Filing cabinet drawers were left open by whoever forced their way through the front door of Pathfinder Books & Libros, which rents space to the SWP, the Socialist Workers Campaign Committee, and the Young Socialists.

The Militant Labor Forum holds regular free speech forums at the store, open to the working-class public. The forum a week before the break-in featured Illinois farmer Don Brown Jr., a leader of the fight of working farmers to stay on the land. Brown, a diversified farmer and past president of the Illinois Grasslands and Forage Council, had expressed interest in helping meat packers on strike at Rochelle Foods, a subsidiary of Hormel, in Rochelle, Illinois. Brown normally sells his hogs to nearby Rochelle Foods but agreed that if the company moves to bring in strikebreakers, farmers should demonstrate their solidarity with the strikers and seek other markets for their hogs.

A small amount of cash in the offices' refreshments stand was undisturbed and a TV, computers, and other items of value were not taken.

In a statement released to the media on March 26, Potash pointed to "the recent court ruling that lifts some restrictions on the right of the Chicago police to spy and harass political activists. The decision helps create an atmosphere where such attacks can more easily take place." Potash, a garment worker and union member, was referring to the 7th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals on January 11, which substantially reversed the provisions of a 1981 federal consent decree that had placed limited restrictions on the actions of the Chicago police department's "red squad."

Another tenant in the building reports that several days before the break-in, a man and woman were noisily shaking the door to the socialists' offices and, when confronted, spewed anti-communist rhetoric before departing.

The break-in occurred a couple days after two Cuban youth leaders had arrived in Chicago for a speaking tour on area campuses. Members of the Young Socialists and Socialist Workers Party are active participants in a broad committee organizing the tour.  
 
 
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