Philly community organizes protest (10/30/94)

Philly community organizes protest

by Ulana Baluch Mazurkevich

PHILADELPHIA - Some 100 demonstrators assembled on Monday, October 24, outside the CBS office here to protest the airing of the segment on "60 Minutes" titled "The Ugly Face of Freedom."

Protesters carried placards stating, "CBS is racist," "Don't kill our new democracy" and "CBS defames Ukrainians."

The demonstration was organized by the Ukrainian Cultural Center, with area organizations participating.

Organizers of the demonstration expressed their outrage and concerns to Victor Rocha, producer at the local CBS affiliate, and to Stephen Doerr, station director. Both assured the assemblage that they would contact Don Hewitt, executive producer of "60 Minutes," and relay the demonstrators' outrage and demands, which included a call for a meeting with Mr. Hewitt.

That same evening, at the Ukrainian Cultural Center, 200 people assembled at a community meeting chaired by Boris Zacharczuk, president of the center.

The ensuing discussion focused on ways to remedy this defamation of Ukraine and Ukrainians. Prepared letters of protest were distributed for participants' signatures. People wishing to write individual letters were assisted in this process.

In response to the numerous telephone calls and faxes from the producer and station director of the CBS affiliate in Philadelphia, Mr. Hewitt contacted Ulana Mazurkevich, president of the Ukrainian Human Rights Committee. The producer of the New York-based program stated: "If there is any truth to these letters, we made a terrible error - a capital error."

Mr. Hewitt has scheduled a meeting for Monday, October 31, with a small group of Ukrainian community representatives. According to the "60 Minutes" executive producer, correspondent Morley Safer also is expected to attend the session.

| Home Page |