Let though who would stop the bombing, answer this question: What would the North Vietnamese be doing if we stopped the bombing and let them alone. Lyndon Baines Johnson
Monday afternoon tension increased in Lincoln Park. Groups of Yippies and New Leftist milled around chanting slogans. Police chased some of the more rowdy groups that thrown rocks and sticks at them. Scuffles broke out all afternoon.
Rennie Davis organized an impromptu march of 500 to the police station after Tom Hayden was arrested and harassed in the governments attempt to separate him from his following.
Jim and Karl joined the march but the others stayed at Lincoln Park. After the police station, the demonstration ended up in Grant Park, where David Dellinger gave a speech to a mixture of New Leftists and McCarthy supporter. The area, surrounded by police who charged when several demonstrators, raised the Vietcong flag on top of the General Logan statue. The cops swung their clubs at will, beating who ever got in the way. And the crowd dispersed in all directions.
Lincoln Park now was more chaotic. The festive mood changed, the aura chilled many. Hippies fucked behind bushes, others shitted and pissed behind trees and bushes, without modesty. Cans, paper and garbage now littered the grounds, and hundreds roamed about yelling obscenities and political slogans at anybody who appear to represent the establishment.
By nightfall, Jim and Karl had returned and related to the others their experiences. And the actions of the police at Grant park and last night made everybody more determined to hold Lincoln Park tonight.
Quickly everybody organized for the expected assault. Small groups carried picnic tables, park benches, and garbage cans to build barricade against the anticipated police assault. Others stockpiled cans, bottles, rocks, sticks, anything that they could use in the assault. A few pissed in cans, and some collected shit in paper bags to throw. Small fires erupted in the overflowed garage cans.
Karl and Chris helped with the barricade, Phyllis and Robin worried, but they had no control of Jim and Chris, and were reassured that as long as the reporters milled around, it wouldn't be any worse then last night. And they too, felt the need to stand their ground. The city of Chicago, did everything it could to stifle protest. The city and it's police and politicians determined to deny the right of free assembly to it's citizens.
By eleven o'clock the crowd swelled to 3000, all lining the barricades yelling and taunting the police who stood around many waved their clubs defiantly in the air.
The stalemate went on for two hours, when suddenly a police car approached the barricade. Almost immediately a hail of missiles flew at it, and suddenly the car sped off, and quickly throngs of cops advanced towards the barricades. By the time they got to the barricade, the retreating demonstrators, hurled missiles at the cops. Immediately the police fired tear gas into the crowd which quickly scattered. The war was on. The police charged in a mad rage, shouting, screaming," KILL THE COMMIES...Kill the commies...Kill the commies."
As they charged, forays of demonstrators advanced, attacked and hurled whatever available, rock sticks, cans and retreated as the cops chased them.
"Kill the pigs...Fuck the pigs," the protesters shouted as they hurled there missiles.
"Damn, there's fuckin' piss in these cans," an angry cop shouted as he wiped his face, then reached out wildly and cracked his four foot club over the first person he saw.
One girl ran up behind one cop and as soon as he turned around blasted him in the face with a bag of shit. Once he recovered from the shock, he chased after her, but her light young body was too fast for this overweight middled aged cop, so in frustrating he attacked and beat mercifully the first person he saw."
"No...No. No.." the falling body yelled and moaned as she fell to the ground. Another cop joined the first and both continued to beat her.
"Stop...Stop...Stop..," a man with a television camera over his shoulder yelled, "she's already down.... She's..."
The two cops looked up at him and motioned him to move.
"No.. No. I'm a reporter..."
Just then one of the cops cracked him over the head. He moved his arm up to protect himself from the second assault.
"I'm a reporter with the..." The reporter fell to the ground, blood splattered all over his face. Then the second cop landed a hit over his shoulder, and he curled up , covered his head for protection. The cops hit him few more times, then took off after another foray of hippies assaulted the police.
