Convicted terrorist's ex-wife speaks at UMASS

AMHERST, Mass. -- A convicted terrorist’s on-again-off-again speech at UMASS Amherst is on again -- with a twist.

Raymond Levasseur was originally scheduled to address the crowd, but it was his attorney and ex-wife who took the stage at the UMASS Eisenberg School of Management instead.

A group of police officers and their families protested Thursday night demanding the forum be cancelled, saying it is heartless and it is allowing a terrorist to recruit young minds.

Organizers, however, said it’s about free speech.

And it was standing room only inside the lecture hall.

Donna Lamonaco, the widow of slain trooper Philip Lamonaco believes Levasseur and his wife shouldn’t be given the time of day, let alone a forum to spew their radical beliefs.

Trooper Philip Lamonaco was 33 years old when members of Levasseur’s group shot him dead in New Jersey, leaving behind three young children.

“He was sentenced to 45 years and only served 18 of them. In turn, I got a life sentence. Remember that, I got a life sentence,” said Donna Lamonaco.

Levasseur co-founded the United Freedom Front in the 1970’s, was convicted of bank robberies and bombings in the 1980’s, and was paroled in Maine.

Levasseur was scheduled to speak at UMASS tonight but was denied permission to leave the state of Maine. Instead, his ex-wife and attorney will speak instead.

“His wife was part of that group. What’s the difference between his wife being part of that terrorist group and him being here? It’s the same thing,” said Richard Brown, president of the State Police Association of Massachusetts.

Donna Lamonaco’s concern that Levasseur’s goal to brainwash young minds isn’t flying with students on campus.

“We’re all adults, we have minds, we can judge what he’s going to bring to the table,” said a student.

Supporters of the Lamonaco family, many from New Jersey, blasted UMASS.

“It’s these professors, these leftist liberal people who have lost their way and they’re still trying to flush this garbage of the sixties down our throats,” said David Jones, president of the State Troopers Fraternal Association of New Jersey.

Police are protesting the fact that a public school is hosting this kind of event and taxpayer dollars shouldn’t be going to terrorists.

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