| January, 1968 |
Students arrange sit-ins at Aston University, Birmingham. |
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| 15.01.1968 |
Unrest at the University of Edinburgh. The rector resigns in protest against the birth control pills. |
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| 26.01.1968 |
3,000 participate in a demonstration in Sheffield against the American war in Vietnam during a visit by Prime Minister Harold Wilson. |
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| February, 1968 |
Students arrange sit-ins at the University of Leicester. |
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| 12.02.1968 |
The ‘Anti University’ opens in Shoreditch, London. Among more than 40 teachers are Charles Marowitz, Allen Krebs, Edward Dorn, Obi Egbuna, Noel Cobb, Stuart Montgomery, and Anna Lockwood. The Anti University looked upon itself as a variant of the critical universities in West Berlin and Amsterdam. |
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| 15.02.1968 |
Home Secretary James Callaghan informs the House of Commons that the government will tighten immigration policy. The proposals meet strong opposition from the left wing in the Labour Party. |
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| 16.02.1968 |
Coal miners demonstrate against Prime Minister Harold Wilson during his visit to Wales. The workers protest against the government’s mine and economical policy. Workers shouted: “Go home to England!” and “Throw him out of Wales!” Student demonstration against Wilson in Cardiff leads to clashes between students and police. |
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| 25.02.1968 |
Thousands of African, West Indian and Asian immigrants demonstrate in the streets of London against the proposed new immigration law. The march goes to Downing Street, where the police block the way. Bystanders and counter-demonstrators shout “Nigger go home!” |
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| 27.02.1968 |
Split in Labour Party about proposed new immigration law. 30 Labour MPs vote against their own government. Most opponents are on the left wing in the Labour Party. |
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| 29.02.1968 |
The British Parliament passes new immigration laws by a vote of 145 to 31. |
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| 03.03.1968 |
Bomb blasts outside the Spanish embassy and an American officer club in London. No one is injured. |
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| 04.03.1968 |
Riots in the Durham prison. |
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| 08.03.1968 |
Demonstration in London in protest against hangings in Rhodesia. |
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| 09.03.1968 |
1,000 participate in a student demonstration at Cambridge University to protest against Dennis Healy, the Minister of Defense, and the government’s defense policy. Clashes between protestors and 200 police officers. The Minister is trapped in his car in the middle of the demonstration. |
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| 11.03.1968 |
Demonstration against hangings in Rhodesia. |
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| 12.03.1968 |
British Jews in silent demonstration outside the Polish embassy in London to protest the anti-Semitic campaign in Poland. |
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| 17.03.1968 |
Extensive demonstrations in London in protest against the American war in Vietnam, including one gathering at Grosvenor Square. These demonstrations are funded by proceeds from the Roundhouse concert in December 1967. Slogans such as “Ho-Ho-Ho Chi Minh!” and ”We will fight, we will win!” are shouted. Tariq Ali leads 25,000 demonstrators from Trafalgar Square to the U.S. embassy at Grosvenor Square and are met by 1,300 police officers. Clashes ensue between demonstrators and police, but the police do not use tear gas. 117 police officers are injured, 45 protestors are treated in hospital, 300 demonstrators are arrested, and 246 are charged by the police and brought to Court. |
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| 20.03.1968 |
Prince Phillip gives statement to the press about the unrest: ”We need a license to breathe – that’s the reason why youths revolt”. |
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| 28.03.1968 |
The Labour Party suffers a major defeat in four by-elections. The Tory leader Edward Heath demands a new general election. |
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| 07.04.1968 |
A cabinet reorganization strengthens the political Left in the British Government. |
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| 15.04.1968 |
The Aldermaston march arrives at Trafalgar Square (the first Aldermaston March took place at Easter in 1958 in protest against nuclear weapons). Tariq Ali leads demonstration in London outside the Springer Press office and the West German embassy after the attempted murder of Rudi Dutschke in West Berlin. The police make barricades outside the editorial office of the Daily Mirror when demonstrators try to approach the building. Several demonstrators and police officers are injured. |
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| 20.04.1968 |
The conservative politician Enoch Powel gives a speech in Birmingham about the immigration issue and warns against a racial war in Britain. He demands an end to the immigration of colored people. The speech arouses sharp feelings nationwide. |
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| 23.04.1968 - 27.04.1968 |
More than 2,000 dock workers on strike. March in London in support of Enoch Powel’s stand on the immigration policy. Spokesmen for British workers give tributes to the conservative politician. |
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| 24.04.1968 |
Dockworkers in a march to the Parliament in support of Enoch Powel. They want to bar colored people from England. The TUC leadership takes cautious positions on the racial issue. |
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| 26.04.1968 |
Dock workers on strike in London in protest against the government’s immigration policy. Almost 4,000 workers march in support of the conservative politician Enoch Powell. |
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| 01.05.1968 |
Racial demonstrations and unrest dominate May Day in London. Fights outside the Parliament between supporters and opponents of Enoch Powel. |
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| 07.05.1968 |
Student action at the university in Essex includes the disruption of lectures. |
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| 07.05.1968 |
Demonstration in London against the American war in Vietnam. |
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| 08.05.1968 |
Clashes between students and police with dogs at the university in Essex. Student action against a scientist lecturing about chemical warfare. |
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| 09.05.1968 |
Local elections in Britain include race as an unofficial, yet important issue. In polls 74 % claim agreement with Powel while 15 % claim they disagree with him and 11 % are undecided. |
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| 10.05.1968 |
Three students regarded as responsible for demonstrations at the university in Essex are expelled from the university. |
