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oie
tect you.”
A number of Negro youths
shouted in answer, “Kill the
white bastards, kill the white
cops.”
Some of the youths carried
large clubs. Others rained rocks
Constitution reporters cov-
ering this story were Dick
Hebert, Keeler McCartney,
Michael Davis, Bill Shipp and
Charles Moore.
—
|
1
] and bottles at the officers, hit-
ting some.
The mob started to break up
only when the officers began
firing shots over their heads
| and firing tear gas.
CARS OVERTURNED
| At the peak of the riot, one
‘police car and a civilian’s car
| were overturned and members
of the mob tried to overturn two
paddy wagons. Police and the
Vehicles of white people were
stoned as they drove through
nthe area, and several wind-
ashields were shattered,
| Shortly before midnight Mayor
“| Allen surveyed the scene and
said, “I think the people who
_|live here have gone to their
j , Continued on Page 12, Column 1
= ——
~yEeworthis’thing over peaceably.”
Standing shoulder to shoulder
in the center of .a chanting
crowd of hundreds, Allen said
through a portable megaphone:
‘LET’S GO’
“How about listening to me
a minute now? How about let-
ting me speak? I’m going to
walk up Capitol Avenue to the
stadium — and if you want to
come, let’s go.”
Negroes repeatedly asked the
mayor, “Why are there only
white people with shotguns?”
The mayor answered, “In the
first place we don’t need any
shotguns, and I’m not here with
anything. Ain’t nobody going to
get killed and you know that.”
ROCK CAR
After the crowd refused to fol-
low him to the steps of Atlanta
Stadium and refused to hear
him as he stood above them on
the roof of a police car, the
Negroes rocked the car and al-
most turned it over.
Allen was pulled down but he
landed on his knees and climbed
back onto the car.
At one point, a Negro in a red
shirt climbed on top of the car
with Allen and pointed a finger
into Allen’s face, spitting out the
words, “Black power!”
REPEAT CRY
The crowd took up the chant
as its leader brandished his fists
un the air. Allen stood watching
zrimly.
A few minutes later the Cap-
itol Avenue area was torn by
gunfire, exploding tear gas
bombs and flying bricks, sticks
‘and soda bottles. Allen still was
in the midst of it, caught in a
crossfire.
As newsmen and police scam-
|pered from the rain of bricks
and bottles, Allen ducked behind
the armored police riot trucks
but minutes later was again ap-
proaching Negro groups to dis-
perse them.
LIFE ENDANGERED
Later he scoffed at the idea
that he had placed his life in
danger.
“The only thing you think of
Continued on Page 6, Column 1