With that, Lynn got up and led th
rest of the aldermen out of the roorn.
Tanksley made his way toward the
rear, an uneasy smile on his face. Bui
the man in the audience continued tc
yell angrily at the aldermen for several!
munutes before leaving.
Absent from the council meeting
were Alderwoman Nancy Burton and
Aldermen Nicholas Coluccio and Jo
seph Buechs. Coluccio and Burton were
both involved in primary elections
Thursday.
Communist Workers Party, U.S.A., GRO Box 2256, New York,N.Y.10116 212 233-0988
CONTACT: MIKE YOUNG, 732-4392
_ OR IMMEDIATE RELEASE SEPTEMBER 21, 1981.
It is within this context that we condemn the statement issued by Governor
Carey's office last Thursday. The governor has claimed that he was forced to cancel
the match because, among others, the Communist Workers Party was going to be involved
in the demonstration, and that there would therefore be Violence.
This is nothing but an attempt to paint the Commmist Workers Party as
_ ‘violence prone", as if wherever we appear there is a guarantee that there will be
violence. The SART coalition agreed that the march would be peaceful and nonviolent,
and, as a member of the SART colaition, we agreed with that decision. The fact of the
matter is that the liklihood of violence comes not fran coalition, or fram the CWP,
but from the US government, who issued the Springboks visas to come here in the first
place, and from Mayor Corning's office, who granted the Springboks the right to play
at Bleecker Stadium, despite massive protests by Albany residents.
The tactic of labeling a group or individual as "violent" is one of the many
tactics that the US goverrment and politicians use against those who militantly struggle
against racism, injustice and oppression. Malcolm X;-Fred Hampton and even Martin
Luther King were all at one time labeled as “incitors of violence". And just two weeks
ago the US goverrment justified its support for the South African raid into Angola by
calling SWAPO - the organization that the United Nations has recognized as the legiti-
mate representative of the Namibian people - as “terrorist” and "violent".
Workers Party, but the efforts of thousands of people opposed to racism of any
e on
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Dey before FR Barren srs op
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