They charged all over Lincoln Park. it was a free for all, the police had the license to attack, approval from the bosses, and they gleefully carried out the orders, "kill the commies... kill the commies...Kill the mother fuckers...KILL... KILL! " They chased after everybody, attacking and beating any that they ran down.
As soon as the attack began Lincoln park was in chaos. Throngs of people raced by Chris and Robin. In the crowd and the darkness he got separated from her, and he dodged police looking frantically for her. All he heard were screams and yells and the attacking chorus of the cops," Kill the commies,... Kill the fuckers."
He saw Jim helping a wounded teenager with blood all or his face, he yelled, "Jim... Jim, I can't find Robin. I can't find..."
Jim looked up and yelled, "I haven't seen her... where's Phyllis...this's a nightmare."
Suddenly, Jim dropped the teenager who curled up on the ground and ran from a crazed advancing wild club swinging cop.
Jim escaped, but that cop saw Chris, changed his attack to him. Chris bolted out of the swinging club that whistled as it nearly missed his head.
Robin was terrified, "Chris ...Chris," she yelled as she laid on the ground She was knocked down by the fleeing crowd during the initial onslaught. She attempted to get up, but that was difficult. Every time, she made it, some person ran passed her and she tumbled to the ground again. She was scared. it was a nightmare, she couldn't believe the madness. All they wanted was to sleep in the park, but now they were being attacked, beatened, she was a Jew in Nazi Germany, ripped of her rights, raped and beaten and spat upon by the ruling class. This was tyranny.
With extra effort, she finally got on her knees and with more effort stood up. Bloodied demonstrators ran passed her screaming and yelling. Robin looked passed them and saw three cops running towards her. They like General Sherman, destroy everything in their path, swinging wildly their clubs, gleefully pulverizing anyone near them to the ground.
Her heart stopped, she knew she couldn't out run them. She flashed on an idea, tell'em she pregnant. But just then, ten feet from her a teenage girl cried out in agony while they pummeled her to the ground.
Robin screamed, immediately Robin knew she made a terrible mistake, the cop beating the girl looked up, saw Robin , he called his buddy who readied to join the attack.
Suddenly Robin, flashed, turned, panicked and ran as hard as an eight and one half month pregnant woman could. She waddled, as fast as she could, thought about slowing down, because she was afraid that she would trip and hurt the baby, but her heart pumped harder to escape a worse fate. She turned around to look, they were gaining ground. She tried to run faster but she couldn't. They smelled blood, hate and rape was on their minds. She felt their hot breathing, but still she had to run, and run she did, a rabbit fleeing a hungry greyhound.
Suddenly she lost balance, she tripped, she felt herself falling down uncontrollably, without control, her baby kicked sensing the danger, she knew the baby would be hurt, she was angry that she was here, angry at Chris, scared and helpless. The cops now were on her tail, she panted for air, and screamed, to herself, No...No. Oh, Chris , Chris where are you.
For the next few seconds she didn't recognize what happened. She didn't fall to the ground and smash her baby, but something stopped her, she looked up, a muscular man caught her. At first she thought it was one of the demonstrators, she fleetingly wished that it was Chris. But then she noticed the blue uniform, and then the badge and as she looked up saw a Chicago cop, she screamed, all she could think was that she had it. She wanted to fight him off, but she couldn't, he held her tightly, she was too tired, he yelled at her and at the others around him. At first she didn't understand. What was happening in all the confusion.
"Hold it...Hold it... Stop ...Stop...Damnit, get the hell out of here, "the cop yelled. he struggled with Robin who was still off balance.
"She's pregnant,...you shit head...fuck off, damnit." he yelled at the attacking cop who raised his club ready to strike home, but in the last second the cop who held Robin deflected his swing.
"You shit," he said, "get the fuck out of here," the cop yelled to him as he ran off in another direction.
Robin was lost in his arms, she felt protected warm, he was so strong, and spoke with force, and he reminded her of her father.
