Women’s March Celebrates Birthday of Convicted Cop Killer Assata Shakur

The official Twitter account for the Women’s March celebrated the birthday of convicted cop killer Assata Shakur this week.

Happy birthday to the revolutionary #AssataShakur! Today's #SignOfResistance, in Assata's honor, is by @Meloniousfunk. pic.twitter.com/V66au1dRnl

— Women's March (@womensmarch) July 16, 2017

The post drew sharp criticism from users across Twitter after it was revealed that Shakur escaped from a New Jersey prison and fled to Cuba after being convicted of the murder of police officer Werner Foerster during a traffic stop on the New Jersey turnpike in 1973.

Twitter users sounded off against the activist group’s endorsement of Shakur. Even CNN’s Jake Tapper wondered why progressives weren’t condemning what he called “ugly sentiments” coming out of the Women’s March committee.

Shakur is a cop-killer fugitive in Cuba. This, ugly sentiments from @lsarsour & @dykemarchchi …Any progressives out there condemning this? https://t.co/rXnHLgE2hR

— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) July 18, 2017

Do you realize about 95% of America is gonna have a real problem with any attempt to celebrate a cop killer who's a fugitive from justice?

— Brian Cates (@drawandstrike) July 17, 2017

literally honouring a killer who is on the FBI's most wanted terrorist list. Vomit. https://t.co/K02luGpbRo

— Rita Panahi (@RitaPanahi) July 17, 2017

Today some organization tried to rewrite history, we remember the HERO Trooper Werner Foerster. His killer is still a fugitive. @STFA_NJ pic.twitter.com/paMmkJpdc8

— New Jersey State PBA (@NJSPBA) July 18, 2017

The backlash prompted a 20-tweet defense from the Women’s March organization, in which they argued that although they condemn violent forms of protest, they still admire Shakur, who they call a “feminist figure” for the rest of her civil rights activism. They claimed that backlash against their endorsement of Shakur serves as proof that the “far right” is threatened by their movement.

Women's March is a nonviolent movement. We have never and will never use violence to achieve our goals. (1/20)

— Women's March (@womensmarch) July 17, 2017

#AssataShakur took a militant approach. We do not. That does not mean we don't respect and appreciate her anti-racism work. (7/20)

— Women's March (@womensmarch) July 17, 2017

Tom Ciccotta is a libertarian who writes about economics and higher education for Breitbart News. You can follow him on Twitter @tciccotta or email him at tciccotta@breitbart.com