March: Patience Spent, the Storms Begin

Abstract

Spring began with protests against defense contractor General Electric’s campus recruiting, and after an RU rally students turned violent, breaking windows in the building housing recruiters. Crowds massed in Green Street and police cleared them, but at night crowds again broke windows on the quad. The next day trustees canceled a William Kunstler speech; angry students stormed Green Street, breaking windows in several stores. Governor Ogilvie called out 750 National Guardsmen, every one needed to control crowds on a third night of rioting. Only a minority of students turned violent, but frustration was high.