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It's Episcopal Church and spiritual adviser to Huey Newton, had this comment. Now what Curves Panther headquarters in Oakland. Fortunately, no one was in the building at the time, but there were witnesses to the shooting and within hours, acting on a citizen's report of gunfire from a

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police car, officials had investigated the incident and suspended two officers, charging them with felony assault, using firearms on an inhabited building. We're out here. Last night they saw this. So this is just notification to the community that we have got to get together, get our black

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Army together and drive these dogs out of our community. That's the only thing is gonna solve it. In separate news conferences, Police Chief Charles Gain in Oakland Mayor John Reading verified and expanded on earlier reports. Eldridge Cleaver arrived and seemed to express the outrage felt by

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all. A pack of rifle fire broke the early morning quiet as a least a dozen car bean slugs smashed the front window, ripped through a poster of Panther founder Huey Newton to tear up the interior of

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the small storefront office on Grove Street, which serves his Panther headquarters in Oakland. Fortunately, no one was in the building of the apartments above the office and to the rear of it, are occupied. One of the slugs penetrated to the hall within hours, acting on a

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citizen's report of gunfire from a police car. Officials had investigated the incident, suspended two officers and charged them with Polonius assault using firearms on an inhabited building. I talked with Cecil Johnson, who witnessed the shooting from his car. When I first heard the shots, I said,

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Uh, they're ripping off the office, you know? They're shooting it up on then My first impulse was, uh where after the car. But then I thought better than when I thought about it because that they're crazy enough to shoot into the office. Then they wouldn't think

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anything about shooting me. Well, what did you see? Where the shots coming from from the police car. When I got the intersection, we'll see. I was following the police car because I had noticed that about two minutes before the shooting happened and it looks suspicious because

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it was moving differently from another car, was moving very slow, and, uh, on occasion it would stop and then take move slow off again. So I made a U turn on 46th and Growth Street and turn my lights out and started to follow the car. And

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then when I got into the intersection, it was even in the office. It opened up on office, and then it proceeded on down the street at a fast rate of speed. I made a U turn, and when got some of my brothers and the other witnesses

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tell me that police car came back and had another draw for shooting at the window Revenue? What was your reaction to this episode? Well, I wish that I could say that I was shocked. But in all truthfulness, I could say I'm not surprised, because this is

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just an indication of what the Black Panther Party with black people have been trying to say to the greater community of America, especially to the white community that, uh, the police are the aggressors in our community. And I think this is a vivid indication. Vivid example,

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vivid proof of what we mean by that statement. Everybody around here seems to be keeping their cool pretty well. What do you anticipate? Uh, if Mayor reading and other, uh, of our elected city officials keep making the irresponsible statements that they make about. They expect trouble,

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know this, that what they're doing, Just telling these racist white folks come on down here and telling these racist police officers to come on down here and do what they want in the community and try and agitate and try and start something. Uh, black people ain't

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saying they're gonna be doing anything. And I don't think the black people have thio view there, uh, feelings. We just take care of business in whatever way we see fit. You know, these two behavior? I don't need to know him. I know that they're on the

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Oakland Police Department. The entire Oakland Police Department is out of order. Chief gains that suspend these men and arrested them. But just watch and see what he does is them. See if they're sent to the penitentiary. You're trying to send European arrested for felony and fired

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from their jobs in the police department. Officers admit that they had done shooting no comment games. Could you give us the names of those two officers there? I'm on the fourth. Yes. One is Richard Williams. The other is Robert Carol, and they've been in the police

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department since 1965 games. Driving over here, I noticed several police officers on the roof. A couple looking out of windows and doors are locked downstairs except one in. Is this a precautionary measure or existence happenstance way have undertaken for the last several days some security precautions,

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And this is not something that developed today. It is most regrettable and deplorable that this incident occurred. It should be borne in mind, however, that the offensive was that of two individuals who were acting outside the scope of their duties and in violation of the law,

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and that appropriate action has been taken against them. I encourage all citizens not to Pune, the Oakland Police Department, which is made up of many fine officers who have executed their responsibilities in the most commendable manner. Because of the action of these two officers, this type

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of behavior on the part of police officers or any citizens for that matter will not be tolerated. Even though we realize that tensions have been running high in the last few weeks, officers have been suspended pending investigation but have actually been discharged from they've been fired

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from the force and charges have been levied against them. There are rumors that the two officers involved had been drinking. Have you substantiated this, Mr Keithley? The city manager tells me that this is the case. I anticipated the police doing something similar to this based upon

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mayor reading statement before the trial and during the trial that there would be some, uh, eruption, no matter what the verdict. Waas, um, Mayor reading, accusing them of being a rebel rouser. And, I mean, I'm accusing him now of being a rebel rouser. Long ago, You

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you told us that pending at the outcome of the trial, there would be no action by the Panthers unless they were attacked. Do you consider this to be an attack? Uh, the Black Panther Party, uh, doesn't attack anyone, but we will certainly use self defense in

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the event that it's necessary. I had given an order. Of course. I don't believe in one response. Thio specific stimulus. There's many responses that that one can, uh, take, uh, Thio given stimulus. And, uh, I'm saying that to say that, uh, self defense is not only,

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uh, using a gun or using your fist. But self defense is also ah, strategic and hasty withdraw. I've explained the meaning of the sky's the limit in this specific case, and this is only another way of responding to the institutions that sky's the limit, meaning that

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we will exhaust all political and judicial institutions in order to get justice. You see, Mr Gary is trying to get you out on bail. He's going before the judge. Would would last night's incident cause you any concern, would you be afraid to walk out there on

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the street after what happened last night? If you get out on bail, If I were out on the street, I would have the security of the Black Panther Party and the black community in general, Uh, and other revolutionary people who have to be white, um, in

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jail that I have no security at all simply because the criminals are operating and controlling the jail. Are you saying that you're afraid of some kind of a physical assault by officers while you're still in custody? I expect anything out of the Gestapo