May Day Records Erased

Early this fall, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) won a U.S. District Court decision ordering the federal government to turn over all Mayday 1971 arrest records to the ACLU for destruction.

The court order affects the records of all 13,000 individuals arrested and detained for activities arising from the anti-war demonstrations in Washington D.C. on May 3-6, 1971. It also includes the records of people who were detained but did not return for trial.

The DC ACLU chapter asks that all those arrested in the Mayday demonstrations send their names, May, 1971 address, their present address, and collateral receipts if they still have them, to the office so the staff can make sure their lists" are complete. Contact: Florence Isbell, ACLU of the National Capital Area, 3000 Connecticut Ave. NW, Washington DC 20008, Suite 437 or call (202) 483-3830.

The arrest records were turned over to the ACLU's District of Columbia office on October 4. Attorneys for the case and volunteers are now busy sorting through the 15 file cabinets and five cartons of materials that were delivered by the police department. All photographs and fingerprints in the material delivered have been destroyed.

"We are doing everything we can to make sure we have all copies of all records," explained Florence Isabell of the DC office. "We're not through looking."

In return for the arrest records, the ACLU was told by the court to notify all members of the class (all 13,000 arrested) that their records are being destroyed. This massive task should take at least three months. As each person is notified, their records will be completely destroyed.

People who were arrested can now say they were never arrested. Also those arrested will be notified that they have the right to get their collateral back.