The short-lived Seattle Liberation Front (SLF) was organized by University of professor Michael Lerner in January 1970, after the disintegration of the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) in 1969 left a leadership void among student-based antiwar and radical organizations. In February 1970, the group sponsored a protest that became violent at the Federal Courthouse in Seattle. Conspiracy charges were filed against SLF leaders, who became know as the "Seattle Seven," and were cited for contempt of court, for which they served short terms. The SLF disbanded in 1971.
On July 8, 1970, a group from the Seattle Liberation Front, led by "Seattle Seven" member Jeffrey Dowd, showed up at the Mayor's office in City Hall to complain that acting police chief Charles Gains from Oakland was a racist, and to demand that he be removed. The group was met by Deputy Mayor Robert Lavoie, who told them they didn't have an appointment. This photo shows Dowd approaching Lavoie, holding a copy of South African Panorama magazine in his left hand. Objecting to its presence in the office, Dowd reportedly tore the magazine in two before leaving.
Years later, Jeff Dowd was the inspiration for the character of Jeff "The Dude" Lebowski in the Coen brothers 1998 film "The Big Lebowski."
Caption information source: "Seattle Liberation Front" by Walt Crowley, HistoryLink.org essay 2131. Caption information source: "Protesters Call New Police Chief 'Racist'," Seattle Times, July 8, 1970, p. A3.
