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T
here were a number of in-
cidents at yesterday afternoon’s
civic reception by the KSAC
at the National Stadium in honour of
His Imperial Majesty, Haile Selassie,
Emperor of Ethiopia.
Some members of the large crowd
-booed when Mr. Eustace Bird, Com-
missioner of the KSAC was presenting
the Key to the Kingston to the Em-
peror, chanted anti-Government slo-
gans right beside the royal box, hoisted
placards and broke down Police barri-
ers. His Imperial Majesty was
escorted to the royal box on a red
carpet plastered- with mud: From about
an hour before the reception began,
about four large placards were hoisted,
in front of the royal box. And they re-
mained right through the function. One
Placard which read “We want Human
Rights Now” was kept aloft just a few
yards from in front of the royal visitor.
As the function progressed- a large
section of the audience grew more
boisterous. Immediately Mr. Eustace
Bird got up to present the Key to the
City of Kingston to His Imperial Maj-
esty, screams, yells, hisses and boos
filled the air, and continued throughout
the presentation function. The situation
was so disorderly that the acting Prime
Minister, the Hon. Donald Sangster
had to appeal for silence on several
occasions. Mr. Sangster’s pleas were
answered with shouts of anti-
Government slogans from all angles.
When the Jamaican National Anthem
was being played at the end of the
function tooting horns and beating
drums almost drowned the anthem. On
several occasions Police barriers were
broken down as the crowd attempted to
get beside His Majesty. As the motor-
cade was proceeding from inside the
stadium some cars including the acting
Prime Minister’s, were (held up for a
short time by the boisterous throng.
The muddy carpet
Police lines broken at civic reception
One of the Groups of School Children who performed at the National Stadium for the Emperor Haile Selassie visit.