STUDENTS CLASH IN UNIVERSITY.




Initials TS/VS/PW/ES



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: AT LEAST 20 STUDENTS WERE INJURED ON TUESDAY NIGHT WHEN PRO- AND ANTI-COMMUNIST STUDENT GROUPS CLASHED AT TOKYO UNIVERSITY. ABOUT ONE-THOUSAND STUDENTS WERE INVOLVED IN THE FIGHTING WHICH BROKE OUT WHEN THE ANTI-COMMUNIST STUDENT COUNCIL TRIED TO TAKE OVER THE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY BEING HELD BY A PRO-COMMUNIST GROUP.

TROUBLE CAME WHEN ABOUT 500 MEMBERS OF THE ANTI-COMMUNIST STUDENT COUNCIL DECIDED TO CLOSE DOWN THE ENTIRE UNIVERSITY BECAUSE THEIR DEMAND FOR A MASS BARGAINING SESSION WITH UNIVERSITY OFFICIALS HAD NOT BEEN MET. WEARING CRASH-HELMETS AND ARMED WITH WOODEN STAVES, THEY MARCHED ON THE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY, INTENDING TO BARRICADE THE DOORS AND WINDOWS.

BUT WAITING IN FRONT OF THE LIBRARY WERE SOME 600 MEMBERS OF THE PRO-COMMUNIST STUDENT GROUP WHO HAD STAGED A SIT-DOWN TO KEEP THE ANTI-COMMUNISTS FROM THE LIBRARY.

FIERCE FIGHTING BROKE OUT BETWEEN THE TWO FACTIONS AS THEY BATTLED WITH STAVES AND HOME-MADE WEAPONS. THERE WERE NO POLICE AT THE SCENE, AND WHEN ONE STUDENT BODY TRIED TO STOP THE FIGHTING THEY WERE DRIVEN OFF.

THE CLASH WAS DESCRIBED AS ONE OF THE WORST IN THE 10-MONTH-OLD DISPUTE BETWEEN THE STUDENTS AND THE UNIVERSITY GOVERNING BODY OVER STUDENT DEMANDS FOR A GREATER SAY IN THE RUNNING OF THEIR AFFAIRS.

(JAPAN'S EDUCATION MINISTER, HIROKISHI NADAO, HAS THREATENED TO TAKE EMERGENCY STEPS TO DEAL WITH THE SITUATION IF THE STUDENTS TO AHEAD WITH THEIR PLAN TO BLOCKADE TOKYO UNIVERSITY. HE SAID THAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS THINKING OF A BILL TO PASS THROUGH THE DIET BANNING ALL 'DISRUPTIVE ACTIVITIES' ON THE UNIVERSITY CAMPUS.)