During a nation-wide anti-conscription campaign by the National Union of Australian University Students (NUAUS), about 40 University of Queensland students planned to march in support of this initiative. The demonstrators attempted to march from the university campus along the footpath to Brisbane's city centre. Police prevented the protestors from marching along the footpath forcing their return to campus.The students subsequently decided to drive to the city by car in order to continue their anti-conscription protest in central Brisbane. The demonstration was broken up by police and 27 people were arrested (a majority of the demonstrators). The following year, several of those arrested went to jail rather than pay their fines.