The 2012 Black Panther Party for Self-Defense Film Festival began today in the Satellite Student Union.

Hank Jones, former member of the Black Panther Party, introduced the film “Legacy of Torture, The War Against the Black Liberation Movement.”  Due to audio difficulties the movie was not shown and Jones answered questions for an hour.

During the 1960s and 1970s, Jones was incarcerated twice and said the New Orleans Police Department tortured eight Panthers until they had no choice but confess to what they did not do. In 1975, their case, having no evidence and torture involved, was thrown out. But then in 2003, the government relabeled them as “domestic terrorists.” Finally in 2007, the courts vindicated them.

“What are you going to do about this? This is your world,” Jones said. “The law should be for all people equally.”

Jones and Emory Douglas, another former Black Panther who will be speaking during the event, travel around the nation speaking to young people to hopefully keep these atrocities from happening again.

The festival will continue on Thursday and Friday.