Protests As Dutch Princess Weds

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31006, 11 March 1966, Page 11

Protests As Dutch Princess Weds

(N.Z.PA. Reuter—Copyright)

AMSTERDAM, March 10. '

Anti-German demonstrators battled police in the streets of Amsterdam today as Crown Princess Beatrix married a (ierman commoner, Claus von Arnsberg.

Crowds of youths chanting “Long Live the Republic” and hurling smoke bombs clashed with trunch-eon-wielding police at several points as the 28 - year - old auburnhaired Princess drove to the Town Hall for the civil marriage ceremony with von Arnsberg.

The Princess, whose strong will has driven through her wedding plans in spite of widespread opposition to her marriage to a German, smiled happily as she said loudly and firmly “Ja” when Amsterdam’s Burgomaster asked her if she accepted Von Arnsberg as her lawful wedded husband. Widespread Dissatisfaction Widespread dissatisfaction over the Princess's marriage to a German exploded into angry scenes after about 1000 youths had held a demonstration at a memorial to Dutch victims of Nazism. Then—as the Princess and her bridegroom prepared to

drive from the Royal Palace for the ceremony—the youths headed for the town hall, hurdling steel barriers.

Baton . swinging police turned them back as demonstrators screamed “S.S. Fascists.’’ Some of the demonstrators trekked to the Royal Palace and one youth was injured in a clash with police at a barrier only a few hundred yards from the gates. But it was mostly cheers outside the palace as Princess Beatrix, in satin gown with a 16-foot train, left on her bridegroom’s arm and entered a golden coach for the drive to the town hall. Not Large Crowds

The coach moved off through cheering and waving —though not very large—crowds.

Although the demonstrations did not affect the wedding procession, some guests walking to the Westerkerk for the later religious service were affected by smoke from bombs hurled by the demonstrators.

Outside the church—where a television cable was cut during the night by a horse’s hoof and not, as at first thought, by saboteurs—leaflets were scattered reading “The Killers Are Amongst Us.” As soon as police broke up one group of demonstrators trouble broke out elsewhere in the heart of the city. Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands and Von Arnsberg’s widowed mother watched from seats behind the bridal pair as the Burgomaster conducted the civil marriage—the binding ceremony under Dutch law. Near the town hall a longhaired, bearded youth stood

in the crowd wearing a tie bearing the Star of David and the figure six million —a reference to the number of European Jews murdered by the Nazis. Police left him alone.