(The Root) — On Thursday, Assata Shakur became the first woman ever to be placed on the FBI’s Most Wanted Terrorists list. The reward for her capture is now at $2 million.
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A former member of the Black Panther Party and Black Liberation Army, Shakur was arrested and convicted of the murder of a New Jersey state trooper after a shootout with police in 1973. In 1979, she escaped prison and fled to Cuba, where she has lived since. Shakur has long proclaimed her innocence.
Shakur’s addition to the list of terrorists has drawn the ire of many in the black community, with some arguing that her inclusion on the list after so many years is a ploy to save face after the Boston bombings. For others, it is the continuance of what they see as a government agenda to suppress those bold enough to speak out against social injustice.
Many prominent blacks, from Angela Davis to Roland Martin, are speaking out in support of Shakur, and many folks on Twitter are expressing displeasure at the FBI as well. The hashtag #HandsOffAssata is being used to show support for Shakur online. Some of the tweets from the hashtag are below.
Tracy Clayton is a writer, humorist and blogger from Louisville, Ky.
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