William Harris (Symbionese Liberation Army)
| Symbionese Liberation Army | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1973–75 |
| Ideology | Anti-Racism, New Left |
| Leaders |
Donald DeFreeze, alias "General Field Marshal Cinque" |
| Headquarters | San Francisco and Los Angeles |
| Area of operations | California, United States |
| Size | No more than 22 |
| Battles and wars | November 6, 1973: Murder of Oakland school superintendent Marcus Foster February 4, 1974: kidnapping of Patty Hearst April 15, 1974 Hibernia bank robbery May 16, 1974: Mel's Sporting Goods shot up May 17, 1974: SLA Shootout April 21, 1975: Crocker National Bank robbery |
Donald DeFreeze, alias "General Field Marshal Cinque"
(died in police shootout May 17, 1974, aged 30)
The United Federated Forces of the Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA) was an American left-wing revolutionary and domestic terrorist organization active between 1973 and 1975 that considered itself a vanguard army. The group committed bank robberies, two murders, and other acts of violence.
The SLA became internationally notorious for the kidnapping of heiress Patty Hearst, abducting the 19-year-old from Berkeley, California. Interest increased when Hearst, in audiotaped messages delivered to (and broadcast by) regional news media, announced that she had joined the SLA. Hearst later said that members of the terrorist group threatened to kill her, held her in close confinement, and sexually assaulted and brainwashed her.
As of 2017, all but one of the surviving SLA members have been released from prison.
In his manifesto "Symbionese Liberation Army Declaration of Revolutionary War & the Symbionese Program", Donald DeFreeze wrote, "The name 'symbionese' is taken from the word symbiosis and we define its meaning as a body of dissimilar bodies and organisms living in deep and loving harmony and partnership in the best interest of all within the body."
This political symbiosis DeFreeze describes means the unity of all left-wing struggles, feminist, anti-racist, anti-capitalist, and others. DeFreeze wanted all races, genders, and ages to fight together in a left-wing united front, and to live together peacefully.
DeFreeze was the SLA's only black member. His seven-headed SLA hydra-like cobra symbol was based on the seven principles of Kwanzaa, with each head representing a principle. The Swahili words for these seven principles are: Umoja (unity), Kujichagulia (self-determination), Ujima (collective work and responsibility), Ujamaa (cooperative economics), Nia (purpose), Kuumba (creativity) and Imani (faith).
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