The District Attorney’s office here said today it is seeking a re-hearing of a ruling by the Criminal District of Appeals court which dismissed a conviction of American Nazi party leader George Rockwell of disturbing the peace.
Rockwell was arrested here in May 1961 after he and a group of his “troopers” wearing Nazi uniforms with swastikas picketed the showing of the film, “Exodus.” They carried anti-Jewish and anti-Negro signs. A Criminal District court ruled against Rockwell but the appeals court held that the signs were not intended to incite to violence.
Rockwell came to New Orleans last week and said he would file suit in United States District court against Mayor Victor Schiro, the Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith and police officials “for conspiracy to deprive” him of his “civil rights” and to have caused “false imprisonment.” Subsequently he said he had dropped the idea.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
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.
