tl19720512-000 "towerlight Volume XXV No. 13 Towson State College May 12, 1972 Towson, Maryland 21204 Nineteen students arrested in Linthicum Hall takeover by Mike Dilworth and Ward Smith An estimated 25 student activists occupied Linthicum Hall Wednesday night for five hours in the most radical anti-war action ever to take place at Towson State College. Another 75 students blocked the main entrance in support of the people inside. Nineteen arrested Nineteen persons have been arrested, 12 of which (including one juvenile) for trespassing and seven others for interfering with an arrest. All arrests were conducted by campus police and no resistance was offered by those persons arrested. Additional warrants have been issued for persons identified � as having occupied the building or blocked the entrance. The student seizure began at 10:40 while nearly 700 persons marched through the streets of Towson carrying candles and singing for peace. The students who had entered the building before the nightly security lock-up allegedly admitted other persons, after the building was closed. Doors barricaded The students locked and secured all doors to Linthicum from the inside. barricading the doors with chains, furniture, and other debris. Paper was taped over the front glass doors of the building to protect the identity of those inside. College officials, including Security Chief Gene Dawson and Vice President Wayne Schelle, along with members of the security force, appeared within minutes of the seige. Service workers still in the building were told to leave the building or join the cause, and that if they wanted to leave, they should do so now. Towerlight reporter Jud Almond who had hidden hours before in Linthicum 100, as well as Dave Poehlman, WVTS news reporter, remained inside for the duration of the occupancy. Poehlman had been forced into the building when a crowd of students entered to join those inside. The 700 candlelight marchers returned. many of them unaware of the building takeover. Only about 400 persons rallied in front of Linthicum initially, and that crowd diminished in size as the night wore on. There was considerable dissent in the crowd concerning the use of the building occupancy as an anti-war tactic, and many were alarmed that they had been used by the march to help the activists illegally occupy the arrest. Gene Dawson, head of security, immediately said that this would not be the case. Fisher had stated that there would be no amnesty, however Wighton said that if there were in Newell turned out to be a false alarm. Demonstrators Co nsistently urged fellow students to refrain from any violence or destruction of property. John Suter escorts busted demonstrators from Linthicum. building. Many people remained outside, urging those indoors to leave immediately. ""Linthicum Hall is ours"" At 11:15 p.m. about five activists appeared on top of the building, and a spokesman said, ""Linthicum Hall is ours."" He said to let more people in to organize. Nothing had been damaged, he affirmed, and tactics were being decided. College officials repeatedly urged the students to leave the building and submit to voluntary peaceful arrest. Assistant to the President. John Wighton, informed those inside that if they left the building early, they would be free to do so without no arrests, there would be no need for amnesty. Vice President Gillespie stated that there would be arrests. and all persons would be appropriately prosecuted for violation of the law. Both sides committed themselves to non-violent courses of action throughout the -night. Dawson made it clear that outside forces, state and county police, would only be brought in as a last resort. Dumpster afire Meanwhile, a fire alarm had been set off in Newell Hall and a dumpster outside Lida Lee Tall had been set afire. The fire in the trash dumpster was quickly extinguished. The reported fire Pim() by Aid Almond College officials, after meeting in the Library, decided to send two unarmed security officers into the building, to ask the students to submit to peaceful arrest. Bob Bauerle and Bill Morton, security officers, attempted to enter by the main entrance. Their path was blocked by approximately 75 students standing before the main entrance. One at a time, students were walked to an awaiting bus to be charged with interferring with an officer making an arrest. Seven students were escorted to the bus, with no resistance given. Warrants have been issued for those other persons who were blocking the doorway, as well as those who are suspected to have Student rally protests Nixon war escalation by Ward Simi!! Fliers, pictures, posters, and the work of a tireless group of zealous students got 'Towson's largest peace rally of the year off to a strong start 'Tuesday, as faculty members and students joined in condemning the actions of President Nixon. The rally, forced indoors by the cold and rain, was initiated by a reliving of the past weeks' incident which saw six TSC students arrested. The enactment was performed by a student Guerilla Theater, organized by the SDS. The participants finished with a rousing chant of ""One side's right, one side's wrong, we're on the side of the Viet Cong."" The entire incident, of course, was touched off by the President's announced blockade of all ports of entry to North Vietnam. The first of a bevy of well-prepared speakers was Joe Tetravich, who referred to himself as a member of the (Continued to Page 8) escaped from the building. At approximately 3:20 a.m. Schelle and Gillespie addressed the crowd asking the crowd to disperse. Gillespie said that the campus security force was not adequately equipped to force the demonstrators to give up the building. He said that if they would not submit to campus officers, the Baltimore County Police would be called in. This statement was answered with jeering laughter. Dawson approached the entrance with a cutting tool after wedging his way through the crowd. The chains on the doors were cut and security officers entered the bu lid lug apprehending the occupants. Twelve persons submitted peacefully to arrest. No damage was reported in the building, and Leon tlerring, Grounds Supervisor, reports the . college's thanks to those students who helped clean Linthicum, preparing it for classes today. Fisher's stand Bail set for the 19 persons totals $4,750. During the occupation, several persons attempted to persuade Fisher to alter his stance on institutional neutrality and to grant amnesty to the student occupying the building. President Fisher once again reaffirmed his position on I nstitutional neutrality and insisted that, consistent wit h all the accepted tenets of civil d iso bed ie nee those w ho , because of sincere beliefs or convictions choose to express or demonstrate their feeling by breaking the law, must also as.su me the responsib ility for accepting the legal consequences of their violations. Fisher said, ""I am saddened and troubled by the turmoil that has stirred our campus tonight. I deeply regret that some of our number found it necessary to violate law and subject themselves to arrest. However, I feel it fortunate that these problems were resolved peaceably and by college personnel."" Gillespie said that leaders of the demonstration were offered the use of the college center for the entire night and refused. Two campus rallies were planned for Thursday afternoon, by the Ad hoc committee of concerned faculty and the Towson Peace Coalition. Pruitt's committee to examine the arrests of last week had plans to meet yesterday. "
