SORBONNE, WITH TRICOLOUR FLYING; CAPTURED FLAGS, POSTERS AND OTHER ITEMS STACKED IN POLICE STATION.




Initials DHC/V/BOB/BB


EDITORS: WE REFER YOU TO VISNEWS PRODUCTION NUMBER 6232/68 (NAT. SOF): "FRANCE: FINAL SPATE OF VIOLENCE AS STUDENTS COMPLETE EVACUATION OF SORBONNE", SERVICED TODAY.

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Background: PARIS POLICE NOW HAVE FULL CONTROL OF THE SORBONNE, AND ARE ABOUT TO SET ABOUT CLEARING MILITANT STUDENTS FROM THEIR STRONGHOLDS IN THE UNIVERSITY OF PARIS. FIRST POLICE ACTION IN THE SORBONNE EARLY TODAY WAS TO PULL DOWN THE RED AND BLACK REBEL FLAGS, AND TO MAKE A ROUNDUP OF ABANDONED STUDENT WEAPONRY.

IN THEIR SEARCH OF THE SORBONNE THE POLICE FOUND OVER 200 TRUNCHEONS, BICYCLE CHAINS, GAS MASKS AND PETROL CANS. IN THE UNIVERSITY ITSELF THEY SCRUBBED THE WALLS CLEAN OF POSTERS, ANTI-POLICE SLOGANS AND POLITICAL CARTOONS. SEVERAL PORTRAITS OF CUBAN REVOLUTIONARY HERO CHE GUEVARA WERE AMONG THE HAUL.

THE FINAL COLLAPSE OF STUDENT CONTROL OVER THE SORBONNE CAME LATE LAST NIGHT, WHEN A POLICEMAN RETRIEVED A SMALL STUDENT BLACK FLAG FROM HIGH ABOVE THE SORBONNE CHAPEL. LATER THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION SAID TALKS WOULD BEGIN TODAY TO RESTORE THE UNIVERSITY TO ITS PROPER FUNCTION AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. IT WAS THE VIRTUAL END OF FIVE WEEKS OF STUDENT REBELLION.

THERE WAS A LAST OUTBREAK OF VIOLENCE AS STUDENTS WERE EVACUATING THE UNIVERSITY LAST NIGHT. POLICE OUTSIDE SHOT TEAR GAS GRENADES AND FIRECRACKERS INTO A CROWD THAT HAD GATHERED TO PROTEST AT POLICE ACTION IN CORDONING OFF THE UNIVERSITY BUILDING. THE POLICE MOVED IN HURLING GRENADES AND BEATING ANY ONE IN THEIR PATH.