Momentum grows for April 24 protest to free Mumia
By LeiLani Dowell and Imani Henry
With less than a month remaining, momentum is
building for an important day of protest on April 24, Mumia
Abu-Jamal's 50th birthday. Abu-Jamal is an African American
revolutionary journalist and former Black Panther who has been
on Pennsylvania's death row for the past 22 years. He was
convicted in 1982 for the killing of a Philadelphia police
officer. The courts have suppressed evidence of his innocence
since his incarceration.
The outspoken Abu-Jamal has become a worldwide symbol of
resistance against the death penalty, war, racism and all forms
of repression. His lawyers recently filed an appeal to the U.S.
Supreme Court demanding a new trial for him based on racism
that riddled his trial.
Demonstrations will be held in Phila delphia, San Francisco,
and outside the U.S. calling for the freedom of Abu-Jamal and
all political prisoners. Thousands are expected to turn out for
these actions, particularly in Abu-Jamal's hometown of
Philadelphia. Buses are being organized from around the region.
International delegations from France and elsewhere are
expected.
April 24 is also the release date of Abu-Jamal's fifth book,
"A Life In The Party: The Story of the Black Panthers." The
acclaimed play "A Love Song for Mumia," which first premiered
at Howard Univer sity in Washington, D.C., will be presented at
Philadelphia's Freedom Theatre on April 23.
Latin@s For Mumia, formed in 1999, is organizing a
contingent for this year's march in Philadelphia. Among the
contingent's sponsors are ProLibertad, Vieques Support
Campaign, New York Committee of the Nationalist Party of Puerto
Rico, La Iglesia San Romero De Las Americas and ProLibertad
Youth Network.
The call for April 24 has been endorsed by a wide range of
progressive groups and individuals, including: 1199ers for
Peace & Justice; author Amina Baraka; Interna tional Action
Center; Arise for Social Justice, Springfield, Mass.; Boots
Riley, performer from hip-hop group The Coup, Oakland, Calif.;
New York City Labor Against the War co-chair Brenda Stokely;
David Wong Support Committee; Decem ber 12th Movement; and
Elombe Brath, WBAI Pacifica Radio.
Also: Leslie Feinberg, co-founder of Rainbow Flags for
Mumia; M'Backe House of Hope, Wilmington, Del.; NY Coal i tion
to Free Mumia; Pennsylvania Abolitionists United Against the
Death Penalty; Rever ends Herbert Daughtry and Luis Barrios,
New York; Women's Inter national League for Peace and Freedom,
Philadelphia; and Youth for Mumia National Collective. To add
your endorsement, call (215) 476-8812 or email icffmaj@aol.com.
In San Francisco, the first internationalist Mumia Abu-Jamal
film festival will be held on April 23. The following day, a
march will proceed from 16th and Mission Streets (16th Street
BART Station) in the Mission District, with rally to follow.
For more information, visit freemumia.org/events.html.
The Philadelphia rally will begin at 10 a.m. at Malcolm X
Park, located at 52nd Street and Pine. The march will begin at
11:30 a.m. and proceed to Abu-Jamal's child hood community of
North Phila del phia for a 1:30 p.m. program of speakers and
cultural performances. For more infor mation, visit mumia.org and millions4mumia.org
In a special act of solidarity, New York City women
activists and their allies will be organizing van caravans to
travel to Philadelphia on April 24 and then continue to
Washington, D.C., for the April 25 March for Women's Lives.
For more information on New York City transportation, call
(212) 633-6646.
Reprinted from the April 8, 2004, issue of
Workers World newspaper
This article is copyright under a Creative
Commons License.
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