Sept. 3, 1964 - A wild melee broke out at hearings by the House Committee on Un-American Activities today when an American Nazi Party member leaped out of the audience, jumped on the witness table, and tried to throttle a witness.
Dozens of policemen rushed in and grappled with the attacker. He was carried out of the hearing room as chairs and tables were knocked aside and charged with simple assault and disorderly conduct.
The witness was Morton Slater, 21, of New York City, who allegedly helped a group of American students arrange a trip to Communist Cuba in violation of a U.S. travel ban to that country.
The Nazi Party member was identified as Lon Dunaway, 28, of nearby Arlington, Va.
About a week ago, Dunaway was arrested in Atlantic City in a disturbance outside the Democratic National Convention.
Dunaway, wearing a red Nazi armband, leaped to the table after Slater denounced the House investigation of travel to Communist countries as “a farce” serving no proper legislative purpose.
Someone suddenly screamed: “Get him!” Dunaway grabbed Slater around the neck, and the two rolled to the floor. Then a bearded supporter of the student group joined in the fray.
Five policemen dragged the Nazi away, hustled him out of the hearing room, down a flight of stairs, and out of the building.
Three members of the American Nazi Party had been in the room during the day. Police had identified them, sought assurance they were planning no trouble, and allowed them to remain.
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