The United States replied today to Soviet complaints concerning anti-Soviet demonstrations, declaring that the demonstrations “did not violate the provisions of the federal law on the protection of diplomatic personnel and official guests of the United States of America.”
In a letter addressed to the Soviet Union Mission to the United Nations, Ambassador James F. Leonard, Acting Representative of the U.S., referred to Soviet complaints protesting against demonstrations held in the vicinity of the Soviet Mission by Jewish organizations Feb. 26 and March 15 and by a group of Somali students Feb. 27. The demonstrations by Jewish organizations were against Soviet treatment of Russian Jewry.
According to the American letter, all demonstrations ended without incidents. The letter added: “The United States Mission to the United Nations deplores all irresponsible actions by American citizens against USSR Mission personnel or its properties and we will continue to take necessary measures to prevent such incidents.” But the U.S. also said that American law allows citizens to demonstrate peacefully.
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.