Police Tear-Gassing Halts Vietnam Embassy March

(Special to the CRIMSON)

WASHINGTON, D. C., Nov 14-The smell of tear gas drenched the embassy district in northwest Washington tonight after the police broke up a group of nearly 3000 NLF supporters attempting to march on the South Vietnamese Embassy. There were at least 13 arrests.

For nearly two hours tonight, police chased demonstrators through the primarily residential Dupont Circle area, sporadically tossing tear gas into crowds, scattering demonstrators and bystanders down side streets, and tying up traffic throughout the District.

By 10 p. m. most of the demonstrators had dispersed through the downtown area. Police sealed off streets around the demonstration to isolate the scattered groups remaining there. National Guardsmen also appeared on the streets for the first time about 10:30 p. m.

The demonstration against the embassy was organized by a number of more radical groups-including the Youth Against War and Facism, the Weathermen faction of SDS, and the Yippies-who do not support Saturday's mass march organized by the New Mobilization.

Late tonight, the New Mobe Office disavowed the militant demonstration against the embassy, and re-affirmed its commitment to a non-violent protest on Saturday.

Supporters of tonight's militant march-which was denied a permit last week-began massing in Dupont Circle at 8 for a rally backing the National Liberation Front. At exactly 8:30, the group poured out of the small park, moving up Massachusetts Avenue toward the embassy to present an "eviction notice" to its staff.

Many of the marchers carried NLF flags and red flags, but very few came armed with helmets and gas masks-

though spokesmen had said this afternoon that they would come thus equipped.

When the demonstrators reached Sheridan Circle-a park one block from the embassy-they found 150 riot-equipped District of Columbia police blocking the street in a three-deep line.

Three Warnings

The police three times warned that the demonstration was unlawful, but the warning was not heard by demonstrators near the end of the two-block long demonstration.

Police then used tear gas to disperse the crowd, most of whom retreated back to Dupont Circle, where they were again surrounded and dispersed with tear gas.

Aside from the employment of tear gas. police generally used restraint throughout the night. There were only isolated arrests, and no mass clubbings by police. At times during the evening, groups of demonstrators would even ask directions of officers.

Demonstrators broke the windows of at least one police car, and set one police motorcycle on fire.

Gas Burns

At least 50 persons were treated for tear gas burns in St. Paul's Episcopal Church, where ministers offered sanctuary for protestors. About 10 p.m., police-claiming a rock had been thrown at them from the church steps-prepared to fire gas at students and clergymen sitting here. After 15 minutes of argument, clergymen dissuaded them.

Around midnight, police carried rifles around Dupont Circle, and trucks filled with National Guardsmen patrolled the streets. By that time, only 300 protestors remained in the area.