Mumia Abu-Jamal is a man of African decent who was formerly a Black Panther Party member and a journalist who blew the whistle on the widespread corruption and racism of the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania police department when it attacked and laid seige to an organization that promoted human rights for people of African descent called M.O.V.E. In an article in THE PARTISAN, a publication of the Peace And Freedom Party here in U.S.Occupied Califas, Gerald Sanders gives us a quote from Mumia Abu-Jamal from an interview on death row in Huntington Prison, Pennsylvania in 1992:"...when the confrontation started heating up in Philadelphia in 1977 and 1978-and it was really a very naked level of repression that the Philadelphia police heaped on M.O.V.E.-I could not help but draw attention to that, as a reporter. The acting mayor of Philadelphia at the time, Frank Rizzo, and his police started a seige against a M.O.V.E. house in Powelton Village in 1977. The seige lasted over one year. By the end, police cut off all water and electricity to the house, but people from the neighborhood and supporters from the city supplied M.O.V.E. with basic necessities.
Finally, on August 8, 1978, more than 700 policemen stormed the house. During their action, one policeman was hit in the crossfire of his colleagues. Nine M.O.V.E. members who were arrested in the house were later charged and convicted of having jointly killed this one cop. They were all sentenced to 30-100 years in prison, despite the fact that the judge admitted that he didn't know who had shot the cop." Gerald Sanders continues with his report:"Mumia Abu-Jamal was targeted by the state because he consistently and effectively monitored the cops and exposed their misconduct. Jamal is, in part, a martyr for the movement for police accountability, which is why many who oppose police brutality are fighting for his freedom. It is imperative that we defend those who face reprisal for activity that we advocate."
"For the past two decades the American ruling class has increased the exploitation of the working class and cut back all social programs for the poor. Therefore, the powers that be clearly understand that they are sitting on top of some very unhappy campers. They live in fear that a spark of social protest could start a social explosion. That is why they have vastly increased the powers of repression, including frame-ups."(Ed. note:see March 19, 1999 update for info about "Operation Urban Warrior"on the home page)
" At the same time, the ruling class recognizes the need to maintain the illusions that the judicial system- the cops, courts and prisons-are neutral and fair. They know and fear that the illusions in their judicial system are being threatened by the fact that more and more people are finding out about the case of Mumia Abu-Jamal and other innocent prisoners on death row. The ultimate injustice! They know that if we study and understand what happened to Mumia we will better understand how this system really works, who it works for-and who it doesn't work for. Mumia Abu-Jamal's case is an indictment of the system. that's why the powers that be don't want the people to know about him."
"In 1982, Jamal was sentenced to death for the killing of a Philadelphia police officer. Since then, post-conviction hearings have made public the false evidence, police coercion of witnesses and fabricated "confession" that were used to convict Jamal in a blatantly unjust trial. Mumia was found shot and badly wounded at the scene where officer Daniel Faulkner had been killed. A nighttime cab driver, he was carrying a legal pistol. A police pathologist reported that the officer had been shot with a .44 caliber gun, not a .38 like Abu-Jamal's weapon. The police have "lost" the bullet fragments from the crime scene. Abu-Jamal's gun was never tested to see if it had been fired, and no attempt was made to check his hands for powder residue."
These quotes were from Gerald Sanders-reporter for THE PARTISAN. He is currently active in Cop Watch, the Black Radical Congress, and in The Peace And Freedom Party, Califas. Also, Organized Labor is supporting Mumia Abu-Jamals freedom with a fund raiser. You can send checks of only $5.00 to: Labor Action Committee To Free Mumia Abu-Jamal, P.O. Box 16222, Oakland, Ca. 94610. you will receive a packet of information and union resolutions. BUT MOST IMPORTANT, BE IN SAN FRANCISCO APRIL 24! Get your family, friends, neighbors, students and car-pool, charter a bus or take a train or plane and HELP FREE MUMIA ABU-JAMAL from the injustice of the MILI-TERROR-ISTIC U.S.Evil Empire that is conspiring to take his life because HE DARED TO EXPOSE THEIR CRUELTY AND INHUMANITY!!Do it also for the other victims of this Evil Empire- like Tyisha Miller, and all others murdered and abused by the cops and other members of U.S.government security forces!
ASSEMBLE AT 10:30A.M. at Mission Dolores Park, 19th and Dolores Sts. It's near the 16th St. B.A.R.T. Station and J Church St. Muni line.) The March will procede from there to the Civic Center where the Rally will be held. For additional info., call from San Francisco: (415)-821-0459, from Los Angeles: (323)-733-2107, from San Diego: (619)-284-8766.
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