This raw, black-and-white news footage documents the Hampton Beach Riot of 1964 in Hampton Beach, New Hampshire through first hand footage of the riot itself and its aftermath. It was Labor Day weekend in 1964 when thousands of high school and college students swarmed the beach in a massive riot that left windows shattered, cars overturned, and dozens of injuries along Ocean Boulevard in what was a usually a sleepy, New England vacation spot.
Hazy footage of young people walking up and down boardwalk to Hampton Beach (0:06). Street lights illuminate group of people slowly start to run (0:17). Hampton, New Hampshire Police Department – officers load firearms and other defense equipment into patrol cars (0:22). Footage from along empty boardwalk as fire engulfs decorative lights (0:42). Stand off between cops and rioters, cops stand on street with flashlights, rifles, and batons as young men try and dodge them; injured spectators carried out on makeshift stretchers (0:46). Large group of people walking along street away from camera, footage becomes slightly blurry/ covered in a gray haze from perhaps overexposure but possible to see crowd gathering and growing larger (1:30). Two cops carrying batons walk along street and escort injured colleague who daps face with cloth; scenes of more law enforcement arriving on scene wearing hard hats †with addition of police dogs as well (2:20). Blaze getting bigger (3:03). Perhaps National Guard ride in on amphibious vehicle, what appears to be DUKW manufactured by GMC Truck and Coach Chevrolet (3:11). Water trail from water cannon contrasts black background (3:32). (3:37). Officers cram into perhaps 1964 Ford Police Wagon, some officer sitting on trunk (4:02). Police officers, Hampton Beach Firemen pile back into DUKW amphibious vehicle (4:06). Montage of damage done to property: broken glass of car dashboard, shattered windows of diner with glass shards covering signs with written lunch specials along Ocean Boulevard; knocked over telephone booth in the middle of the street (4:25). Members of National Guard prepare parts of their uniform, inspect rifles, M7 bayonet (5:00). Perhaps chief of police inspects police officers standing in rows holding clubs, rifles (5:08). Trunk of State Police vehicle with rifles, felt fedoras in pile (5:26). Parked Studebaker US6 6×6 trucks and Willys MB Jeeps parked at perhaps New Hampshire Army National Guard base (5:29). Dodge WC54 with medic red cross painted on side (5:59). Likely a local news correspondent interviews witnesses of riot from porch of family home, interviews continue around town with other locals (6:06-10:39). Young men loiter below barred windows of local jail, perhaps trying to talk to friends that were arrested on night of riot (10:40). Close-up faces of young men peering out of barred windows (10:55). Exterior of Hampton Police Department police station (11:14). Camera pans quiet, empty town streets; destroyed remains of telephone booth on roof of truck, charred and gutted remains of a beach-side shack (11:47). Camera stops on coy faces of local teenagers sitting on side of road (12:59).
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This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com
