A State Department spokesman said today that there was “no way to equate” the peaceful public demonstration for Soviet Jewry on the Washington Elipse yesterday with “official violation of the United States Embassy in Moscow.” Charles Bray said the State Dept. had “no view” on the demonstrations which brought some 3,000 youths and adults to the nation’s capital yesterday. He said the U.S. “takes a very grave view” of the violation of Embassy property by Soviet police and was still awaiting replies to protest notes presented to Foreign Minister Andrei Gromyko and Soviet Ambassador Anatoly F. Dobrynin. Bray said in reply to questions that there had been no representations by the Soviet Embassy here over yesterday’s demonstration. The Jewish Telegraphic Agency learned today that 689 of the demonstrators on the Elipse were processed by police on the spot and immediately released. The processing consisted of photographing and identity checks. Only 124 of the group were taken to police headquarters for booking on charges of violating District of Columbia traffic regulations when they blocked an intersection near the Soviet Embassy. All were released after paying a $10 bond. Replying to questions by newsmen, Bray said he thought the police handled the matter very well. The latest Embassy violation in Moscow occurred a week ago when police used force to try to remove a Soviet citizen from the Embassy gate, The man, identified as of Russian nationality, was reportedly seeking information on immigration to the U.S.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
