Movement's urgent call:
'All out Dec. 9 for Mumia'
By Greg
Butterfield
New York
Across the United States and around the globe, supporters of
Black freedom fighter Mumia Abu-Jamal will take to the streets
Dec. 9 to demand a new trial. December 9 marks the 19th
anniversary of the brutal police assault that led to Abu-Jamal
being convicted of murder and put on Pennsylvania's death
row.
On Dec. 9, 1981, the radio journalist was driving a cab in
his Philadelphia neighborhood. He saw a white cop assaulting
his brother. Abu-Jamal got out of his car and tried to break up
the attack. He was shot, and so was the cop, Daniel Faulkner.
Faulkner later died and Abu-Jamal was convicted of killing
him.
Abu-Jamal has always maintained his innocence. Much evidence
has been brought forward to support his claim. Supporters say
he was targeted for a political frame-up by the Philadelphia
cops. Abu-Jamal had long been a thorn in their side with his
hard-hitting reports exposing police brutality and the city
government's war against the MOVE organization.
Recently evidence has emerged of illegal collaboration
between the judge, prosecutor and public defender in
Abu-Jamal's 1982 trial.
Pam Africa, coordinator of International Concerned Family
& Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal, said, "Our continuing
national and international mobilizations are the strongest way
to compel federal Judge William Yohn to meet his constitutional
obligations to ensure justice in Mumia's case." Yohn is
currently considering Abu-Jamal's appeal and could order a new
trial.
The Dec. 9 protests will also raise the case of Native
political prisoner Leonard Peltier, who is fighting for
clemency after 25 years in federal prison, as well as
government threats to jail Refuse & Resist! leader Clark
Kissinger.
Kissinger is under "administrative probation" for
participating in a 1999 civil disobedience at the Liberty Bell.
He may be jailed by a federal judge Dec. 6 for defying
probation and attending a demonstration at the Republican
Convention last August.
New York march and rally
In New York, the NY Free Mumia Coalition has called for a
march at noon Dec. 9 from 96th St. and Broadway on Manhattan's
Upper West Side to the Mother AME Zion Church, located at 140
W. 137th St. in Harlem. A rally will be held at the church
starting at 3 p.m.
The New York march has been endorsed by State, County and
Municipal Employees District Council 1707, International Action
Center/Millions for Mumia, the Leonard Peltier Defense
Committee, Asians for Mumia, former U.S. Attorney General
Ramsey Clark, former Black Panther Party leader Kathleen
Cleaver, the New York State Greens/ Green Party of NY, City
Council member Bill Perkins, the Center for Constitutional
Rights and many more.
Speakers include Pam Africa, former Mayor David N. Dinkins,
Daily News journalist Juan González, and Julia Wright,
coordinator of the French chapter of Concerned Family &
Friends.
In San Francisco, the Mobilization to Free Mumia Abu-Jamal
has called for a noon rally at 4th and Market streets. Protests
are also planned in Seattle and many other cities.
The Dec. 9 day of action coincides with a "Week of Activity
to Stop the Death Penalty and the Execution of Mumia." December
4, the kick-off day, is also the anniversary of Black Panther
leader Fred Hampton's assassination by Chicago police. Students
on various campuses will leaflet, hold meetings and sponsor
teach-ins.
Dec. 6 is "Resisters Day," highlighting support for
Kissinger and others who've been arrested in various protests
for Abu-Jamal. On Dec. 10--International Human Rights Day--1
million signatures will be presented to the United Nations for
an international moratorium on executions. In New York, there
will be an important march to the UN for Peltier.
On Dec. 11, an international delegation will attempt to meet
with U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno in Washington about
Abu-Jamal's case.
IAC/Millions for Mumia leader Monica Moorehead told Workers
World: "The week of Mumia activities culminating with the
important march and rally in Harlem Dec. 9 is a welcome
antidote to the stalemate in the presidential elections. By
giving 24-hour-a-day attention to the anti-democratic process
of who will occupy the White House, the big-business media is
attempting to divert attention from the very important issue of
fighting all forms of racist repression.
"The struggle to free our brother Mumia embodies this very
battle," she said, "especially the struggle against police
misconduct and the growth of the prison-industrial complex.
It's very much tied to the emerging worldwide movement against
corporate greed and exploitation. The same capitalist system
that seeks Mumia's execution wants to turn the world into a
giant sweatshop to extract super-profits for the ruling
class."
Moorehead added: "After Dec. 9, the Jan. 20
counter-inauguration in Washington is the next step forward in
making these important links."
The Jan. 20 march to "Shut Down the Globalization Death
Machine" at the inauguration in Washington will assemble at 10
a.m. at Pennsylvania Ave. and 14th St. NW. To endorse the march
or get involved in organizing, call the International Action
Center at (212) 633-6646 or send e-mail to
iacenter@iacenter.org. Updates and organizing materials can be
found on the Web site www.mumia2000.org.
This article is copyright under a Creative
Commons License.
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