For anyone not familiar, raids in several states have nabbed eight former Panthers on charges that date back 35 years. This terrorization of comrades from the Black liberation movement is intolerable and all support is due. Though there are no complete histories of the Black Liberation Army currently in print, quite likely because of the continuing government interest in hounding these comrades across the globe, brother Kaz recently wrote up a short history of the deceased freedom fighter Kuwasi Balagoon that gives some flavor of the movement and its rank-and-file militants. RedFlags is here reposting an announcement from the Jericho Movement, an organization dedicated to supporting and assisting political prisoners and prisoners of war.
To all Jericho chapters, members and allies:
It is with urgency that we call on you to be alert right now in light of this latest assault on our movement coming from California and New York. By now you have heard the news that fascism has called for the arrest of at least eight (8) former members of the Black Panther Party, two of whom are already serving life sentences in New York state prisons. The incident occurred back in August 29, 1971, when, if I remember correctly, a unit of the Black Liberation Army attacked a precinct in San Francisco in retaliation for the assassination of Field Marshall George Jackson the week prior.
As with many actions of the BLA, large-scale corralling measures were taken and numerous folks, community revolutionaries and unaffiliated community folks were arrested and charged with criminal bs. Torture and other illegal but totally characteristic measures were used by local, state and federal forces to coerce “confessions” and manufacture evidence where there was none. But that's war, aint it?
Revolutionaries held up through it then, as they do now, 35 years later. 35 years later? I am being facetious. The war never ended, good people. And neither has our response to their war on our revolutionaries still confined within their steel, concrete and electronic bowels. We say: FREE ALL P0LITICAL PRISONERS. WE ARE THE JERICHO AMNESTY MOVEMENT. Right on? RIGHT ON.
The names that we have so far of the arrested are:
Ray Michael Boudreaux, 64, of Altadena; Richard Brown, 65, of San Francisco; Herman Bell, 59, and Anthony Bottom, 55, both currently incarcerated in New York state; Henry Watson Jones, 71, of Altadena; Francisco Torres, 58, of Queens, New York; and Harold Taylor, 58, of Panama City, Fla.
There is even a mystery “suspect,” sort of like in the Sean Bell Mystery Fourth Man theory. They said he may be hiding out in Tanzania, Belize or France . We hope that the O'Neils in Tanzania and Donald Cox in France know what's going on and also be alert.
The mass rag sheets have given their jive poisoned descriptions of the BLA, but we say that the BLA is a people's army fighting the good fight and still determined to win. But folks will say that there is no longer a BLA, and I take pleasure in reminding folks with the words of Assata Shakur that there is and will always be a Black Liberation Army until Black folks are free. So, take that, local, state and federal forces of fascism. Long as we believe, and long as our young folks hip-hop and praise the name “Black Liberation Army,” the army is alive and well and in a safe place in our hearts surrounded by balagoonistic spirits, Sandra-Holmes spirits, etc. Hell, empire is raising the dead. Let's go to work!
Stay tuned to freedom archives, Jericho and other people's sites for more info. The best we can say now is that information is still coming in. We should prepare for two things: To be ever alert, and support activity for our comrades, even if on short notice. Right on? RIGHT ON.
What? What? Filiberto is that you, that whisper…
What? What? Nannie Prosser is that you, that whisper…
What? Merle. Geronimo. John Brown. Twyman…
Lawd, the empire in trouble!!!!!!!
[signed]
Ashanti Alston
Proud to have been a POW out of the ranks of the BLA
Servant Co-Chair, National Jericho
Former Black Panther and political prisoner Francisco Torres will appearin Part "A" of Manhattan Criminal Court on the 4th floor at 100 CentreStreet on Tuesday, March 6th at 9:30 AM.
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>Cisco is one of eight former Panthers charged with the killing of a San Francisco police officer in the 1970's. The original charges were dismissed over 30 years ago after a judge concluded that the confessions the prosecutors relied on were extracted through torture.
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>On Tuesday a judge will hear the prosecutor's request to extradite Cisco to California. This hearing will probably be the last NYC court appearance for any of the eight Black Panther elders charged in the case and will be the last opportunity for the solidarity movement to support the 8 in a NYC
>courtroom.
The nearest subway stop to 100 Centre Street is Canal Street on the
>#6 and J, M, N, Q, R, W and Z lines.
>
>--
Posted by: kazembe | March 05, 2007 at 11:51 PM
I am an associate and long time friend of Francisco. I am also a friend of Jalil and Bell as I served time with each in New York state's prison system. Greetings to them! Little has changed since 1971,pigs are still gunning black men down and undercharged for doing it if charged at all. There is one exception which is that they don't feel the fear that they once did for their efforts and that in itself is dreadful. In short,the absence of repraisal seems to render their trigger finger happier!!!!!
Posted by: Oshosi Orr | March 28, 2007 at 01:03 PM