The organizers believed peaceful protests were ineffective and that militant direct action was necessary to force a U.S. withdrawal from Vietnam.
The resulting legal battles and internal divisions led to the collapse of the SDS as a national organization. Days of Rage
The demonstrations fell far short of the expected turnout of tens of thousands, with only a few hundred "ragers" arriving to face roughly 2,000 heavily armed police officers. Chicago's business district. During this clash
A final "vicious melee" occurred in The Loop , Chicago's business district. During this clash, city attorney Richard Elrod was paralyzed after an altercation with a protester. Impact and Aftermath Days of Rage