FRENCH NATIONAL LEGISLATOR, ACTIVISTS TO LEAD PHILADELPHIA TOWN MEETING TO DENOUNCE U.S. DETERMINATION TO EXECUTE MUMIA ABU JAMAL

French national legislator, activists to lead Philadelphia town meeting to denounce U.S. determination to execute Mumia Abu Jamal

PHILADELPHIA, PA –

Sept. 6, 2006

On the eve of the new session of the City Council of Philadelphia, local, national and international activists will gather in Philadelphia on Wednesday, September 6 to stand with French officials and activists who recently named a street in the French city of Saint Denis in honor of journalist Mumia Abu-Jamal, currently imprisoned on Pennsylvania's death row. The French delegation has traveled to Philadelphia to protest recent actions led by the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP).

In a media and internet campaign, the FOP, continuing a long practice of misinformation and hate-filled speech, has called for condemnation of France and the un-naming of Rue Mumia Abu-Jamal, insisting upon Mumia's guilt, despite major errors in his case and the recent granting of a new round of appeals.

The evening of activities, on Wednesday, September 6, will be held at the American Friends Service Committee, 15th and Cherry Street in Philadelphia.

At 5:30 the group will screen the independent documentary FRAMING AN EXECUTION, featuring Danny Glover and Angela Davis, which examines how mainstream media's framing of Mumia's case measures up to journalistic standards of fairness, balance, and accuracy. The documentary raises disturbing questions about media and judicial ethics.

At 6:30 there will be a TOWN HALL MEETING on strengthening the global movement to free Mumia, with international updates and strategy reports. The Town Hall meeting features French delegates JULIA WRIGHT, daughter of legendary writer Richard Wright and leading spokesperson for Mumia in France; PATRICK BRAOUEZEC, Representative for Saint Denis in the National Assembly of France and former Mayor of Saint Denis; RAPHAEL BARONTINI, Coordinator of Mumia Committee in Saint-Denis and Coordinator of the street naming celebration. Additional speakers include Harold Wilson, an exonerated prisoner recently released from death-row; Attorney Michael Coard; Tonya McCleary of the American Friends Service Committee, Pam Africa of International Concerned Family and Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal and others.

"At this critically urgent stage in the fight for the life of Mumia Abu-Jamal, Mumia's life the Fraternal Order of Police have been waging a vicious. campaign to try to kill him. When the city of Saint-Denis, France named a street in honor of Mumia Abu-Jamal the FOP went crazy. Racist, conservative politicians introduced resolutions laced with dangerous. lies in Philadelphia City Council, The House and Senate aiming to bully the French government to change the name of the street.", stated Pam Africa, Director of the International Concerned Family and Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal.

The Fraternal Order of Police introduced resolutions in the City Council of Philadelphia, the Senate of Pennsylvania and the U.S. Congress denouncing Saint-Denis and France for naming a street after Mumia, insisting that the name be withdrawn, and threatening sanctions. The resolutions were passed both in the City Council and the State Senate.

Pam Africa noted that French government officials and activists are well-informed on the facts of Mumia's case, including pending appeals and substantial evidence of errors in his trial. They chose to honor him for his work as a journalist and activist and to speak out against the continued use of the death penalty in the United States. They are not likely to respond to the demands of a few U.S. officials and police organizations that they turn back their long-held stand for justice in Mumia's case and for an end to the human rights violation inherent in the U.S. death penalty.

Rue Mumia Abu-Jamal, named in an April 2006 international ceremony, stands next to the Nelson Mandela Stadium, France's largest, in the city of Saint Denis.