Be in Philadelphia, Sat., May 14 to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the terrorist bombing by police on the MOVE house and to demand the freedom of the MOVE 9.

10:30am--Gathering at 63rd St. and Osage Ave. (site of the bombing) followed march 12:30pm--Rally at Malcolm X Park (52nd and Pine Ave.)

Transportation is leaving from IAC office, 39 W. 14th St . Room 206 at 7:30am and returning to New York City by 5:30pm. Round-trip tickets $15-$20. Call 212-633-6646 for more information.

Why you should be in Philadelphia March 14--

On May 13, 1985, 11 people, including children, were slaughtered by the Philadelphia police in an act of terror, when they bombed a house containing members of MOVE. The whole surrounding block of homes--61 houses in all--were destroyed, and more than 200 people were left homeless. Not one cop or official has ever been convicted in dropping the bomb on MOVE and this working class Black neighborhood.

The local government with the support of the U.S. government used racist demonization of MOVE especially in the media to justify this bombing and to isolate MOVE. The authorities claimed that MOVE's lifestyle of communal living somehow posed a harmful threat to the rest of the community when the real threat was police brutality.

In 1977, the Philadelphia police arrested 9 members of the MOVE family because they dared to defend themselves when the police brutalized them for years. The MOVE 9 has been imprisoned for the past 27 years, with outrageous sentences ranging from 30 years to 100 years. One of the 9, Merle Africa, died in prison from lack of health care when she developed cancer. One of the MOVE members, Pam Africa, is the national coordinator of the International Concerned Family and Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal. Mumia has been a MOVE supporter since the late 1970's and came to MOVE's defense when it came under police attack in 1978. This is one of the main factors that lead to his 1981 frame-up and being railroaded to death row in 1982.

Twenty years since the MOVE bombing happened, the police and the courts have intensified their attacks on MOVE with Cointelpro type tactics including police surveillance, wiretaps, the removal of their children, infiltration and much more.

Defending MOVE's right to exist free from government harassment is important because if the government feels that they can get away with this type of harassment, anyone can be next. Political solidarity with MOVE and the MOVE 9 is of paramount significance in the overall struggle against racist repression. Join the IAC, NY Free Mumia Coalition, Friends of MOVE and other activists in Philadelphia on May 14.