Beatles are Jeered in Scuffle (1966)

 July 5, 1966 -- Beatles leave Manila.  George and Paul look very concerned as they wait to leave.  

Beatles are Jeered in Scuffle

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Birmingham Evening Mail

July 5, 1966

    (From Manila) The Beatles were booed and jeered in an airport scene here today as they received the coldest sendoff of their careers. At one point, an airport worker pushed a member of the group's seven-man entourage.

    

     About 50 passengers, reporters, airport workers, and others crowded in, shouting questions and insults as the Beatles filled in exit forms as they walked to their plane. About 500 people lined the airport observation platform, shouting, "Go to hell, Beatles! Go home, Beatles!" The Beatles were even subjected to the indignity of walking up to the second floor with their own baggage. The airport manager, Mr. Gilliromo Jurado, had turned off the power for the escalator. 

    The Beatles and their party were finally allowed to leave after their tour promoters settled a tax case that had threatened to disrupt their travel plans. But unlike the roaring welcome they received on their arrival on Sunday from 1000s of fans, which included massive security, the Beatles were a sad sight on their departure today. 

    They had to go through all the ordinary procedures instead of being given the VIP treatment through customs, and one of their party, Alf Bicknell, fell after being kicked in the leg. The Beatles' manager, Mr. Brian Epstein, was pushed to the ground during a brief scuffle, and one witness said he was kicked. Another witness said that someone tried to punch Ringo Starr.

     Even after they were on board the plane, their troubles were not over. Mr. Epstein had to disembark and sign a letter concerning the Beatles' tax payments in the Philippines. The Internal Revenue claimed that the Beatles owed the equivalent of £ 6,600. 

    The crowd's reaction was apparently in reply to an alleged snub by the Beatles when they failed yesterday to show up for the luncheon at the Presidential Palace. A group of young girls crying at the airport kept shouting to the crowd, "It was not the Beatles' fault!"

     The British Embassy issued the following statement. "The Embassy were not consulted at any stage whatever about the Beatles' visit to Manila. The Embassy deeply regrets any offense which might unfortunately have been caused. The Embassy have been assured by the Beatles that no discourtesy of any kind was intended."

     President and Mrs. Marcos issued a statement late this afternoon, saying they regret the incident at the airport. The statement said there was no intention on the part of the Beatles to slight the First Lady or the government of the Republic of the Philippines. President Marcos called the incident a "breach of hospitality."