Getting Together Newspaper West Coast Edition

Getting Together Newspaper February 1971 , I Wor Kuen

Getting Together. Special West Coast Edition February 1971 page 1

article excerpt

“This paper is a joint effort of the Red Guard Party of San Francisco and the I Wor Kuen organization of New York ~ our two organizations will continue to cooperate on a common basis of political unity . “

“One day last week, some Chinese Six Companies officials met with a few police officers from Central station over lunch at Joe Jung's restaurant. The police officers wanted the Six Companies to finance the Police Athletic League operating out of Victory Hall on Stockton St. The Six Companies agreed to fork over the money if the police would shut down Leways and clear the street of troublesome youth.

“At 8:30 pm on the first day of the Year of the Pig, twenty plainclothes pigs accompanied by several uniformed officers forced their way into Leways and the Asian Community Center on Kearny St. without warrants. And under the pretext of looking for a unnamed Chinese youth for a robbery and murder, the police searched everyone and checked everyone’s ID’s. This included elderly people who were in the Asian Community Center who were reading newspapers and playing chess. The pigs told the people that they would continue their harassment throughout the New Year.

“At 12: 30 the same evening, eight more uniformed pigs again entered Leways without warrants and repeated their harassment of the people. Bill Sorro, a worker at the

International Hotel was beaten to the ground and arrested when he told the police to quit harassing a group of teenagers who were peacefully standing outside Leways. The pigs a1so stopped several cars being driven by Chinese youth, searched them and checked their ID’s. Several other hangouts of Chinese youth were also raided that same night including the Smokeshop on Washington St. and Mike’s poolhall on Green St.

“A few days before this massive pig assault on the community, a teenaged Filipino sister was beaten to the ground by uniformed pigs on Jackson St. after she refused to let the pigs interfere in a personal argument between her and her boyfriend. This time, several squad cars, a paddy wagon and a helicopter were called out to contain an angry crowd of 100 people who had gathered to prevent the pigs from further injuring her. The pigs jumped out of their squad cars armed with shotguns.

“Why are the Six Companies unleashing this pig terror on the youth? Why are they bent on destroying Leways? For decades, the Six Companies have controlled Chinatown. They have caused the people of the community much suffering and misery because of their greed. In recent years, however, the youth of Chinatown have begun to rebel against the oppressive rule of the Six Companies and the racism and loneliness of Amerika. Unable to find employment, having virtually no decent place to find recreation and having difficulty with their traditionally strict families, the youth have taken to the streets to build a new way life. The rebellious youth movement of Chinatown has become a danger to the Six Companies and to the pig power structure because youth will no longer tolerate the selfishness of the Six Companies and the inhumanness of Amerika.

“There are many casualties in the youth 's search for freedom. The Mafia power structure which controls City Hall, has flooded Ch1natown with heavy drugs. Many youths turn to .these drugs to escape from the loneliness of life in Chinatown. Unable to accept the lies that are drummed into their heads at school; many youth stay away and do not educate themselves. There is robbery, gambling, and prostitution.

“In order to help themselves out of their dilemma, Leways,Inc. , a non-profit organization, was formed in autumn of 1967 by the youth of Chinatown. Originally just a poolhall on Jackson St., Leways began to organize the youth into a political force. The poolhall provided the youth with a friendly place to hangout other than the streets. The organization attempted to find jobs for the youth and help them to stay out of jail. Leways also provided lega1 assistance for youth who were constantly being harrassed by the pigs.

“But the Six Companies and the pig power structure saw the organized resistance of· Leways as a danger to .them. The landlord raised Leways rent $50 per month each year. The pigs began to harrass Leways on a daily basis, entering the poolhall four times a day in squads of twelve strong! The community failed to.rally to.Leways. As a result, in the summer .of' 1969, Leways was forced to shut down. A part of Leways became the Red Guard Party.

Leways reopened its doors in September of last year responding to the needs of the youth of Chinatown. During the time Leways was closed, many youths got into serious trouble with the law. Leways is now located in the International Hotel building at 842 Kearny St…”

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