Statement from FOM about the murder of John Gilbride

Due to the fact that this system has a vendetta to kill MOVE, another MOVE child is left fatherless and Alberta Africa is again left widowed (her husband JOHN AFRICA was assassinated May 13th, 1985 when they dropped a bomb on MOVE). On Thursday night, September 26th at approximately 11:30 P.M., former MOVE supporter and ex-husband of Alberta Africa, John Gilbride was murdered in his car outside of his Maple Shade apartment complex in New
Jersey.

In 1978, this system used the excuse of housing code violations to wage war with MOVE. In 1985, they said MOVE threatened city officials. This time there was no justification to come at this organization. We had the support of the
neighborhood, child advocacy groups, and women's advocacy groups. To attack MOVE would have raised too many voices of opposition for them to handle.

MOVE's belief is in protecting life. It leads people to the understanding that life is the only thing of value. MOVE worked with John Gilbride for many years giving him love, and attention. MOVE people were very familiar with him as a brother, since he lived at MOVE headquarters with MOVE for 6 years, and
continued to work to encourage him to do right, even after he left and abandoned his son for six months. Anyone who says that MOVE was involved in this violent murder is completely misinformed about MOVE. For years, media
and others claimed that MOVE was crazy for taking a stand against exterminating mice, killing insects, and other household so-called pests.

MOVE has a history with this city for being consistent, peaceful, and honest. To quote Civil Affairs Captain William Fisher "I'm going to be honest. I'd say there has been no violence or vandalism or show of weapons." MOVE's belief is in protecting life not taking life. The position that MOVE took in
protecting this child was a defensive position. MOVE's priority has always been to protect their children and that love and concern is exemplified in every child. No MOVE children are hooked on drugs, alcohol, in gangs, have to
take prozac or ritalin, are into pornography or any other perversions this system promotes.

The murder of John Gilbride is yet another attempt to destroy this organization. They knew this would hurt Alberta Africa and MOVE. And they especially knew it could destroy this child.

This is no different than what the purpose of Judge Shelley Robins-News'decision. Both were designed to seperate this family and to set the precedent to scare people from following MOVE's example.

This was no random attack according to news accounts John Gilbride was ambushed as he was parking his car, the car was still running, the radio and windshield wipers were still on, and he was still wearing his seatbelt. The reports say that an automatic weapon was used and the drivers side window was shot in but the police claim that no witnesses saw or heard anything even though this happened in a residential area.

According to the evidence available this appears to be a professional hit. The fact that gunshots from an automatic weapon were not heard by an entire apartment complex means that the weaponry was sophisticated. Special forces
use these very tactics and equipment such as silencers to carry out their vendettas.

Rather than take the opportunity to finally do the right thing by MOVE they instead chose to escalate the situation by murdering the father. They knew that John Gilbride had the potential to come back to MOVE which took away their justification to continue this court battle. So they upped the ante. They took a man's life, a father away from a child, a son from his parents, and widowed a woman to further persecute the MOVE Organization.

We as supporters are not going to sit by and allow this system to create another May 13th, 1985. We are not going to allow this system to get away with murder. Don't believe the lies that are being put out about MOVE.

Philly Friends of MOVE
uprising1978@aol.com 610-499-0979 215-760-4036