At least seven persons were injured, and 30 were temporarily detained by police, when fighting last night again interfered with the performance of “The Deputy,” the play by German dramatist Rolf Hochhuth, which criticizes the late Pope Pius XII for failing to protest against the Nazi annihilation of European Jewry.
The performances of “The Deputy” have been subjected to violent demonstrations inside the theater since it opened. This time, as the second act was on, some members of the audience started shouting abusively. Several youths leaped onto the stage and started fighting the actors. When policemen mounted the stage to break up the fighting, the demonstrators battled the police.
After the stage had been cleared, the play continued, but there were frequent; further demonstrations by members of the audience. The play finally limped to it’s end. Police authorities have threatened several times to close down the play due to the public disturbances.
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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.
