Concert brings Mumia case to millions
Cops fail to silence supporters of political
prisoner
By Sarah Sloan and Imani Henry
East Rutherford, N.J.
Despite racist attempts by New Jersey authorities to create
an atmosphere of fear and intimidation, a benefit concert for
political prisoner and journalist Mumia Abu-Jamal was held at
the Continental Airlines Arena here on Jan. 28.
Twenty thousand people attended the sold-out concert
featuring Rage Against the Machine, Beastie Boys, Bad Religion
and Black Star, with emcees from Chumba wamba and a special
appearance by Chuck D and other members of Public Enemy.
Over 75 activists came from New Jersey, New York,
Pennsylvania and Rhode Island to distribute literature about
Abu-Jamal's case and the April 24 "Millions for Mumia"
demonstration. Under the leadership of the International
Concerned Family & Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal and with the
cooperation of Rage Against the Machine, the activists received
complimentary tickets, set up literature tables and distributed
fliers inside the concert.
Tens of thousands of leaflets and posters were handed out by
activists and interested concert-goers. People held up signs
reading "Stop the execution, demand a new trial" while waiting
in line to enter the arena.
Stacks of leaflets were passed through the mosh pit.
Members of Chumbawamba stood at one of the "Millions for
Mumia" tables and help ed hand out literature about the April
24 action.
The success of the political outreach that took place was
preceded by a week of attacks. Responding to complaints by the
New Jersey State Police and Philadelphia's Fraternal Order of
Police, New Jersey Attorney General Peter Verniero and Gov.
Christine Whitman held a news conference Jan. 21 to condemn the
concert. But they were forced to admit that there was no legal
basis to cancel it.
Activists were informed that the Meadowlands had a policy
banning leaflet distribution both inside and outside the arena.
They were told that anyone found distributing literature would
be arrested.
The FOP threatened to hold a demonstration outside the
concert featuring Maureen Faulkner, the widow of the cop
Abu-Jamal was framed for killing.
Activists were prepared to counter-demonstrate. But the FOP
never showed.
Fearing the strength of thousands of anti-police youths with
political leadership, management and authorities took a
hands-off policy. The harassment that management did order was
met by the solidarity of Meadowlands workers, who understood
the political nature of the attacks.
Some hostility came from reactionary young people influenced
by the state who knew they had the backing of the police. But
they did not represent the dominant opinion of concert-goers.
Young people who had not been knowledgeable about the case held
up signs in support of Abu-Jamal--because they knew that it was
he and his supporters they wanted to be in solidarity with.
The event could not have happened if the artists involved
had not also been activists. They were led by Rage Against the
Machine, a group that often opens concerts with the
"International"--the anthem of the movement for workers'
liberation from capitalism for more than a century.
Rage produced a music video about Leonard Peltier that
featured the contact information for the Kansas organizing
office every time it was played on MTV. Rage members are also
strong Zapatista supporters.
Lead singer Zack de la Rocha was arrest ed at an
anti-sweatshop rally in California. Band member Tom Morello
traveled to Cuba last summer with Pastors for Peace.
At a pre-concert news conference, de la Rocha pointed out
the breadth of support for Abu-Jamal: "Among those who have
questioned the Pennsylvania proceedings are Archbishop Desmond
Tutu, Nobel Laureate and head of South Africa's Truth and
Reconciliation Commission; Ronald Hamp ton, executive director
of the National Black Police Association; the European
Parliament, meeting in Strasburg; and Amnesty International,
who's with us tonight at the concert."
Also headlining were the Beastie Boys. At the September 1998
MTV Music Awards, the group made a statement against the U.S.
bombing of Sudan and Afghanistan and against anti-Arab
racism.
Chumbawamba is an anarchist band that, while performing one
of their songs on Late Night with David Letterman, began to
chant for Abu-Jamal's freedom.
Public Enemy is one of the most political hip hop groups in
history, with songs such as "911 is a Joke," "Welcome to the
Terrordome," and "Fight the Power."
From the stage, Chuck D said: "The jail cells in America
have been a one-sided crime all the way back to slavery, and a
lot of people are tired of hearing that shit, but until
everybody is right and everybody truly represents around the
planet as one people, then there's going to be a lot of f------
poison going on.
"Free your mind, use your independent thought, and don't be
a f------ robot going into the 21st century."
He then led the audience in a chant of "Free Mumia."
In the end, the attempts by the cops and the capitalist
media to squash an outpouring of support for Abu-Jamal created
an opportunity for activists. A volunteer distributing
"Millions for Mumia" literature the day of the concert told
Workers World she had not encountered such a high level of
awareness of a political prisoner's case since the struggle to
free Nelson Mandela.
It is now the role of progressive people to turn this
knowledge into activism and use the state's attacks to build
the April 24 marches in Philadelphia and San Francisco.
To further build support for the case, the Millions for
Mumia Mobilization will sponsor a Town Hall meeting in New York
on Feb. 26 demanding "No to execution, yes to a new trial."
Located in New York's Broadway district, the celebrity event
will feature Ossie Davis, E.L. Doctorow, Pam Africa, Pete
Seeger, Geronimo ji Jaga (Pratt), Safiya Bukari, Leonard
Weinglass, Monica Moorehead, Ramsey Clark, Leslie Feinberg and
other well-known personalities.
To get involved, readers can call the "Millions for Mumia"
office in New York at (212) 633-6646 or the International
Concerned Family & Friends of Mumia in Philadelphia at
(215) 476-8812. Send email to npcny@peoplescampaign.org.
This article is copyright under a Creative
Commons License.
Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011
Email: ww@workers.org
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