The man turned to Robin, "take it easy...Easy. I'm not going to hurt you... I'm not going to hurt you," he soothed her as she whimpered. He looked around, "God damn, this is a fuckin' mess." He turned to Robin and yelled, "come on. Take it easy. You are going to be all right.
He held her closely and Robin cried uncontrollably. She knew she was safe, in the arms of a Chicago cop who saved her from being beaten by another cop. She didn't what to think, as she was held closely and protectively by a cop old enough to be her father.
Jim ran around trying to locate the others, dodging cops About ten yards away he heard a cry. It sounded like Karl. He ran over and saw two cops beating him into the ground. Immediately Jim launched into an attack, jumped on them and the four scuffled in the grass. One pulled out a can of mace and zapped Jim who gagged and rolled over, but Karl grabbed at the can and knocked it away from the cop, but just then he got clobbered over the head and he fell to the ground seeing stars. The last thing he remembered was the cops relentlessly beating him and Jim with their clubs and both did the best to protect themselves the best they could, hoping that it would stop soon.
Lenny voice could be heard, "you mother fuckers. You God damn mother fucker." She picked up a stick and hit at them but the stick broke, and one cop turned on her hitting her to the ground. She landed near the can of mace, picked it up and sprayed the cop who was about to attack her again. He gagged and yelled. Quickly, she jumped up, sprayed the other cops, they both ran away, choking and gagging.
"Come on you chicken shits, come on and fight," Lenny yelled triumphantly. She looked down at Karl, pulled on his shirt and yelled, "come on, let's get out of here...let's get out of here."
Chris had found Phyllis and together they ran from the cops who attacked the small group small group they were in.
Someone yelled, "the fountain, the fountain, get in the fountain."
Immediately everybody jumped over the wall of the fountain hoping to hide from the onslaught. Yells and screams were heard as people clamored over the wall and fail into the fountain.
"Watch out.. Watch out," someone yelled.
One cop screamed, he climbed over and crack a four foot length club over his head.
Phyllis' body shivered with fear. She watched the boy's eyes roll back, he plopped in the water like a sack of cement, "that man...That man. He's sinking, help him." Phyllis shouted in hysterics "help, help, he's drowning."
Chris, Phyllis and a third person slugged over through the water, their minds raced faster then their bodies slowed by the water, as they stumbled to the bobbing stilled body in the water. Chris reached for him, pulled him up and saw his wide opened blanked eyes, masked by his bloodied face.
"Is he all right?" Phyllis pleaded for an immediate answer. "he's not breathing..." Phyllis didn't want to say it because it might be true. he looked dead to her. She was sure he was dead. Horrors flashed through her mind, "damn shits...Damn shits," she cried as tears flowed down her cheek.
Finally, he coughed and vomited up some water."
"He's alive. He's alive!" Phyllis shouted, "thank God, he's alive!"
The man was in pretty bad shape, but Chris and the others were able to stabilize him. At least to the point that he was breathing regularly, but he still was dazed.
Lincoln Park as in chaos. Tear gas slowly drifted over the park. Chris never did find Robin, nor the others. He and Phyllis spent the night together in the bus, worrying about the others. Chris thought that they were arrested and in the morning they will check it out but for now, all they could do was to wait.
Tuesday morning Chris and Phyllis went to the police station but none of the others were arrested. Both were relieved, but when they drove to Lincoln Park to look for them they wish they had been arrested. At least they would know where they were, and that they were alive. Their fears increased when they arrived at the Park. Over one hundred were injured, many were in the hospital, 130 arrested including seventeen reporters.
Demonstrators in small groups quietly exchanged first hand reports on the police brutality the night before. Many were bandaged and had black and blue marks all over. Anger stewed, and again they determined to hold out tonight at Lincoln Park, but for Chris and Phyllis, they just wanted to link up with the others .
