Common market cows yesterday [Brussels, February 16] were herded carefully up three flights of stairs to join E.E.C. Ministers in their deliberations on the Community's agriculture problems.
About 100 Belgian opponents of the Community's food prices policies drove the cows up the staircase straight into the centre of the chamber where the Ministers had just settled down for what was planned a routine meeting. Ushers struggled with demonstrators as the protesters shouted, “We want to live”, “Give us a fair price”, and “Hang Mansholt” (E.E.C. official in charge of farm affairs).
Apart from the cows, Mr. Sicco Mansholt seemed the calmest person present. Around him raged the storm, as ushers tried to persuade the cows to leave peacefully.
Calm was restored by the police — who held about 20 demonstrators for questioning.
In all the protest lasted a little over an hour. Chairman Michel Cointat of France then ordered the session suspension for mopping up operations, since cows, it was noted, will be cows. — AFP
