HUNDREDS ARRESTED AT REPUBLICAN CONVENTION PROTESTING DEATH PENALTY & POLICE BRUTALITY AND DEMANDING NEW TRIAL FOR MUMIA ABU-JAMAL INTERNATIONAL ACTION CENTER ACTIVISTS AMONG NEARLY 500 JAILED

Wed, 02 Aug 2000

Los Angeles will be next site in struggle to stop execution of Mumia Abu-Jamal and end death penalty San Francisco Buses organized for protest set Sun., Aug 13 at Pershing Square and marching to Staples Center in LA

Activists in Philadelphia protesting the Republican Convention were  arrested Tuesday afternoon as they demonstrated throughout the city. According to on-the-scene witnesses the police attitude toward today's protestors was the root of the problem. News reports indicate that nearly 500 people have been arrested so far.

International Action Center (IAC) activists were among those arrested in Philadelphia, including Larry Holmes, a national IAC leader who has recently been leading the protests against the execution of Shaka Sankofa/Gary Graham. Sankofa was executed in June by Gov. George W. Bush despite an avalanche of material that raised Graham's innocence. Holmes will be a speaker at the Sunday Aug. 13 march in Los Angeles, kicking off protests at the Democratic convention. The mass march calls for a new trial for death row political prisoner, Mumia Abu-Jamal and opposes the death penalty.

“Since events in Seattle last year, government and law enforcement  institutions around the country have beefed up their repressive apparatus in an attempt to quash dissent," said Monica Moorehead, a national coordinator of the campaign to stop the execution of Abu-Jamal. "Seattle was a wake-up call to the powers that be. Fearful of a burgeoning youth movement against capitalist corporations, police departments around the U.S. have escalated their repressive preparations to pre-empt dissent."

Moorehead, a leading activist in Millions for Mumia and the IAC said, "This fear of a growing youth movement is why the Philadelphia police have provoked a situation today at the Republican Convention. Students and youth and all progressive people have the right to do whatever it takes to make our message heard. Unlike the Republican and Democratic Party, the people's movement does not have the corporate wealth to get its message across. How else would the people of this country hear about the movement against racism and the death penalty, for example, if we were not taking to the streets of Philly?"

"Both the Republicans nor the Democrats support the death penalty and more prisons and stand behind the cops when they carry out their racist and anti-poor terror," continued Moorehead, "because both parties represent the rich and the multinational corporations.

“Mumia Abu-Jamal is in prison today not because he committed any crime, but because he has fought against police brutality and racism all his life," said Moorehead. "The IAC plans to continue its fight to demand freedom for Mumia. The next step in our battle to save Mumia is in Los Angeles, protesting against the Democratic convention," said Moorehead. Moorehead will also be speaking at the Sunday Aug.13 march in LA.

Protests at the Democratic Convention in LA begin with a mass march and rally on Sunday Aug. 13 for Mumia Abu-Jamal and opposing the death penalty, gathering 12 noon at Pershing Square (5th and Olive St.), with a rally to follow the march starting at 4 p.m., at 11th & Figueroa. San Francisco buses depart Sat. Aug. 12th to join the mass march.

John Parker, co-coordinator of the IAC in LA stated, "Awareness about Mumia's right to a new trial and the racist nature of the death penalty is at a new level. You see this in the protests in Philadelphia. People are calling into our office in LA constantly and coming into volunteer. Over 20 buses from throughout the West are bringing people to the demonstration. People stop us on the street when we're leafleting to offer support. They see the Aug. 13 march for Mumia and against the racist death penalty and police brutality as crucial to the protest actions at the DNC."

Abu-Jamal and his legal team are awaiting the scheduling of oral arguments on his case before the federal district court in Philadelphia. Leonard Weinglass, Abu-Jamal's lead attorney, will be a featured speaker at the August 13 Los Angeles rally.

For more information about the buses to LA or to schedule an interview, call (415) 821-6545.

2489 Mission St. #28, San Francisco 94110 • (415) 821-6545 e-mail: actionsf@actionsf.org • web: www.actionsf.org

IAC ACTIVISTS & SCORES OF OTHERS  ARRESTED AT REPUBLICAN CONVENTION IN PHILADELPHIA/  Police are blamed for cracking down on right to protest

Tue, 1 Aug 2000

Activists in Philadelphia protesting the Republican Convention were arrested  Tuesday afternoon as they demonstrated throughout the city. According to on-the-scene witnesses the police attitude toward today's protestors was the  root of the problem. News reports indicate that over 200 people have been  arrested so far.

IAC activists were among those arrested in Philadelphia. Included in the  arrested IAC affinity group was Larry Holmes, who has recently been leading  the protests against the execution of Shaka Sankofa/Gary Graham. Sankofa  was executed in June by Gov. Death-George W. Bush despite an avalanche  of material that raised Graham's innocence.

Also arrested was Imani Henry, a founder of Rainbow Flags for Mumia.  Henry, a trans activist, is reported to have been brutalized while being held  by police. Activists are organizing phone calls, sending out emails and  alerting the movement to assure that Henry is not further brutalized by  infamous anti-trans police.

Since events in Seattle last year, government and law enforcement  institutions around the country have beefed up their repressive apparatus in  an attempt to quash dissent. 

Seattle was a wake-up call to the powers that be when students, youth and  some labor activists held militant protests and pitched street battles around  the city denouncing the for-the-rich-only national and international politics  of this country. Fearful of a burgeoning youth movement against capitalist  corporations, police departments around the U.S. have escalated their   repressive preparations to preempt dissent.

Monica Moorehead of Millions for Mumia and the IAC said, "This fear of a  growing youth movement is why the Philadelphia police have provoked a  situation today at the Republican Convention. Students and youth and all  progressive people have every right to do whatever it takes to make our  message heard. Unlike the Republican and Democratic Party, the people's  movement does not have the corporate wealth to get its message across.  How else would the people of this country hear about the movement against  racism and the death penalty, for example if we were not taking to the streets  of Philly?"

On Sunday, the IAC organized an anti-policy brutality and anti-death penalty  march. The demonstration demanded justice for Robert Brown and Thomas  Jones, two African American men who were brutalized recently by the  Philadelphia. Brown was killed by the police just days before the Republican  convention.

Brown and Jones are just but two recent examples of people of color who are  daily subjected to the most vilest treatment by police or other law  enforcement officials. "This brutality and violation of human and civil rights  is of epidemic proportions," said Moorehead. "If the Democratic and  Republican Parties were truly representative of the people, they would be  calling on all their delegates to also take to the streets and protest against  police brutality. That is the number one priority in society today. But neither  the Republicans nor the Democrats would do that," continued Moorehead,  "because they represent the rich and the multinational corporations."

"This is exactly why Mumia Abu-Jamal is in prison today. Not because he committed any crime but because he has fought against police brutality and  racism all his life," said Moorehead. The IAC plans to continue its fight to  demand freedom for Mumia. "Despite today's arrests, our next battle site is  Los Angeles to protest against the Democratic convention," said Moorehead.

International Action Center
39 West 14th Street, Room 206
New York, NY 10011
email: iacenter@iacenter.org
web: www.iacenter.org
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phone: 212 633-6646
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