By mid afternoon, Jim, Karl and Lenny found Chris and Phyllis, and now they and especially Chris worried about Robin. Maybe she's in the hospital, Phyllis tracked down a pay phone and started the time consuming telephones calls to all the hospitals, starting first with the ones in the nearby area and expanding outward. But alas, Jim yelled out with joy as he saw Robin in the distant waddling along. Chris yelled at her, jumped up, ran to her. Both hugged and cried for joy. Chris didn't care if strangers saw him cry.
The next hour, was joyful. Everyone told their adventures. Karl and Jim showed off their wounds, both had black eyes and some gashes, not serious, on their heads and large bruises over their shoulders. Everybody laughed when Jim repeated and acted out Lenny's heroism.
Jim bragged, "...and Karl and I were on the ground, and I hear fuckers,' and I look up, Lenny took'em all on, jumped on'em and beat 'em with this long stick which she broke on ones head." Lenny blushed and beamed at the complement. Karl put his around her and said,"...and then she picked up the mace and zapped'em and they split like shit. And she stood her ground, like a general, shoutin' 'come back and fight you chicken shits,' I still can't believe it"
Robin hugged Lenny, and Phyllis thanked her for saving Jim. Then Robin told her strange story, that she was protected all night by the one policeman, and after the melee, he took her to one of the safe churches for sleeping.
That night Chris, Phyllis and Robin went to the roadside park to sleep, the others decided to stay, and they planned to meet at the beach the next day.
Tuesday night, again the crowd swelled and challenged the police and the right to sleep in the park, and again the police chased them off, smothering the park with tear gas. The crowd fragmented made it way down to Grant Park in front of the Hilton. Stink bombs permeated the air, the National Guard, watched closely and tensions again increased as the curfew approached.
Again, troops fired tear gas which drifted and gassed the delegates at the Hilton. But the protesters were determined to stay the night in Grant Park. A few minutes after eleven, rumors sweep the grounds, that the National Guard who was responsible for this area would not enforce the curfew.
Many cheered, immediately the crowd's anger subsided and they broke up into small groups. Some sang songs. Others played guitars, and some tried to get some sleep. The mood was festive. Some McCarthy delegates came over to talk to the demonstrators. One yelled across the street, up to the Hilton Hotel, to blink their hotel lights if they are with us. And at least fifteen did.
By morning most of he demonstrators drifted away, and Grant Park was still guarded by 800 National Guardsmen. Jim, Karl and Lenny early in the morning, walked back to Karl's bus and slept.
Chris, Robin and Phyllis slept late the next day. Immediately when Chris got up, he listened to the radio, and was glad to hear that it was quieter last night. No one slept well that night , all worried about the ones who stay behind.
But Mayor Daily increased tensions between the police and the demonstrators. In an interview he praised the police and said that the they were provoked by words and deeds far beyond the bounds of professional endurance. He cited that many were kicked in the groin, spat upon in the face, excrement and urine tossed in their face, and all the four letter words used. He attempted to justify the force by citing the "weapons" the police found on the demonstrators,...such as potatoes with razors in them, live black widow spiders, glass ashtrays, aerosol cans, and knives and stilettos. He defended his right to be tough with the revolutionaries who threatened the convention, and threatened to put LSD in the water supply, and to close down O'hare International Airport.
Another battle ensued at the Convention Center, where the McCarthy supporters and the "Doves" delegates tried in vain to pass an antiwar platform, which was quite mild and offered only to continue the peace effort, a platform that even Lyndon Johnson could run on.
But the power structure and the well orchestrated Convention soundly defeated the proposal. Other issues were the credential fight over the seating of many liberal delegates from the Southern states against the more conservative delegates. Again reason lost. And with the fizzled attempt to draft Teddy Kennedy, one of the last hopes of the antiwar delegates, dejection became despair.
