Media 68

01 - 10 february
11 - 20 february
21 - 29 february

21 february

Protest marches against the USA policy in Vietnam in West Berlin and Paris.
[Europe]
The first LP of Fabrizio De Andrè is released. It contains records of the previous years, such as "Via del campo" and "Bocca di rosa".
[Italy]
Freed on 21, Rap Brown is arrested again with a new sentence: bail is set at 60,000 dollars.
[United States]

22 february

During a commemoration for Malcolm X, the speakers exhort the blacks to love each other in view of the anti-racist demonstrations in preparation for the summer.
[United States]
First great popular and student demonstration in Lisbon.
[Portugal]
During the morning in Rome, Arts, not yet opened since the end of the occupation, is reoccupied. In the afternoon the police evacuate the faculty and control the university city.
[Italy]
Nine directors of the electricity group Sade accused of very serious responsibility in the Vajont disaster; they are committed to trial (on 9 October 1963 the foreseeable collapse of a dyke resulted in 2,000 deaths).
[Italy]
The forces of the Palestine guerrillas in Jordan prepare for a trial of strength with the Jordanian army.
[Middle East]

23 february

38 is the number of African countries which will not participate in the Olympic games in protest against South Africa.
[Africa]
At the end of a demonstration in the centre of Rome, the students break through a police cordon and occupy Arts, Physics and Political Science.
[Italy]

24 february

The US network CBS finally allows Pete Seeger to sing the whole of "Waist Deep in the Big Muddy", after it had censured it in September '67. Some stations cut the last verse, which is a hard criticism of president Johnson.
[United States]
The conference of German rectors replaces president Ruegg, in favour of cautious openings towards the students, with the "hard-liner" Rumpf.
[West Germany]
Theatre censorship is abolished in Great Britain starting from autumn 1968.
[Great Britain]
Anti-Gaullist joint pact of the French left, signed by Francois Mitterrand for the Federation of the Socialist circles and by Waldeck Rochet, for the French Communist party.
[France]

25 february

Thousands of pacifists demonstrate in front of the offices of the UN while the secretary U-Thant exhorts the USA to suspend the bombings on Vietnam.
[United States]
Novotny emerges in Prague as head of the conservative tendency that opposes Dubcek in the heart of the Czechoslovakian Communist party.
[Czechoslovakia]

26 february

Strike of the teachers of high-schools and colleges in the Parisian area. First meeting of the High-school Action Committees, who have also made a call for a strike.
[France]
Clashes between students of the Zengakuren and police in Narita, in Japan, where an airport for USA troops is under construction: 17 arrests.
[Japan]
New occupations in Rome and Trieste. In Rome the high-school students join the protest with a series of assemblies.
[Italy]
Andreas Papandreu announces that he is assuming the leadership of the movement of opposition and resistance to the colonels.
[Greece]
Bombed for the first time Haiphong, the river port of Hanoi. Hundreds of victims.
[Vietnam]

27 february

Demonstrations of immigrants in front of the prime minister Wilson, in London. The growing flow of Kenyans of Asian origin has driven the Labour government to a new very restrictive law.
[Great Britain]
International preview in Algiers of "Vietnam: 37th parallel" by Ivens.
[International]

28 february

The left of the English Labour party (led by Michael Foot) refuses to vote the law on immigration, judging it as racist.
[Great Britain]
Violent clashes in Okinawa, in Japan, between police and students who are demonstrating in front of the local US base for the B52s that are bombing Keh Shan.
[Japan]
A Fascist attack is repelled by the occupiers of the Arts faculty in Rome. In Turin Architecture is reoccupied. Occupation of three faculties in Milan also. The rector closes the university of Trieste.
[Italy]

29 february

A new Fascist attack provides the pretext for evacuating the university of Rome. The police also disperses the protest march organized after the evacuation. In Turin Palazzo Campana is again occupied.
[Italy]
Bombardment of unprecedented violence of Hanoi. Another 200,000 marines will be sent to Vietnam.
[Vietnam]


