Half a century ago, the abduction of Patty Hearst by the Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA) set off a frenzy in the media, unfolding a tale that swung between brutality and absurdity while casting a shadow on Berkeley as a breeding ground for extreme and self-destructive radicalism.
Patty Hearst, the granddaughter of media magnate William Randolph Hearst and heiress to the Hearst publishing empire, was a 19-year-old student at UC Berkeley majoring in art history when members of the SLA snatched her from the apartment she shared with her fiancé Steven Weed on Feb. 4, 1974.
The SLA, purportedly led by an escaped convict known as General Field Marshal Cinque, emerged from a UC Berkeley course on African American linguistics taught by Colston Westbrook.
The group made its presence known in the Bay Area by assassinating Marcus Foster, the superintendent of the Oakland Unified School District, on Nov. 6, 1973, using cyanide-filled bullets.
Most members of the SLA were white, coming from affluent backgrounds, which contrasted sharply with their proclaimed mission of representing “the Court of the People” against the educational system.
This discrepancy puzzled many, especially in a city like Berkeley known for its progressive activism.
Roger Rapoport, an experienced journalist covering Hearst’s kidnapping, has now crafted a novel titled Searching for Patty Hearst, delving into the bizarre events surrounding her captivity and subsequent trial for bank robbery.
Rapoport will be engaging with audiences across the Bay Area to shed light on this enigmatic episode, starting with an event at the Berkeley Historical Society on Sunday.
One of the motives behind abducting Hearst was to secure the release of two SLA members implicated in Foster’s murder.
Despite the group’s amateurish tactics, they manipulated the media effectively, transforming the narrative from a damsel-in-distress tale to a story of a wealthy girl turned radical when Hearst assumed the name Tania and aligned with the SLA.
Demanding that the Hearst family distribute food to the needy across California, the SLA led to the creation of People In Need, a program aimed at providing $2 million worth of groceries.
This initiative attracted various controversial figures, including Rev.
Jim Jones and Yusef Bey, leading to tumultuous events like the chaotic food giveaway drive organized by Your Black Muslim Bakery in Oakland.
Communicating through cryptic messages aired on KPFA, the SLA met its demise in a violent clash with the Los Angeles Police Department in May 1974, resulting in the death of DeFreze and five other members.
Surviving members recruited new individuals, including Steve and Kathleen Soliah, to replenish their ranks and fund their activities.
Rapoport’s deep involvement in the saga extended to interviews with key figures, offering unique insights and perspectives.
His comprehensive approach aims to present a balanced view of the events, allowing each character to make their decisions and actions understood.
Despite numerous speculations and publications about Hearst’s ordeal, including her own memoir, questions surrounding the true intentions of those involved persist.
While some theories suggest complex conspiracies, Rapoport focuses on presenting a multi-dimensional narrative that probes into the minds and motivations of all parties involved in this captivating chapter of history.
