Sept. 15, 1964 - The Beatles’ performance tonight at the Public Auditorium in Cleveland was interrupted by police, who said they were concerned for the British musicians’ safety.
At the Auditorium, a police line of over 100 people attempted to keep the fans from the stage but was slowly pushed back by the crowds. Eventually, a handful broke through the cordon and climbed onto the stage. It was at this point that Police Inspector Michael Blackwell and Deputy Inspector Carl Bare decided to stop the concert.
Bare walked onto the stage and took a microphone, telling the crowd that the show was over and to sit down. The Beatles, however, who were performing “All My Loving,” continued to play despite the police wishes. Blackwell also arrived on stage and gestured to the Beatles to stop playing. They reluctantly put down their instruments and temporarily left the stage, amid the sound of booing fans.
Two girls were carried out by policemen — one weeping, the other apparently having fainted. No serious injury was reported.
In their dressing room backstage, John Lennon told Art Schreiber from local radio station KYW: “This has never happened to us before. We have never had a show stopped. These policemen are a bunch of amateurs.”
After a 10-minute delay, Blackwell told the crowd the concert would continue if they remained in their seats. The morning hosts from KYW, Specs Howard and Harry Martin, were brought onstage to tell the audience to remain seated, and shortly afterward the show continued.
“I don’t blame the children,” said Blackwell afterward. “They’re young, and they can’t be expected to behave like adults. And I don’t blame the Beatles; there is nothing wrong with their act. But if we hadn’t stopped it, there would have been serious injury. One little girl was knocked down in the charge, and there were 300 other youngsters about to trample her.”
When the concert was done, the Beatles escaped through a rear door while the police drove a decoy riot bus at high speed from the venue. The mop-topped musicians were taken to Cleveland Hopkins Airport, from where they flew to New Orleans.
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