Yes, I really did slip out of those handcuffs
Friends — I'm sure you've seen the infamous mugshot of me from 1970. What you probably don't know is the story behind how I managed to raise my fist while in handcuffs.
Before we dive in, I want to ask: Would you be able to split a donation between the Jane Fonda Climate PAC and Stand Up before our biggest deadline of the year so far on October 31? Every bit of support helps us elect real climate champions at a time when the stakes for our climate and our democracy have never been higher.
My infamous mugshot, taken in November 1970 in Cleveland, OH
To make a long story short, I was arrested on completely fabricated drug smuggling charges. What they claimed were drugs were, in fact, vitamins. I kid you not. It turns out that the orders for my arrest came straight from the Nixon White House — it was a frame-up.
After spending the night in jail in Cleveland, they took me to the courthouse the next morning. I was handcuffed, photographers were waiting, and I knew this was my moment to send a message.
Here's where being double-jointed came in handy: I made my hands really small, slipped right out of one handcuff before the policewoman knew what was happening, and threw up that “power to the people” fist you see in the photo.
That image became an enduring symbol of resistance that's still on t-shirts and protest signs today.
But there was more to that gesture than just sticking it to the man. I raised my fist because I believed then, as I do now, that when the powerful try to silence you, you find a way to make your voice heard anyway.
When Big Oil tries to buy our democracy, when Trump and his MAGA allies try to strip our freedoms, we find a way to fight back. The same spirit that got me out of those handcuffs in 1970 is what's driving our movement today.
But I can’t do this work alone, Friends. I need you to carry forward that same spirit of resistance by splitting a $10 donation between the Jane Fonda Climate PAC and Stand Up before our final end-of-month deadline ahead of Election Day. Can I count you in?
If you've stored your info with ActBlue Express, we'll split your contribution between Stand Up and Jane Fonda Climate PAC instantly:
✊ Onward.
- Jane Fonda
