With Assata Shakur coming up in conversations I've been having, I was wondering if you guys could help shed light on the Black Liberation Army.
I know that they were targeted by COINTELPRO so some of the charges that were alleged against them could be false. But overall, to what extent is the characterization of the group as violent true?
The Black Liberation Army voluntarily claimed responsibility for numerous violent crimes, including the murder of multiple police officers and hijacking a commercial jet full of passengers. On top of that, one of the BLA's stated goals was to "take up arms for the liberation and self-determination of black people in the United States."
Its difficult to tell exactly what percentage of their violent image was based in truth, and quite frankly, it's pretty irreverent. Not only did they welcome their violent reputation, they actively helped build it.