Peace in the Park

People's Park in Berkeley, Calif., is the Alamo of the anti-Establishment young. Three years ago last week, a protest demonstration over whether the park belonged to the University of California or the street people and students erupted into an appalling melee between students and police. One man died, another was blinded. The university covered part of the plot with asphalt and bounded it with an 8-ft.-high fence.

The park lay virtually useless until recently, when antiwar demonstrators chose to break down the fence, chop up the asphalt and plant shrubbery and flowers. Slowly students and townspeople drifted back into the park; they set up a recycling center to collect bottles and cans, and settled down to enjoy the spring air. This time reaction was prudent. The cops ignored the occupation and Chancellor Albert Bowker seems not to want to press the issue.

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