		01 - 10 february 11 - 20 february 21 - 29 february
21 february		Protest marches against the USA policy in Vietnam in West Berlin and Paris. [Europe] The first LP of Fabrizio De Andrè is released. It contains records of the previous years, such as "Via del campo" and "Bocca di rosa". [Italy] Freed on 21, Rap Brown is arrested again with a new sentence: bail is set at 60,000 dollars. [United States]
22 february		During a commemoration for Malcolm X, the speakers exhort the blacks to love each other in view of the anti-racist demonstrations in preparation for the summer. [United States] First great popular and student demonstration in Lisbon. [Portugal] During the morning in Rome, Arts, not yet opened since the end of the occupation, is reoccupied. In the afternoon the police evacuate the faculty and control the university city. [Italy] Nine directors of the electricity group Sade accused of very serious responsibility in the Vajont disaster; they are committed to trial (on 9 October 1963 the foreseeable collapse of a dyke resulted in 2,000 deaths). [Italy] The forces of the Palestine guerrillas in Jordan prepare for a trial of strength with the Jordanian army. [Middle East]
23 february		38 is the number of African countries which will not participate in the Olympic games in protest against South Africa. [Africa] At the end of a demonstration in the centre of Rome, the students break through a police cordon and occupy Arts, Physics and Political Science. [Italy]
24 february		The US network CBS finally allows Pete Seeger to sing the whole of "Waist Deep in the Big Muddy", after it had censured it in September '67. Some stations cut the last verse, which is a hard criticism of president Johnson. [United States] The conference of German rectors replaces president Ruegg, in favour of cautious openings towards the students, with the "hard-liner" Rumpf. [West Germany] Theatre censorship is abolished in Great Britain starting from autumn 1968. [Great Britain] Anti-Gaullist joint pact of the French left, signed by Francois Mitterrand for the Federation of the Socialist circles and by Waldeck Rochet, for the French Communist party. [France]
25 february		Thousands of pacifists demonstrate in front of the offices of the UN while the secretary U-Thant exhorts the USA to suspend the bombings on Vietnam. [United States] Novotny emerges in Prague as head of the conservative tendency that opposes Dubcek in the heart of the Czechoslovakian Communist party. [Czechoslovakia]
26 february		Strike of the teachers of high-schools and colleges in the Parisian area. First meeting of the High-school Action Committees, who have also made a call for a strike. [France] Clashes between students of the Zengakuren and police in Narita, in Japan, where an airport for USA troops is under construction: 17 arrests. [Japan] New occupations in Rome and Trieste. In Rome the high-school students join the protest with a series of assemblies. [Italy] Andreas Papandreu announces that he is assuming the leadership of the movement of opposition and resistance to the colonels. [Greece] Bombed for the first time Haiphong, the river port of Hanoi. Hundreds of victims. [Vietnam]
27 february		Demonstrations of immigrants in front of the prime minister Wilson, in London. The growing flow of Kenyans of Asian origin has driven the Labour government to a new very restrictive law. [Great Britain] International preview in Algiers of "Vietnam: 37th parallel" by Ivens. [International]
28 february		The left of the English Labour party (led by Michael Foot) refuses to vote the law on immigration, judging it as racist. [Great Britain] Violent clashes in Okinawa, in Japan, between police and students who are demonstrating in front of the local US base for the B52s that are bombing Keh Shan. [Japan] A Fascist attack is repelled by the occupiers of the Arts faculty in Rome. In Turin Architecture is reoccupied. Occupation of three faculties in Milan also. The rector closes the university of Trieste. [Italy]
29 february		A new Fascist attack provides the pretext for evacuating the university of Rome. The police also disperses the protest march organized after the evacuation. In Turin Palazzo Campana is again occupied. [Italy] Bombardment of unprecedented violence of Hanoi. Another 200,000 marines will be sent to Vietnam. [Vietnam]