Md/DC Committee to Oppose Political Repression Update: 1972

The Md/DC Committee to Oppose Political Repression publishes its sixth update In August 1972 detailing the state’s case against seven anti-Vietnam War activists at the University of Maryland.

The Committee was a University of Maryland College Park-based group formed after an anti- Vietnam War demonstrations at the school during April and May 1972.

The Committee, influenced by Youth Against War and Fascism, continued to support those prosecuted for their political beliefs at least until 1974. Their activities included support for the D.C. Jail inmates who were prosecuted for a 1972 uprising after being promised immunity for returning to their cells.

Arrests at the University of Maryland College Park

This issue of the Committee’s update focuses on six people facing serious charges after student protesters held rallies and demonstrations against the war, called for the elimination of ROTC on campus, and seized U.S. Route 1. The National Guard was sent in for the third straight year to quell the protests.

Nearly 200 people were arrested, many for curfew violations, but most charges were ultimately dropped by state prosecutors.

The most serious charges outlined in this issue arose from major confrontations while two others involved minor incidents blown out of proportion.

One occurred in April 1972 during the height of the protests. As a crowd of about 500 rallied outside the Armory that contained the ROTC offices, rocks were thrown breaking some of the windows.

Someone lit an American flag on fire and then reached through one of the broken windows and lit the draperies on fire. The drapery fire quickly went out and the crowd moved to block U.S. Route One.

No arrest was made at the time, but police later arrested Younos Mokhtarzada, an Afghan national and campus antiwar activist, for setting the blaze. Gregory Dunkel, a former graduate student and instructor at the school who was a prominent leader of campus protests 1967-72 was arrested and charged with inciting to arson.

Both charges were a frame-up as activists knew the identity of the person who set the small fire. Prosecutors later dropped the charges for lack of evidence.

The second group of charges involved allegations against campus antiwar leader Robert Ferraro for ““maliciously molesting state property; to wit, highway reflector sign in the median strip of Route One.” The alleged activity occurred during a student occupation of U.S. route One. Prosecutors later dropped the charge. Activist student Steve Moore was charged with "molesting the private property of the Board of Regents"--lighting a trash can on fire during an antiwar protest on campus. Charges were also dropped against Moore.

The third incident that gave rise to serious charges arose from a confrontation between students and campus police began during a small student rally May 10, 1972 on the steps of McKeldin Library when campus police arrested Mark Cullen.

Cullen was arrested and handcuffed at the library end of the quarter-mile mall and was dragged, beaten with riot sticks and fists, his legs twisted and his hair pulled by police on the way to the administration building where the small campus police station was located.

In this incident, police alleged Cullen threw a body block at an officer chasing another student. Cullen said he was leaving the rally to go to class and did not make contact with the officer.

The attack on Cullen occurred on a sunny day early in the afternoon and drew hundreds of students to watch. Several attempted to free Cullen. Two other students were later prosecuted in relation to this incident.

Hundreds of students signed petitions asking that charges be dropped and dozens attended the various court hearings and trials.

Trials

The first trial of the three resulted in a hung jury. The second trial of one of the students, Betsy Banes Bell, resulted in the trial judge overturning a conviction on a lesser charge because of a trial error. Another of the three other, Edward Stubbs, entered into a plea agreement and received probation before verdict.

Cullen was convicted in his second trial and sentenced to one year in jail. However the judge said he would suspend the sentence if Cullen wrote a letter admitting guilt and expressing regret. After the judge received the letter, he suspended the sentence.

Photographs & Articles

For more information and photos of the 1972 demonstrations at the University of Maryland, see flic.kr/s/aHsjBBYBW1

A photographer captured the police brutality on May 10, 1972 and gave them to the Washington Area Spark alternative newspaper for publication in 1973 prior to the second trials.

“Md Student Wins--Judge Admits Error,” Vol. 2, No. 9, April 13-May 11, 1973:
washingtonspark.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/1973-cullen-v...

“Police Brutality Victim: Cullen Sentenced to Year in Jail,” Vol. 2, No. 10, May 15-June 12, 1973: washingtonspark.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/1973-cullen-v...

“Judge Forces Cullen to Sign ‘Guilty’ Statement,” Vol. 2, No. 11, June 13 to July 11, 1973: washingtonspark.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/1973-cullen-v...

For a PDF of this 4-page 8 ½ x 11 newsletter, see

No. 6 – Mid August 1972 - washingtonareaspark.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/1972-0...

For more information and related images, see flic.kr/s/aHsjBBYBW1
flic.kr/s/aHsjBBYBW1

Original held in the Bonnie Atwood papers, 1965-2005, Collection, Special Collections and Archives, James Branch Cabell Library, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA.

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Taken on: August 1, 1972

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