Panther Page #4

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A PATROL CAR floats to a quick stop at the curb. White haired,

red-faced, SERGEANT SCHRECK bounds from the car.

SGT. SCHRECK

What in the Sam Hell is this?

PATROLMAN:

A vigil for some pickaninny got hit

here.

SGT. SCHRECK

Vigil my ass...

Schreck GRABS a BULLHORN from the car.

SCHRECK:

(through the bullhorn)

Listen up, you all have 30 seconds

to disperse and return to your homes.

The LINE OF COPS takes a small step toward the black folks.

SCHRECK:

Failure to do so will result in your

immediate arrest...

The churchgoers flail a bit. Suddenly, with HUEY in the

background, SLOCUM steps up and with a look of defiant piety,

begins SINGING "We Shall Not Be Moved."

With gathering force the CONGREGATION joins in the song.

Schreck ROLLS HIS EYES and makes a MOTION with his hand.

EXT. INTERSECTION - NIGHT

COPS wade into the crowd, herding them away. A patrolman

pushes a MIDDLE AGED MAN, with his NIGHTSTICK.

PATROLMAN:

Go on get your black hide outta

here...

The MAN STUMBLES. By reflex, the cop RAISES his nightstick.

TYRONE -- on instinct -- PUSHES the cop away.

CHAOS erupts. BILLY CLUBS snap up. Terrified, the congregation

RUNS.

BULLHORN:

You are resisting arrest!...

Police slap and snatch Black folks right and left. Judge

bounces around in the confusion. Bobby Seale can be seen

trying to get badge numbers.

Judge's eyes widen as he sees RITA running toward an alley,

a COP right on her ass.

JUDGE:

Oh sh*t Mom...

Judge runs toward her.

The cop lifts his BILLY CLUB over Rita... Boom!! Carter

PUNCHES the cop straight off his feet.

A PAIR OF COPS have thrown Tyrone down on the ground --

PISTOLS pressed against his head.

Judge moves to Tyrone's aid. A RIFLE BUTT flashes out,

cracking across Judge's temple, sending him into DARKNESS.

INT. HOLDING CELL - NIGHT

Judge slowly comes to on the filthy floor. Cy, a few nasty

bruises on his face, kneels next to him protectively.

JUDGE:

(amazed, in pain)

Jesus...

Disoriented, Judge sees TYRONE and the other PANTHERS. They're

a rag tag little group, battered, locked down. SLOCUM'S there

too.

Coming fully awake, Judge realizes SOMEONE is speaking. It's

HUEY, his voice powerful and arresting in its urgency.

HUEY:

(over)

The power structure locks the black

man up. That's right. We move from

chains to bars and locks. Kangaroo

courts put brothers in jail. No jury

of our peers. No jury of black folks.

How do we stop this insanity? It's

simple. Organization. That's the

key. We must organize. We must

maintain discipline...

Judge peers through the bodies and sees HUEY.

TYRONE:

That's right brother... listen and

learn.

HUEY:

The white power structure wants us

to act like savages.

(a smile)

But we're a different kind of animal

altogether. We're Panthers. And The

Black Panther Party for Self Defense

is very painfully aware that America

has historically reserved its most

barbaric treatment for non-white

people since the beginning of the

country. So we need to organize, we

(a charismatic smile)

keep our sh*t correct! And effect

revolution. We revolve the power

into the hands of the people. Where

it belongs.

(a beat)

Power to the people baby...

GENE:

Power? Sh*t, old folks can't even

sing without getting their asses

kicked.

HUEY:

Well, then like the man said... Maybe

it's time we stop singing and start

swinging.

CARTER:

Yeah, but they got the guns.

Something -- some inexplicable mixture of mirth, raw

intelligence and fierce willpower -- crosses Huey's face.

HUEY:

We can change that. We got the right

to bear arms, so I'd say it's time

to exercise that right. Like Comrade

Mao says, "Justice through power,

Power through guns."

EXT. COURTHOUSE STEPS - DAY

Blinking in the sunlight, the Panthers descend wearing a

collective grin of relief.

TYRONE:

Chickenshits, just harassing our

ass, we weren't breaking any law.

REV. SLOCUM

But at least we're free! God has

delivered us from the lion's den.

BOBBY:

Free? We're back where we started.

Sh*t we still don't have a stop light.

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