January 9, 1997

Unlicensed FM Radio Station Raided Today by Police in Decatur, Illinois.

The opposition station was taken off the air in U.S. just weeks after Belgrade-s B-92 was shut down by Serbian Government. A

t 9:20 local time on January 9, 1997 over ten police officers served a search warrant on Black Liberation Radio operated by Napoleon Williams and Mildred Jones. The raid was lead by Shawn Simpson of the Illinois Attorney General-s Office. The warrant stated that all broadcast equipment and files pertaining to broadcasting must be taken.

Transmitters, tape players, tapes and computer seized by the Attorney General-s Office. So far no reason has been given as to why the station was seized. Calls to the Attorney Generals Office failed to find out any information about why the station had been shut down.

Black Liberation Radio 99.7 FM played an important role in starting America-s free radio movement. The fact that Napoleon was able to continue broadcasting even after the government had taken his children and jailed him sent a message that low watt FM radio broadcasting was possible. According to Free Radio Berkeley founder Stephen Dunifer there are over 300 unlicensed FM radio stations broadcasting in the United States today.

Contact

Shaun Simpson State Attorney Generals Office
217-782-9082

Napoleon Williams 217-423-9997

Governor Jim Egars
State House
Illinois State Capital, Springfield, Illinois

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