FUNERAL AT CHURCH; MARLON BRANDO SPEAKING AT LATER MEMORIAL SERVICE.




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Background: WHITE RACISM AND THE OAKLAND POLICE DEPARTMENT WERE DENOUNCED BITTERLY AT A FUNERAL SERVICE IN BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA, ON FRIDAY FOR BOBBY JAMES HUTTON, 17-YEAR-OLD OFFICER OF THE MILITANT NEGRO BLACK PANTHER PARTY.

HUTTON WAS SHOT DEAD BY A POLICEMAN AT OAKLAND, NEAR BERKELEY, ON SATURDAY, APRIL 6. HIS SHOOTING WAS DESCRIBED DURING HIS FUNERAL SERVICE AS AN ACT 'POLITICAL ASSASSINATION'.

THE BLACK PANTHER ORGANISATION WAS ORGANISED LAST YEAR REPORTEDLY TO PROTECT THE NEGRO COMMUNITY IN CALIFORNIA FROM INTIMIDATION.

MORE THAN 100 MEMBERS OF THE BLACK PANTHER MOVEMENT ATTENDED HUTTON'S FUNERAL SERVICE AND LATER A MEMORIAL SERVICE. AMONG THE 700 OTHER MOURNERS WAS THE ACTOR MARLON BRANDO.

BRANDO LATER ADDRESSED A MEMORIAL SERVICE. HE SAID FOR 400 YEARS THE WHITE PEOPLE DID NOTHING TO IMPROVE THE STATUS OF NEGROES. HE SAID HE WOULD WORK TO INFORM WHITE PEOPLE OF THE SITUATION OF WHICH THEY WERE UNAWARE.

MEMBERS OF THE BLACK PANTHER MOVEMENT ALSO ADDRESSED THE MEMORIAL SERVICE, ACCUSING THE POLICE OF VICTIMISING MEMBERS OF THE ORGANISATION.