Band Invades, Violently Disrupts Center for International Affairs

A band of some 20 to 30 persons invaded the Center for International Affairs shortly after noon yesterday, roughing up several staff members and employees before running away from the building less than 15 minutes later.

The invaders, who shouted that they were "going to close the place down," forced virtually all of the 30-odd students, faculty, and employees in the building to leave. When some of those present atempted to argue, they were struck, pushed to the floor, or kicked. Benjamin H. Brown, advisor to the fellows in the Center, was the most seriously injured, requiring several stitches to close a gash over his ear.

Damage to offices was minor. Several slogans-including "Pig," "Fuck U.S. Imperialism," and "Imperialists Screw All Women" -were sprayed on walls of the building. Rocks thrown by the band as they left broke several windows. One telephone was ripped out to prevent a student from notifying police.

No Files Taken

An inventory revealed that no files appeared to have been taken from the Center. Staff members said that the files were locked up early this year.

Witnesses inside the Center said they did not recognize those who entered the building, but some felt they could identify their attackers if they saw them again.

The band-all of whom appeared to be of college age-identified themselves as members of SDS. Undergraduates who saw the group leaving the building, chanting "Ho, Ho, Ho Chi Minh; NLF is going to win," said they recognized some of them as members of "Weatherman," a militant spin-off from the old New Left Caucus of SDS.

Not Authorized

The Weatherman faction is opposed to the main body of Harvard SDS, which adheres to the Worker-Student Alliance. Elizabeth Harvey '71, a member of the executive committee of Harvard SDS, last night condemned the action and said it bad not been authorized by any SDS meeting.

"I feel that these kinds of actions, carried out in the name of SDS, are designed to do nothing but isolate SDS from students and the community..." she said in a letter, the full text of which will appear in Saturday's CRIMSON.

The Center for International Affairs is primarily funded by the Ford Foundation. The Faculty members and Research Associates affiliated with the Center work on a variety of research projects, including economic development, arms control, and studies of European nations and underdeveloped countries. The Center has been the object of leftist criticism for alleged comphcity in counter-revolutionary warfare.

One secretary in the Center said she had seen suspicious groups of youths wandering through the building on several days earlier this week-perhaps in preparation for the attack.

When the Center was invaded about 12:10, many of its occupants had already gone to lunch. One seminar-on "Political Participation" -was in progress on the second floor, while other personnel, including students staff members, and secretaries, were in various parts of the building.

As the invading group entered one of them shouted "We are from SDS and we are liberating this building. Everybody out." Several went to the office of Professor Robert R. Bowie. director of the Center, who was not present. They ordered Miss Sally Cox, his secretary, to leave and when she refused they seized her by both arms.

Shouting slogans and obscenities, the attackers quickly spread through the building. Six or seven went into the second floor seminar room, where Ronald Bruner, a fellow in the Center on leave from the University of Michigan, refused to leave and instead began arguing with the intruders. Bruner was kicked in the groin, fell to the floor stunned, and was kicked again, another seminar participant said. Bruner was then forced out.

Shaking Fists

The situation was much the same in the library and other rooms on the third floor. "I saw 12 to 15 people entering yelling and shaking their fists," said Bar-bara Wollison, a secretary who was dragged out after she refused to go. Two other secretaries were also dragged down the stairs from their third floor offices.

Brown said he received his head gash as he attempted to intercede when several radicals were "roughing up" one of the secretaries. "I was hit from behind," he said.

Also on the third floor, Research Associate Otto Kruger was struck in the face when he attempted to pick up his brief case and, unhurt, was pulled downstairs. Librarian Maury Feld, James R. Kurth, assistant professor of Government, and others were also grabbed and forced to leave.

One of those present on the third floor said of the invaders, "It's my guess that they were kind of hysterical. Two or three of them were out of their minds. They wanted to beat up someone."

As the band left the building, throwing rocks as they went, they are reported to have said they made the attack "because thousands of people are dying."