Melbourne’s Moratorium demonstration of 8 May 1970 was the city’s largest public gathering ever and the highpoint of a movement that had been steadily building over a number of years in opposition to Australia’s involvement in the Vietnam war. Despite scaremongering and predictions to the contrary, the Moratorium demonstration exceeded all expectations – it was peaceful, non-violent and huge, with 100,000 people sitting down to occupy the entire length of Bourke Street.
To celebrate and commemorate the fiftieth-anniversary of the 8 May Moratorium, Ken Mansell has compiled an annotated timeline of the global and local events surrounding the demonstration. This, coupled with the inclusion of contemporary media, provides a valuable record of the context of this significant historical event.