Video: 'Memphis Airport arrival protestors Police ITN News footage'
(Thursday, August 19, 1966, approximately 1:00 p.m. CDT) — The Beatles arrived in Memphis today under heavy security, bringing their controversial third North American tour into the heart of the Bible Belt, where John Lennon’s remarks about the group’s popularity compared with that of Jesus Christ have prompted protests, record burnings and threats.
The British rock group arrived at Metropolitan Airport after flying from Boston, where they performed Thursday night. About 300 young fans, most of them girls, had waited at the airport for nearly two hours for a glimpse of the four musicians.
The reception was considerably quieter than the tumultuous welcomes the Beatles have received elsewhere on their third American tour.
The group was whisked from the airport by security personnel and taken to the Mid-South Coliseum, where 20,000 tickets had been sold for two performances today.
More than 100 police officers and private guards were assigned to protect the Beatles. Their dressing rooms were sealed off, and food was brought in so the musicians would not have to venture into the crowds.
The unusually tight security followed weeks of controversy over Lennon’s statement, originally published in Britain and later reprinted in the United States, that the Beatles had become more popular than Jesus.
Lennon subsequently apologized for the remark, saying he had not intended to attack Christianity and had been commenting on the decline of organized religion.
But the controversy has continued to follow the group through its American tour.
Memphis officials had considered canceling the Beatles’ appearances at the city-owned Coliseum. The city commission instead adopted a resolution condemning Lennon’s statement and asking the Beatles to withdraw from their contract.
The Beatles refused.
Religious groups scheduled an anti-Beatles rally in Memphis today, while members of the Ku Klux Klan demonstrated outside the Coliseum. Earlier, the Klan had staged demonstrations against the group and threatened retaliation.
The Memphis concerts would mark the eighth stop on the Beatles’ 1966 North American tour, which turned out to be their final series of live performances.
