LIBEREZ MUMIA! DELEGATION BRINGS SOLIDARITY FROM FRANCE
By Betsey Piette
PhiladelphiaPhoto: Pam Africa and Julia Wright at City Hall with the Fench delegation on Nov 2, 2002--by Hans Bennett, Indymedia
November 13, 2002--More than 200 demonstrators rallied at City Hall here on Nov. 2 to demand that the court hear evidence it has so far ignored in the case of political activist and journalist Mumia Abu-Jamal. Abu-Jamal is on death row for the 1982 shooting of a police officer that self-described hitman Arnold Beverly has now confessed to, but the court has so far refused to admit into evidence a videotape of Beverly's confession or call him in for questioning.
A 50-person delegation from France, Guadeloupe and French Guiana took part in the protest. The delegates included French and European deputies, mayors of six French cities that have made Abu-Jamal an honorary citizen, labor leaders, communists and other activists.
The delegation led the demonstration, carrying a banner in French that demanded freedom for Abu-Jamal.
The rally was held on the weekend before Election Day to highlight a dangerous political situation: Both Pennsylvania gubernatorial candidates, Democrat Ed Rendell and Republican Mike Fisher, ran pro-death penalty campaigns.
Fisher is the state attorney general of Pennsylvania. Rendell is a former district attorney and one-time mayor of Philadelphia. As a candidate for governor he publicly called for the execution of Abu-Jamal.
Following the rally, demonstrators marched to Rendell's Center City campaign office. Abu-Jamal supporters held a short rally in front of the nearby Union League building on South Broad Street. The Union League has historically been the target of many demonstrations because of its history of discrimination against women and people of color.
Rally speakers included Pam Africa from the International Concerned Family and Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal, members of the French-speaking delegation, Sam Jordan from ICFFMAJ, Viola Plummer from the December 12 Movement, Monica Moorehead from the International Action Center, Benjamin Ramos from the Vieques Support Campaign and a representative of the Leonard Peltier Defense Committee.
The French delegation brought petitions containing 250,000 signatures and calling for freedom for Mumia Abu-Jamal. The delegates sought an audience with Pennsylvania representatives. The delegation also carried a letter from Danielle Mitterrand, the widow of former French president François Mitter rand, to Rendell, reminding him of a promise he had made to her when he was mayor that he would look into evidence of Abu-Jamal's innocence.
An International Day of Protest to Demand that the Evidence be Heard and that Mumia be Immediately Released
MUMIA ABU-JAMAL STILL INNOCENT! STILL ON DEATH ROW!
Both candidates for governor of Pennsylvania, Democrat Ed Rendell and Republican Mike Fisher, are running "kill Mumia" campaigns. This despite massive evidence proving Mumia's innocence and a confession by another man, Arnold Beverly, that he, not Mumia, shot Officer Faulkner. On August 27, 2002, Mumia's legal team filed an appeal of Judge Dembe's November 21, 2001 decision. They compare Dembe's ruling to the infamous Dred Scott decision stating that the Black man has no rights that the white man has to respect.
There has been a corporate media blockade of any news relating to Mumia's case or to Mumia himself. Even his commentaries have been banned and censored. Whose voice, even from the depths of death row in SCI Greene in Pennsylvania, have we heard on one aspect after another of this U.S. drive for worldwide domination? Each powerful message Mumia writes makes his enemies hate him still more and become more determined to kill him even though they know he's innocent.
Now more than ever, we must support Mumia Abu-Jamal, a leading antiwar voice, a victim of government repression, a leading fighter for justice and peace.
Join Pam Africa, International Concerned Family & Friends of Mumia, Julia Wright and the French delegation in an international day of protest to demand that the evidence be heard and that Mumia be immediately released..
Saturday, November 2, 2002
Philadelphia City Hall
(15th & Market St.) 11 A.M
BEVERLY'S CONFESSION MUST BE HEARD! DEMAND MUMIA'S RELEASE NOW!
International Concerned Family & Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal • www.Mumia.org
Free Mumia Coalition • 212-330-8029 • www.FreeMumia.com • IAC • 212-663-6646 • www.iacenter.org • www.millions4mumia.org
International Action Center
39 West 14th Street, Room 206
New York, NY 10011
email: iacenter@action-mail.org
En Espanol: el_iac@yahoo.com
web: http://www.iacenter.org
CHECK OUT SITE http://www.mumia2000.org
phone: 212 633-6646
fax: 212 633-2889
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