On this day in 1969, John Lennon and Yoko Ono began their second bed-in for peace in Montreal

After their first bed-in, held in Amsterdam, successfully drew mass media attention allowing the couples message of peace to be widespread, the decision was made to hold another. New York was decided for the location, before lawyers informed. Lennon he would not be able to gain entry due to a cannabis conviction several years earlier. The Bahamas were looked at next, but the heat led the couple to search for a more moderate climate.  

Lennon and Ono received advice that Canada may be a suitable location to set up in and were allowed entry without issue. Their next decision was to decide between Toronto and Montreal, and Montreal was chosen for its close proximity to New York, allowing the mainstream media to easily attend the event.

Setting up at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel was simple, as the room was decorated with flowers and simple posters sharing the couples messages of peace. Throughout their seven day stay, a number of visitors joined the pair, mainly comprised of media people such as writers Ritchie Yorke, Timothy Leary and Allen Ginsberg. Controversial cartoonist Al Capp also attended, though with the intention of provoking and arguing with the the couple. 

These media members, aside from Capp, joined Lennon and Ono’s singing as they recorded their peace anthem Give Peace a Chance. The second bed-in at Montreal is considered even more successful than the first, drawing much media attention to their cause and allowing the couple to create a powerful anthem to support their cause.