Incident

Incident Description

The Democratic Nominating Convention opened September 7th, 1966 at Memorial Auditorium, in downtown Buffalo. Vice President Humphrey arrived the following morning. His visit was protested by Youth Against War and Fascism. As the anti-war demonstrators silently picketed Memorial Auditorium, two participants, Victor Aronow and Jeanette Merrill, were arrested. They complied peacefully and were taken to police headquarters.

Reform Democrat delegates from New York City who witnessed the arrests approached permanent convention chairman Percy Sutton at the noon recess and threatened to raise the issue on the convention floor. They argued that the public was invited by all delegates to the convention and the arrests were a violation of this invitation.

Mayor Sedita, then still hopeful of the nomination for lieutenant governor, acted quickly to prevent the threatened action. Mayor Sedita apologized personally to the demonstrators and called a special city court session to dismiss the charges.

Mrs. Merrill, charged with resisting arrest, refusing to comply with the reasonable request of an officer and using profanity, stated: “I was not guilty of anything I was arrested for, as is the case with all anti-war demonstrators . . . this is not an isolated incident. I was the victim today. They are carrying out a policy from above which is political in character."