The Black Panthers announced today they would go underground because the Israel government “had decided to liquidate us.” The stencilled leaflets announcing this move were distributed shortly after a police spokesman reported that the number of Panthers arrested after a demonstration in Jerusalem’s Zion Square last night had risen to 21. The spokesman also told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency that several Panthers would be charged with disturbing the peace and attacking policemen. The leaflet also charged that an arrested Panther had been severely beaten during interrogation by police and had not been given medical treatment. A visit by the JTA correspondent to homes of two Panther leaders–Reuben Abragill and Charlie Bitton–for clarification found locked doors at both residences. Later, it was learned that Abragill had been arrested by police earlier in the day. Police said they were looking for Bitton. Both men took part in the demonstration last night.
Experts on domestic social problems expressed skepticism about the announced Panther plan to go underground because members’ names and descriptions are widely known, partly as a result of deliberate Panther bids for public attention for their grievances. They noted that the Panthers registered a few months ago at the Jerusalem district commission office as an association formed in accordance with the law. The police spokesman reported that Panthers had thrown stones at policemen converging on Zion Square to clear it after it had been held by the Panther demonstrations for 90 minutes. He said several policemen and one demonstrator had been injured. Three girls under 16 were among those arrested, the police reported. Commandant David Offer, the southern district police commander, said the Panthers would be charged with violating the terms under which they had been given a license for their demonstration. He said also that no demonstrations will be permitted hereafter either on Jaffa Road, Jerusalem’s main thoroughfare, or in its vicinity. The Knesset committee for Internal Affairs condemned this morning the rioting in the center of Jerusalem and approved the police decision to ban further demonstrations in the center of the city.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
