George Rockwell, head of the American Nazi Party, was remanded today on $100 bail in Criminal Court for an appearance in Night Court after he was arrested last night and prevented from making a scheduled speech before students at Columbia University. Officials of the university had approved Rockwell’s invitation from Humanitas, a Columbia student group, in line with established policy of permitting any recognized student group to invite any speaker.
The Nazi was arrested on the street here on a 1960 warrant charging him with disorderly conduct. He was brought before Judge James Watson, a Negro, with a Jewish attorney, Martin Berger, defending him. When the police arrested Rockwell, a crowd of more than 1, 500 persons were lined up for two blocks in front of the Columbia University auditorium where Rockwell had been scheduled to make a speech. Rockwell posted a $100 cash bond for appearance in Criminal Court this morning and appeared on schedule to be remanded for a further hearing.
The warrant was a citizen’s complaint, filed by Lester Fahn of Brooklyn after Rockwell made a raucous appearance in Supreme Court in Manhattan in 1960. The warrant charged him with making inflammatory and offensive remarks constituting a breach of the peace, Mr. Fahn, in getting the warrant, testified that Rockwell made such statements as “Hitler didn’t do enough” and “all Jews should be exterminated” and “Crematoriums should be built in the United States. ” Police rescued Rockwell from an irate crowd in the Supreme Court rotunda.
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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.