Denver meeting builds solidarity with Mumia

The International Action Center, Denver, in association with Aurora Cop Watch, presented an evening in solidarity with Mumia Abu-Jamal on April 11. This meeting served to update local activists and the community on recent events in the court case of this famous political prisoner.

The featured guest speaker was Larry Hales, a national leader of FIST (Fight Imperialism Stand Together).

Local criminal defense and civil rights attorney Mark Burton opened the meeting, putting Mumia’s case in a historical context. He gave a brief history of the struggle before the Supreme Court for the rights of oppressed nationalities and described how great victories in the courts for the rights of the oppressed were the result of struggle in the streets and workplaces, just as much as courtroom advocacy. Just as a people’s movement helped saved the lives of the Scottsboro defendants, said Burton, it was necessary to have a strong people’s movement to free Mumia, alongside the struggle in the courtroom.

Hales spoke movingly of visiting Mumia at SCI Greene, the infamous death row prison in Pennsylvania. He described the dreadful, soulless and inhumane conditions that Mumia and other death row prisoners in Pennsylvania are forced to endure. He also fascinated the audience with his description of Mumia as a humane, articulate and kind person in the midst of this inhumanity. Hales stressed Mumia’s determination to continue the struggle for a more just society with his writings and radio commentaries.

Hales also gave an overview of the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision to deny Mumia a hearing on the issue of racial bias in jury selection. Because of this decision Mumia’s case has been sent back to the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, where the state is gearing up to try to execute him once again. Hales called on all to organize to defend Mumia, as he is a symbol of resistance to the racist prison-industrial complex.

Shareef Aleem, leader of Aurora Cop Watch and a prominent local anti-police-brutality activist, spoke on the relevance of Mumia’s case to the struggle against police brutality everywhere. He emphasized that Cointelpro still exists in substance if not in form, and it was crucial to be vigilant and continue to fight police brutality wherever it raises its ugly head.

The audience was asked to join the campaign to free Mumia and a collection was taken up for his campaign. Many vowed to take part in future actions in solidarity with Mumia.