May 15, 1969: 55 years ago, May 15 1969, on what came to be known as "Bloody Thursday," [...]
55 years ago, May 15 1969, on what came to be known as “Bloody Thursday,” Alameda County Sheriff’s Deputies murdered James Rector when they opened fire with live ammunition on a crowd that was attempting to reclaim People’s Park in Berkeley, which had been fenced off that morning
People’s Park had been founded on UC-owned land in April by an assortment of artists and militants who wanted to fight back against “urban renewal” efforts in Southside Berkeley that were intended to push hippies and radicals out of the neighborhood https://t.co/STxac3VQ7f
For several weeks, highly diverse groups of people showed up to the park to mutually participate in creative work, building what they called a “liberated zone.” On May 15th, the UC Regents (led by Governor Ronald Reagan) ordered the park fenced off and demolished
Almost immediately, a rally was called, at which ASUC President-elect Dan Siegel urged the crowd of thousands to “go down there and take the park.” The demonstrators quickly came up against Alameda County Sheriff’s Deputies, who had been authorized to use live ammunition
Sheriff Charles Plummer (who said later, “I wish I would have hit some people harder” that day) had told his deputies they were “the last stronghold against the communists, and today we are going to crush them.” Bystander James Rector was shot and killed; 128 others were wounded
Later that same day, Governor Reagan called in the National Guard, which occupied Berkeley until June. Although the violence dramatically escalated the People’s Park movement, the space was not reclaimed as a park until 1972
https://t.co/wsuWDMRWv6
Tribal Thumb, who taught a strange mix of urban guerrilla warfare, mysticism, and sexual liberation politics (inspired by German psychoanalyst Wilhelm Reich), had already infiltrated the prisoners’ movement, going so far as to murder United Prisoners Union leader Popeye Jackson
Many in PFS believed Tribal Thumb intended to take over the system, and a meeting was called to discuss the problem. Satcher arrived with his followers and 2 doberman pinschers, called out, “What’s happening?” and opened fire with a pistol
In the ensuing gunfight, Satcher was killed and PFS’s Willie Tate was critically wounded, dying some time later. Tate, a close friend of slain Black Panther George Jackson, had been one of the San Quentin 6 (inmates who were tried for the escape attempt that left Jackson dead)
After the shootout, a handful of People’s Food System members (but no Tribal Thumb members) were tried for murder. While PFS turned to fundraising for the costly trials, the police, DA, and Health Dept cracked down on them. The system folded soon after
@derzquist @touchy1_ @TrueAnonPod also a funny podcast episode about it: https://t.co/OiAax50zmU
