ATV Stock Library: Birmingham Anti Vietnam Protests

Summary

Protests held in Birmingham city centre on 5 May 1968 against the war in Vietnam which coincide with a visit to the city by the Prime Minster Harold Wilson.

Year:

1968

Duration:

0:16:36

Film type:

Black & White / Sound

Company:

ATV

Master format:

16mm

Description

We open with views of a protest march in Birmingham city centre against the war in Vietnam. There are representatives from trade unions, student organisations and the Indian Workers Association. Also seen in the march are people holding banners against Enoch Powell and about the war in Biafra. There are also views of the police holding crowds back. Harold Wilson is seen leaving the Town Hall and walking into the Council House (accompanied by both cheers and boos). The camera focusses on a group of fascists including the former Coventry school teacher Colin Jordan. The police position themselves between Jordan's group and a group of Asian men. Another fascist, Robert Relf is also visible with a placard. We then see Wilson entering the Town Hall (presumably the material is not in the original shooting sequence) and then getting into his car with further shots of the police holding back the crowds. The end of the reel is mute and includes pushing and shoving and various scuffles as the police attempt to keep the rival factions apart.


Credits

No credits specified