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| 15.05.1968 |
First issue of New Left radical journal Black Dwarf, established under leadership of Tariq Ali. |
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| 15.05.1968 |
Students boycott lecture at the university in Essex demanding representation and elimination of exams. |
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| 17.05.1968 |
The expelled students at the university in Essex are readmitted. |
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| 26.05.1968 |
Minister of Technology Anthony Wedgwood Benn delivers a speech warning against French conditions in Britain. |
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| 28.05.1968 |
Student demonstration against British scientists who develop new chemical weapons for the American army. Actions to stop the research. |
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| 29.05.1968 |
Thousands in demonstration against Tory leader Edward Heath and in support of Enoch Powel outside the City Hall in Dudley. |
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| 29.05.1968 |
700 students occupy the administration building at Hornsey College of Arts, North London, after a one night “sleep-in” in protest against general conditions at the college. Occupation of the administration building at the university in Hull in protest against the exam system. One of the staff leaders at the university in Cambridge announces that students would get more to say in the management of the university. A new consultative Committee is established and students constitute the majority in the new body. |
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| June, 1968 |
The Free University is established in Bristol by a group of 15 students, with all lectures open to all students and the public. The participants pay one shilling each. |
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| 04.06.1968 |
300 students participate in a sit-in at Oxford University to protest the ban of distribution of political leaflets on campus. The university gives in to the students’ demands. Students at Croydon College of Arts, South London, occupy buildings and demand representation. |
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| 08.06.1968 |
The students occupy the administration building at the University in Hull again. They demand equal representation and a vote in all decision-making bodies at the university. They demand student control of the dormitories and halls of residence. |
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| 11.06.1968 |
1,200 students at Oxford University protest a petition against left-wing activists among their student colleagues. They claim the activists are not representative for all the students. This is the first student reaction against the activists. |
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| 12.06.1968 |
The International Lawyer Commission criticizes the British immigration law and claims that it violates the UN human rights declaration. |
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| 13.06.1968 |
“Students in Revolt” debate program on BBC with David McKinsey as producer brings 12 student leaders from all over the world together for the first time on television. British politicians discuss the government’s decision to grant Daniel Cohn-Bendit a visit permit to Britain. The opposition in the House of Commons puts forward a vote of no confidence in the government. The BBC leadership is divided on their decision to broadcast the program. |
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| 14.06.1968 |
British left wing students criticize Daniel Cohn-Bendit, Tariq Ali and the other international student leaders who participated in the BBC program, accusing them of ego trips and attempts at creating cults of personality. Several hundred British students gather at LSE to establish the Revolutionary Socialist Students Federation. The new federation’s main goal is a “workers’ and students’ revolution”. The first step in this direction is to establish student control of the universities. The Labour Party keeps its position in two by-elections. |
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| 16.06.1968 |
500 students occupy building at the University of Bristol. |
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| 23.06.1968 - 05.07.1968 |
British railroad workers start a go-slow action in support of labor unions’ demands of higher pay. Union leaders criticize the Labour Government for listening too much to intellectuals in the Party. |
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| 08.07.1968 |
30 Pakistani students occupy the Pakistani embassy in London in protest against President Ayli Khahn and his violation of human rights. |
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| 21.07.1968 |
10,000 participate in a demonstration against the American war in Vietnam. A break-away group of 3,000 demonstrators is met by 1000 police officers that prevent them from approaching the U.S. embassy. |
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| 23.07.1968 |
Debate in the House of Commons about violence and use of force. The politicians will not tolerate illegal acts by the demonstrators. |
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| 19.08.1968 |
Unrest among British Catholics. Pray-ins against the Pope’s ban on birth control pills. |
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| 23.08.1968 |
Demonstration outside the Soviet embassy in London to protest the Soviet invasion of Czechoslovakia. |
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| 31.08.1968 |
The Fourth Christian Youth Conference meets in Edinburgh, Scotland, arranged by the British Council and Churches. The participants protest against injustice, famine and war in a silent march through Edinburgh. The Conference ends in confusion. |
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| 27.09.1968 |
Hair – the Hippie-Musical opens at Shafesbury Theater in London. A protest against the American war in Vietnam. |
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| 29.09.1968 |
Demonstration in London in support of Biafra. |
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| 08.10.1968 |
Agreement between student leaders and the universities. Students are allowed a greater role in the decision-making process at the universities. |
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| 25.10.1968 |
Students occupy LSE and the FNL flag waves from the top of the building. Mounting nervousness in London before the planned Vietnam Day, October 27. The media predicts violence and riots. |
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| 27.10.1968 |
Demonstration in London against the American war in Vietnam as 50,000 participates in a mainly peaceful march. 4,000 protestors, mostly Maoists, break from the main demonstration and march to the U.S. embassy at Grosvenor Square leading to clashes between demonstrators and police. 30 are injured, including10 police officers. The police make 40-50 arrests. A bomb explosion at the monumental stone of John F. Kennedy at Ronnymede Meadow, West London damages the monument. |
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| 30.11.1968 |
Welsh nationalists occupy BBC studios. |
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| 05.12.1968 |
800 students participate in a sit-in at the university in Birmingham. |
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