Delegates had been hassled by the over two hundred secret service and FBI agents in the Convention Center. And newsmen down on the floor, ran into the same difficulty, some being tossed down to the floor, and ruffled up by the "security guard"
That afternoon, Chris, Phyllis and Robin drove to Grant Park for the National Committee to End the War in Vietnam rally. Robin and Chris fought about whether she should go. This time Phyllis even supported Chris. But Robin's stubbornness won out. She argued that this rally had a permit, so it would be safe. But that didn't solve the cold hostility that existed between the three as they drove to meet the others at the beach.
After they met, they planned out the day. Chris and Phyllis had finally force Robin to agree to a compromise, they would go to the McCarthy demonstration in front of the Hilton and promised to be more peaceful. The others would attend the Grant Park rally at the band shell.
Jim Karl and Lenny joined the ten thousand that had already arrived at Grant Park. Besides the Yippies, and the New Leftist, many middle class persons, and McCarthy supporters were present. The police kept their distant, but when a man lowered the American flag from a flagpole and attempted to run up the Vietcong flag, a small throng of cops immediately moved in to arrest him and those who got in their way. Disorder was threatened. The Leftist and Yippies threw bricks, rocks, cans of
paint, and sticks at the retreating police.
David Dellinger yelled of peace and calm. The rally marshals attempted to separate the police from the demonstrators throwing missiles, but they in turn were clubbed. Shortly order was restored when David Dellinger called for the march to the Amphitheater. Five thousand joined and headed to the bridge across to Michigan Avenue. Although National Mobe, didn't have a permit to march to the Amphitheater, they still planned on a peaceful march, and those that wanted to risk getting arrested wore welcomed to join.
Jim, Karl, and Lenny joined enthusiastically. The march pressed on with excitement, but at the bridge, National Guardsmen blocked the march.
"Sit down...sit down," the people yelled, and immediately most sat down and waited for something to happen. David Dellinger negotiated with the Guardsmen, whiles everybody waited.
Gradually by ones, and in small groups,t he crowd dissipated.
Some shouted, "lets find another bridge, north. Let's go north.
"Come on let's go," Jim shouted to the frustrated group sitting down in the middle of the street. Quickly they got up ,more followed, suddenly, two thousand demonstrators ran north seeking a bridge to cross. The first one they came to, they were met by the National Guard. When they stormed the guard, they fired tear gas chasing everybody to the next, which too was blocked and more tear gas exploded, and drifted over the Grant Park.
Jim Lenny, and Karl ran with the crowd. Someone yelled, "the Monroe street bridge is open...come on. The Monroe street bridge is open."
The mass of demonstrators immediately ran to the Monroe Street bridge and crossed onto Michigan Avenue.
On Michigan Avenue, the throngs met a small demonstration of about a hundred Blacks with a mule train marching south. The demonstrators joined them and continued to the Hilton, and from the Hilton, south to the amphitheater, a few miles away.
At the Hilton two thousand McCarthy supporter milled around. Clouds of tear gas permeated the area, police were everywhere, nightsticks ready, riots helmets on, all standing by squad cars, in small groups, waiting for trouble.
Protesters paraded around. One girl stood mutely holding a sign,saying ,"Welcome to Prague." Chris and Robin walked around, talked to the people. Most were McCarthy supporters, but some just regular hotel guests, and many newsmen with television cameras, did personal interviews.
Periodically, members of the crowd chanted slogans," Peace in Vietnam...Dump the Hump..."
At first the gathering was peaceful, but when the two thousand marched with the mule train, a chill came over the crowd and tension increased.
The two thousand marchers when on seeing the police shouted, "Sieg heil....Sieg heil...Disarm the pigs...disarm the pigs... Victory to the Vietcongs"
Phyllis looked at some who waved the Vietcong flag taunting the cops. she turned to Chris," I don't like this. "
Chris grabbed Robin by the arm, "let's split."
Phyllis followed as Chris tried to push his way though the chanting crowd. Then quickly the police organized and formed a police line on Balboa and Michigan Avenue, and the crowd pushed forward against them.
