The scheduled, then canceled appearance of New York City bomber Raymond Luc Levasseur is back on again at the main University of Massachusetts campus in Amherst.
Levasseur, convicted for several bombings and bank robberies back in the late '70's and early '80's, has been out on parole and was first scheduled to speak at a Social Change Forum set for tomorrow night.
But Donna Lamonaco, widow of a New Jersey state srooper killed by Levasseur's partner in the United Freedom Front back in 1981, raised her voice in opposition and UMass decided to pull the plug on the speech.
Now, "The trip is back on," said Lamonaco, as she detailed plans to drive to Amherst with dozens of New Jersey State Troopers to protest Levasseur's appearance. .
While the university canceled his speech after acknowledging the intense opposition to his appearance, a small group of faculty independently invited Levasseur to the campus.
The Boston Globe quotes Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick saying at a news conference Tuesday, "I fully get the point and respect the idea of free speech. But I think it is a reflection of profound insensitivity to continue to try and have this former terrorist on the campus."
The paper also reports the Massachusetts State Senate yesterday passed a nonbinding resolution condemning the faculty group invitation by a margin of 33-1.
Two busloads of New Jersey state troopers, along with Lamonaco, are expected to travel to Amherst Thursday morning, to be greeted by a large contingent of Massachusetts state police.
