Kash Patel condemned public tributes to Assata Shakur following her death in Cuba last week, accusing mourners of dishonoring law enforcement by celebrating a convicted killer.
“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,” Patel wrote on X. “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
Shakur, born Joanne Chesimard, was a former member of the Black Liberation Army and godmother to slain Hip-Hop icon Tupac Shakur. She died in Havana at an advanced age after decades of political asylum in Cuba.
In 1973, Shakur was convicted of killing New Jersey State Trooper Werner Foerster during a traffic stop. She escaped from prison in 1979 and fled to Cuba, where Fidel Castro granted her asylum in 1984.
The FBI later added her to its “Most Wanted Terrorists” list and placed a $1 million reward on her capture. Despite her criminal record, several organizations posted tributes in her honor.
The Democratic Socialists of America wrote, “Rest in Power, Assata Shakur. The American state brutally oppressed Assata and her Black Panther Party Comrades. The Cubans welcomed her and other Black Revolutionaries with asylum, and their solidarity and loyalty allowed Assata to live out her days in Havana.”
The Chicago Teachers Union also issued praise, stating, “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 backlash from officials was swift. New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, a Democrat, slammed the union’s message as “shameful and depraved.”
“She was convicted of the murder of New Jersey State Trooper Werner Foerster, who was executed in cold blood,” Murphy said on X. “There are so many worthy heroes to celebrate. She is not one of them.”
Shakur’s involvement with the Black Liberation Army—a militant offshoot of the Black Panther Party—linked her to a group responsible for armed robberies, police shootings and bombings during the 1970s.
Patel, 45, currently serves as FBI Director under former President Donald Trump. A former federal prosecutor and defense attorney, Patel became a key ally of Trump while working on the House Intelligence Committee before joining the National Security Council.
In her 1987 autobiography, Shakur claimed she was targeted for crimes she didn’t commit or for actions she believed were justified.
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