Chesimard Dies in Havana Hideout: The Left's Passion for Violence Endures

But as the week went on, I realized this was not an isolated incident. Other people and organizations were honoring this woman's death and celebrating her life. Some of them were the usual suspects — Code Pink, Black Lives Matter, Democratic Socialists of America and...

The Chicago Teachers Union.  

"Today we honor the life and legacy of a revolutionary fighter, a fierce writer, a revered elder of Black liberation, and a leader of freedom whose spirit continues to live in our struggle," the union posted on its X account. "Assata refused to be silenced. She taught us that 'It is our duty to fight for our freedom. It is our duty to win. We must love each other and support each other. We have nothing to lose but our chains.'" 

Rest in Power, Rest in Peace, Assata Shakur. 🕊️

Today we honor the life and legacy of a revolutionary fighter, a fierce writer, a revered elder of Black liberation, and a leader of freedom whose spirit continues to live in our struggle.

Assata refused to be silenced. She taught… pic.twitter.com/SsoIg7MU8w

— Chicago Teachers Union (@CTULocal1) September 27, 2025

Sitting members of Congress: 

Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) openly honors Assata Shakur.

Shakur m*rdered a police officer and then fled the United States.

Pressley needs to be censured for this. Democrat lawmakers who glorify violence against law enforcement need to be legally punished.pic.twitter.com/HSNcypD0oa

— Paul A. Szypula 🇺🇸 (@Bubblebathgirl) September 28, 2025

As we face the great fight for freedom of our day, may we find strength and purpose in these enduring words from Assata Shakur.

If there is a single truth in this world, it is that Assata died a free woman.

May she rest in power and paradise for all eternity. pic.twitter.com/w689MaWCQ7

— @repyvetteclarke.bsky.social (@RepYvetteClarke) September 27, 2025

You know who else said similar nice things about her when he was alive? Fidel Castro. He called her a "political prisoner" who was the victim of "an infamous lie." 

Here's the truth about "Assata Shakur," whose real name is Joanne Chesimard. She murdered a New Jersey state trooper in the 1970s, escaped prison, fled to Cuba, and lived the rest of her days out in the Communist Caribbean nation. I wrote this back in May:  

Chesimard was a member of the Black Liberation Army and was wanted in New Jersey during the 1970s for various crimes, including bank robbery. She and two other people were pulled over on the New Jersey Turnpike by two troopers with the New Jersey State Police in 1973. The three shot the law enforcement officers, killing one 'execution style' at point-blank range and wounding the other. 

According to the FBI, Chesimard, who fled the scene, was eventually caught and charged with 'first degree murder, assault and battery of a police officer, assault with a dangerous weapon, assault with intent to kill, illegal possession of a weapon, and armed robbery.' She was sentenced to life in prison, but in 1979, she escaped. In 1984, she turned up in Cuba and has most likely been living there ever since. There's a $1 million reward for her information that would lead to her arrest. 

Despite the fact that she was a high-profile fugitive wanted by the FBI, Castro refused to extradite her to the United States. As a matter of fact, despite having an extradition treaty in place, Cuba only returns American fugitives to their homeland arbitrarily.  It's believed that several U.S. fugitives still live in Cuba. Earlier this year, Secretary of State Marco Rubio designated the nation as a "not fully cooperating country" (NFCC) because of it — the Joe Biden administration had removed this designation in May 2024. 

As for Chesimard, last week we learned that she is still one of them. Or she was... Cuba's foreign ministry announced that she died in the country  from "health conditions and advanced age." She was 78.  

Ever since, many on the far left — who you would think might want to tone it down a notch given all the political violence we've experienced, largely at their hands, in recent months — have been celebrating her life as if she was a martyr for their bloody agenda, when, in fact, she was just a lifelong criminal who eventually shot a cop in the head and finally got a conviction for something. Even the media has gone gaga, writing as if she was some great civil rights leader. For example, the BBC memorialized her as a "black liberation activist exiled in Cuba." The New York Times headline claims the "Convicted Revolutionary Found Refuge in Cuba." 

FBI Director Kash Patel spoke out again this sort of behavior on X on Sunday, stating that "Joanne Chesimard didn’t 'fight for justice.' She murdered New Jersey State Trooper Werner Foerster in cold blood, then fled to Cuba to escape accountability. The FBI never stopped calling her what she was: a terrorist. Mourning her is spitting on the badge and the blood of every cop who gave their life in service." 

Joanne Chesimard didn’t “fight for justice.” She murdered New Jersey State Trooper Werner Foerster in cold blood, then fled to Cuba to escape accountability. The FBI never stopped calling her what she was: a terrorist.

Mourning her is spitting on the badge and the blood of every… pic.twitter.com/letscTdaBG

— FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) September 28, 2025

Even some Democrats have condemned the fact that leftists are celebrating and honoring Chesimard, like New Jersey Governor Phill Murphy, who called out the Chicago Teachers Union on X: 

Shameful and depraved.

She was convicted of the murder New Jersey State Trooper Werner Foerster, who was executed in cold blood.

There are so many worthy heroes to celebrate. She is not one of them. https://t.co/AIvtc53tD1

— Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) September 27, 2025

I guess this is just proof that there is nothing new under the sun. The left's glorification of violent people and acts has been happening for quite some time. It just seems to be getting worse.