"Disarm the pigs...Sieg heil...Fuck the pigs... On to the Amphitheater...On to the Amphitheater. "
The crowd pushed more, some threw rocks, bricks, and cans. the police line was reenforced. A few scuffles broke out, and from above, cans and bottles rained down from hotel windows, and crashed on the cement sidewalk and street below. In panic, police and protesters frantically searched the windows to find the source of the missiles.
Chris shoved through the crowd, determined not to let go of Robin who held to him tightly.
Phyllis tried to catch up but got lost in the crowd. She screamed to Chris but he couldn't hear her, and suddenly she was pushed along with the crowd in the direction of the police barricade.
"Oink, Oink, Oink...Kill the pigs...Kill the pigs...Sieg heil...Sieg heil...Disarm the pigs," the crowd chanted.
Suddenly the cops charged forward in unison, wildly swinging their four foot clubs, smashing anyone in their path. "Kill...Kill...Kill," they raged and chanted as they waded into the frozen and trapped congested helpless crowd.
"Help...help! Oh No, No, God help me," a girl yelled as she was beaten.
"Kill...Kill...Kill," the mad machine chanted and charged with joy, hatred and revenge," we're gonna to kill all you bastards, "one of the 150 charging cops yelled as he grabbed one long hair hippie by the hair and beat him mercifully.
Others tried to stop the beating and they too were beaten. Some tried to run but couldn't. They were trapped, many resigned to the anticipated beating. They had no other recourse.
Quick...quick in here, "Chris pushed Robin into the Haymarket Lounge at the Hilton. Inside many reporters, some delegates and hotel people watched the carnage outside. One man tried to stop Chris and Robin from entering, but someone yelled, "let'em in..."
Another shouted back, "we can't...the cops will come in."
Television lights lit up the area. Newsmen took pictures.
"No, No! I'm just waiting for someone..." A middle aged woman dressed in an expensive dress, obviously not part of the crowd yelled. A cop quickly slammed his billy cub across her head blood splattered and she dropped like a feed sack with a thud, moaning. A newsman came to her rescue and demanded that they stop hitting her, and he got whacked across the face and blood spattered all over his shirt. He scream in pain.
Phyllis was paralyzed, she moved with the wild panicked stricken mob. She fought to get out, but was trapped. She saw Jim, Karl and Lenny, yelled to them, and fought in that direction.
Lenny with Karl and Jim also fought to get away for the mob of cops, but they too were trapped. The cop charged, hitting, clubbing, and yelling," Kill...Kill...Kill.."
Inside the Haymarket lounge, all watched in horror. Robin yelled, "Look!, Look, it's Lenny!"
Chris and Robin looked in horror through the window. Lenny was trapped, two cops attacked, she was helpless, Chris darted for the door.
"Karl...No..No...Please don't hit... " Lenny pleaded and stumbled to the ground, still being beaten on the shoulders and back.
Karl fought his way towards Lenny but before he reached her a billy club landed in his groin, Karl bent over, in agony, the cop laughed, "take that. if your father had spanked you when you were young, you wouldn't be here..."
Karl looked up a, gasped for air and stared at his father who just realized he hit his son, "you fuckin' bastard," he moaned as he tried to fight him off.
Jim in a flying tackle tossed Karl's father to the ground. And now Chris joined the foray trying to get to Lenny, now on the ground, being trampled by the fleeing crowd.
Immediately four cops surrounded Jim who gave aid to Karl and both were beaten 'til consciousness ebbed out of their minds. Their last sound, cries and moans. Chris fought his way to Lenny, fought off the fleeing crowd. He held her and tried to get her to stand up. But she couldn't move. Suddenly she reached out grabbed a cops pants leg pushed up the cuff and bite into him as hard as she could.
Owwww, Owwww," he screamed as he tried to beat her off, "God damn bitch. Take that you whore."
