Millions for Mumia National Co-Coordinator at the Feb. 24, 1999, New York press conference

Good morning. Yesterday the Millions for Mumia Mobilization learned that the New York Patrolmen’s Benevolent Association, the PBA, is planning a counter-demonstration outside of the Friday, Feb. 26 Town Hall rally for Mumia Abu-Jamal. I want to make our position crystal clear: We are not going to be intimidated by the PBA or any other police agency. We are going to carry out a strong program to demand no execution and a new trial for Mumia. Furthermore, the police must not infringe on the rights of the people who attend by shutting off the streets or trying to block people from entering Town Hall.

Why did we call decide to call for a rally at Town Hall? To show the world, and particularly the government, that there is broad support across racial, ethnic, religious, political, and class lines from people who believe Mumia Abu-Jamal should have a new trial and that no death warrant should be signed. The program includes celebrities, politicians, human-rights advocates, labor leaders, and former political prisoners.

It is an outrage that the PBA would plan this counter-demonstration at a time when the entire city is enraged over the brutal police slaying of Amadou Diallo. There are very significant connections between these cases. Mumia Abu-Jamal was targeted by the police and framed up because he was an effective opponent of police brutality in Philadelphia. We consider the planned PBA counter-demonstration to be a pro-police brutality demonstration.

There is growing concern about police brutality throughout the country. The roll call of young lives ended by racist police terror includes Anthony Baez, Donta Dawson, Tyisha Shenee Miller, Amadou Diallo, and hundreds more. Mumia Abu-Jamal represents the Amadou Diallos of this country. He represents the victims of extra-legal lynchings, like Matthew Shepard, James Byrd Jr., and Dr. Barnett Slepian. He represents the struggle against the racist death penalty, the prison-industrial complex, and all forms of repression.

We are not naive. When the police call a counter-demonstration , its purpose is to intimidate people from coming to this event. Obviously, people have good reason to fear the police. But we will not be intimidated by the PBA’s threats. This attempt at intimidation must be repelled by all those who stand for justice.

The New Jersey police failed to stop the Jan. 28 Rage Against the Machine concert, and in fact their anti-Mumia campaign backfired in their faces. Millions of people heard about Mumia’s case for the first time, and in spite of the blatantly pro-cop bias of the mainstream media’s coverage, many began to wonder: Why are the police so afraid of a new trial? What are they trying to hide? We predict the PBA’s campaign will backfire in the same way.

Anyone who wants to make a strong statement against police brutality should join us at Town Hall on Friday evening.

Stop the execution! A new trial for Mumia! All out for Town Hall!

http://www.mumia.org

Back to: Political Prisoners/Mumia Action Alerts

Back to: Political Prisoners/ Mumia Reports/Press