. Elbe £ dgrankilg News: 7-DAILY klMonday Advertising: 7640554 One hundred seven years of edior alfreedom May 11, 1998 *Ku Klux Kln rallies at City Hall Police, peacekeepers help to control violence By Gerard Cohen-Vrignaud Daily News Edtir Racist slurs flooded Ann Arbor City Hall Saturday afternoon as 37 Ku Klux Klan members held a rally, protected from violent projectile- wielding protesters by fences and barricades. Demonstrators were hit with tear gas and pepper spray while trying to reach the Klan. An estimated 300 "Smash the KKK" protesters, led by the National Women's Rights Organizing Coalition, were squarely matched by about 300 law enforcement officials from University, city, county and state agencies. The perimeter of City Hall was fenced and entry into the viewing area inside the fence was restrict- ed to those searched by police for weapons. With music blaring and obscenities flying, KKK mem- bers stood behind a Plexiglas shield and addition- al fencing at the entrance of city hall. Early in the protest, 27-year-old John Patton from Mount Clemens was hit over the head with a bottle as he stood barechested amidst the demon- strators outside with a tattoo proclaiming his "White Pride." Blood streamed down his face as members of the Peace Team, a group formed to maintain order, shielded him from further attacks. Once inside the enclosure, Patton expressed dis- gust at the violence of the protesters. "I came as a peaceful person," Patton said. "I got my head cracked open because I'm a white person, and I have a tattoo that says 'White Pride.' Can I not do that? You can't beat somebody because of an idea." Outside the perimeter fence, on East Huron St., protesters attempted to tear down the barrier that prevented them from reaching the Klan. Members of the Peace Team, numbering around 115 volun- teers, stood outside between the protesters and the fence while police officers lined the inside. As protesters tugged down on the fence, peace- keepers pushed their bodies against the barrier, trying to stop the mob from breaching the perime- ter. The Peace Team assaulted by protesters and several had their yellow shirts torn to shreds. Police lining the inside pepper sprayed the attacking protesters twice, forcing them to retreat. After failing to tear down the fence, protesters stormed a City Hall entrance on East Anne St. Demonstrators tore down a fence and held it over their heads like a trophy. Dozens of protesters stormed the promenade, forcing the police to retreat within city hall since they were not prepared for the attack. Demonstrators then threw rocks and other projec- tiles at the windows of City hall, shattering sever- al, while others destroyed light fixtures attached to the promenade. After regrouping, the police reappeared on the promenade donning combat gear and shot several canisters of tear gas into the crowd. Rioters streamed away from City Hall, cough- See RALLY, Page 2 An Anti-Klan demonstrator runs from tear gas sprayed by the police. Tear gas and pe used to keep the crowd under control during the two-hour rally on the steps of City H *University responds By Susan T. Port The University's response stated the Daily News Editor defendants recognize that the prospect The University has issued a response of a third party in either court case to the coalition of students which filed "could significantly complicate dis- a motion to intervene as a third party in covery and possibly other aspects of the lawsuit challenging the University these cases." Law School's use of race in its admis- Detroit attorney Miranda Massie, sion policies. who is leading the group's legal A total of 41 students ranging in action, said the . University's gender, race and educational level response concerns "us that it could *ong with three coalitions filed the be taken that we ought to be cutting motion on March 26 to enter the sec- corners in this case, and in this case ond of two lawsuits against the it's too important to do that." University. Massie summarized the University's The first lawsuit challenges the right response as supportive, but she added of the University to use race as a factor that the mentioning of possible obsta- in the College of Liberal Arts and cles resulting from a third party is Science's admission practices. insignificant in such an important law- EWS ARTS The Ku Klux Klan's arrival in Bad Religion performs at the Ann Arbor causes havoc. Blind Pig this Thursday at 11 Photostory, Page 10-11. p.m. Page 12. WARREN ZINN/Daily pper spray were Hall on Saturday. to lawsuit intervention motion suit. The group, if allowed in the law- "The stuff about the complication is suit, plans to raise concerns, quite unnecessary - it's absolutely including sexism and equality, beside the point;' Massie said. Massie said. Massie said allowing the group in The Center for Individual Rights the lawsuit will expand the scope of filed a lawsuit against the the case. She added that, in University Law School on court, the University will Dec. 3 on behalf of have to consider many Barbara Gutter, a white variables and may not be applicant who asserts she able to focus on the group's was unfairly evaluated in interests. the University's Law "If your interests are dif- School's admission ferent then you can't assume the process since race was used as a University will adequately represent factor in the selection of the incom- your interests," Massie said. "This is ing class of 1995. not going to be a run-of-the-mill The coalition is filing for two dif- rubber-stamp case." ferent types of intervention - intervention as of right and permis- sive intervention. If the group can prove it has a legal interest in the lawsuit and its concerns will not be represented adequately by the University, it will be allowed in the lawsuit under the guidelines of intervention, as of right. In permis- sive intervention the decision is more discretionary and up to the judge. CIR attorney Terry Pell said the group which is seeking to intervene in the case does not have a legal interest but a "policy interest" in taking part in the lawsuit. Pell said the University alone can adequately See LAWSUIT, Page 2 SPORTS The Michigan softball team wins its fourth straight Big Ten Tournament title. Page 20. . http://wwwpub.umich.edu/daily