But Lenny held on like a Pit Bull. Salty blood squirted over her face and ran down her chin. Chris did his best to block most of the powerful blows, with his arms and then his shoulder, he felt something crack when his arm was hit and suddenly pain raced though his body, followed by more pummeling by two more cops who arrived on the scene.
Phyllis stumbled and got up again and again. she raced towards Jim, Karl and Chris and Lenny, Her mind screamed at the beating Karl, Jim and Chris got, as she helplessly fought her way towards them.
Lenny managed to crawl to the wall by the Haymarket Lounge, finally got up, saw Jim, Karl and Chris dragged away by the police, all bloodied, and on looking inside, saw the horrified look of Robin looking through the large plate glass window.
"Lenny...Lenny!" she yelled motioning to her to come in, all the time knowing that she couldn't hear her.
Lenny got up, and immediately was pushed against the plate glass window by the throngs of people.
Robin and the others in the Lounge suddenly heard a loud thump as Lenny was smashed against the window. Her face was battered against the window, and blood smeared all over, and the window vibrated.
"It's gonna, break," Robin yelled," It's gonna break."
Phyllis was caught up again in the throngs of the mob. That pushed her towards Lenny, suddenly she found herself behind her, and she helplessly yelled, "Lenny...Lenny!"
Lenny pinned and pushed into the window, glanced at Phyllis, but she couldn't move or scream. She was petrified, the throngs pushed against the window she felt the vibrating window. She was amazed that it hadn't broken yet.
Inside, everybody shrieked, and yelled, "It's gonna..."
Just then the window caved in and shattered and Lenny crashed through, as well as Phyllis and three others.
Blood splattered all over. Robin, and a newsman rushed over to pick Lenny up from the floor.
"Lenny...Lenny!" Robin shrieked, "Lenny, Lenny!" Tears came to her eyes, she cried, "oh Lenny, No,No,No!"
Phyllis picked herself from where she fell, looked herself over and apparently was unhurt, then she looked at Lenny and Robin. At first she was glad that they were all right, but suddenly she panicked, she yelled, "she's bleeding... she's..."
Robin rocked Lenny in her arms, stared blankly through the broken plate glass window, moaned, "Lenny, No, No, No."
Someone also yelled, "look, she bleeding, the leg!"
Robin reached down and felt, then saw the warm gushing blood. She looked at Lenny, her eyes rolled back, and then she fainted, Robin freaked, the blood flowed and squirted out, soaking her jeans.
Someone yelled, "the artery... the artery's cut."
Several rushed to Lenny's aid and someone quickly applied pressure, to slow the bleeding.
Suddenly the police stormed into the lounge clubbing anybody who got in their way. And on the outside the police regrouped and for awhile there was peace. The angry crowd chanted and taunted, "Pigs...Pigs...Pigs...!"
And the police charged again.
Meanwhile on the convention floor, Hubert H. Humphrey without fanfare and as expected was nominated for the Democratic Presidential candidate. The well orchestrated event was marred only by contempt some of the delegate had for the whole affair, especially after they heard about the police attack at the Hilton.
After the nomination, 600 delegates slowly marched back to the Hilton in a candlelite march protesting the carnage.
The next day in Grant Park, 5,000 demonstrators were back for another National Mobe rally, The crowd was subdued, no one had the heart for more, and McCarthy came over at the end of the rally and talked to them. He got a standing ovation. Then Dick Gregory led a march of 2,000 to the amphitheater and got as far as 18th and Michigan Avenue, where they were stopped by police, but the crowd moved on, were tear gassed and the demonstrators, scattered returning to the Hilton.
The violence was not over, five o'clock in the morning police raided the McCarthy headquarters at the Hilton for one last revenge strike, clubbing and macing the occupants.
The battle of Czechago was over. Over l,000 injured, 660 arrested and one killed. Seventy five percent of the American public supported Mayor Daley's handling of the Democratic National Convention.
America was divided...Irrevocably.