RALLY'S AFTERMATH
Media breakthrough publicizes 'Millions for Mumia'
By Greg
Butterfield
New York
The Feb. 26 "Evening of Justice for Mumia" at New York's
Town Hall continues to resonate. One accomplishment of the
1,700-strong rally was to break into the mainstream media with
the message of the April 24 "Millions for Mumia" demonstrations
in Philadelphia and San Francisco.
Abu-Jamal, an African American political prisoner on death
row in Pennsylvania, was convicted of killing a white cop in
1981. His supporters say the former Black Panther and
award-winning radio journalist was framed by the cops and
courts because of his long-time fight against police brutality
in Philadelphia.
Abu-Jamal's supporters presented a strong case for a new
trial and no execution, which was read, seen and heard by
millions. An Associated Press story before the rally was picked
up by newspapers across the U.S. and Canada.
Every metropolitan New York TV station had stories about
Town Hall. A typical example was NY 1 News, a local cable news
channel. While the station focused on a tepid police
counter-demonstration across the street, its story also
included interviews with "Millions for Mumia" organizers and an
anchor's announcement of the planned marches.
Extensive coverage of the rally appeared in New York's Black
newspapers, which have long supported Abu-Jamal's fight for a
new trial, including the Amsterdam News, Haiti Progress, the
Daily Challenge and the New York Beacon.
Excerpts from the newspaper coverage follows.
Philadelphia Inquirer: `Abu-Jamal backers rally in
New York'
Celebrities and Black activists last night urged supporters
of Mumia Abu-Jamal, the former radio journalist condemned to
die for the 1981 killing of a Philadelphia police officer, to
raise money for his defense and to bring one million people to
Philadelphia to demonstrate in his behalf on April 24. The
speakers included actor Ossie Davis, former U.S. Attorney
General Ramsey Clark, [and] singer Pete Seeger...
Amsterdam News: `Mumia
supporters gear up for Philly'
"When you don't oppose a system, your silence is approval,"
said Ossie Davis, quoting Mumia Abu-Jamal. There was no silence
at Town Hall last Friday evening as an impressive roster of
celebrities and activists demanded a new trial for Abu-Jamal,
"the voice of the voiceless"...
Monica Moorehead of Workers World and a national coordinator
of the "Millions for Mumia" campaign slated for April 24 in
Philadelphia told the packed hall that this is the 11th hour.
"Are we going to let them kill Mumia?" she screamed. "No" was
the response.
"Ona move," announced Pam Africa, after she received an
award for Abu-Jamal presented by the John Brown Society. "We
got to put a choke hold on the government. We are strong here,
and we will be strong in Philadelphia. See you there on April
24."
New York Daily News:
`Mumia fund-raiser'
A throng of 1,500 roared support as speaker after speaker
demanded a new trial for Abu-Jamal, the Black ex-radio reporter
on Pennsylvania's death row... speakers called Abu-Jamal a
political prisoner who was railroaded in a sham trial.
"Mumia's been fighting for what he believes in since he was
14 years old," said Dread Scott, 34, an artist from Fort Greene
Brooklyn. "That's why he's on death row, and that's why we have
to stop him from being executed."
Daily Challenge:
`Mobilizing Millions'
Leslie Feinberg, author of "Stone Butch Blues," delivered a
fiery oratory on the need to create a unified, powerful front
between communities of color and the gay and lesbian
communities, asserting that in addition to providing more
power, it will also revitalize each individual group.
"Solidarity is about the deed, not the word."
Many of the evening's speakers compared the case of
Abu-Jamal, who was framed for his untiring fight against police
brutality, and the brutal Feb. 4 slaying of Amadou Diallo by
four white cops in the Bronx.
An intimidation campaign by members of the New York
Patrolmen's Benevolent Association was a failure. A
counter-demonstration by PBA members only drew 50 people.
Newsday:`Point, Counterpoint'
Supporters of ... Mumia Abu-Jamal who gathered at a
Manhattan rally in his behalf Friday night were greeted by
about 50 off-duty police officers who condemned the affair.
Standing behind police barricades across the street from Town
Hall, the city officers criticized the rally, which featured a
number of celebrities who believe Abu-
Jamal was wrongfully convicted ...
and deserves a new trial.
"Nothing is going to deter people from what is going on with
Mumia," [said] Torey Thorpe, 28, a music video producer from
Hempstead.
The Boston Phoenix:
`There's something about Mumia'
No one is turned away; a banner advertising the "Millions
for Mumia" march reads, MUMIA IS ALL OF US. Abu-Jamal's
supporters include everyone from contemporary communists to
Black Panthers to trade unionists to gay and lesbian
activists.
Taken as a whole, tonight's meeting feels like much more
than a protest for one man on death row. It's more like a
contemporary revolutionary revival. ... No one here expects the
establishment to release Mumia, so they're busy making other
plans. "It's going to take an explosion--an earthquake of
humanity--to free Mumia!" says one speaker, labor activist
Larry Holmes.
This article is copyright under a Creative
Commons License.
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