FREE MUMIA NOW COALITION
British Columbia Activists to Rally and March in Support of Mumia Abu-Jamal
6 December 1997, U.S. Consulate
Vancouver civil rights activists will rally at the U.S. Consulate on Saturday December 6 at 12 noon in defense of Mumia Abu-Jamal. Thousands of people are demonstrating in cities around the world that day as the U.S. Supreme Court is expected to rule on Abu-Jamal's bid for a retrial. If the Court decides against his request, Abu-Jamal could be executed shortly thereafter. Given the composition of the Court, his prospects look grim.
Abu-Jamal, a journalist and former Black Panther, sits on death row in a Pennsylvania prison after being framed for murdering a police officer. Mumia and other Black Panthers were targets of a three decade FBI campaign to "terminate" radical Black leaders. The prosecution has not produced hard evidence or a single credible witness against Mumia, yet Pennsylvania "hanging" Judge Albert Sabo has upheld the conviction.
Abu-Jamal's case is embraced by a broad spectrum of activists fighting against police brutality, racism, political prisoners, increasing prisonization, and the death penalty.
The Vancouver rally, supported by over 20 organizations, is linked to similar events in Toronto. Demands at both rallies are: Free Mumia Abu-Jamal, Abolish the Death Penalty, End Police Brutality, and Free All Political Prisoners. A letter of protest will be delivered to the U.S. Consulate during the rally and a march to the Vancouver Pre-trail Centre will follow.
Rally coordinators Shawna Hellenius of Radical Women, and Sara Parker-Toulson of SF P!RG, encourage communities most affected by police brutality to attend and speak out.
"Recent attacks targeted on the Latino community and anti-APEC demonstrators expose the daily violence and discrimination by Vancouver police. First Nations have been brutalized and unjustly confined for centuries. Blacks, East and South Asians, gays, lesbians, radicals and unionists are ongoing targets of harassment. We're saying this has to end now. Mumia's plight is the tip of the iceberg," says Hellenius.
For more information or to help organize, endorse or speak at the rally call 604 874-9048 or 604 872-2761 or email: shawna@portal.ca
Sponsored by the FREE MUMIA NOW COALITION (Vancouver): Activists of Iranian Revolutionary Workers Organization (Rah-e-Kargar), Committee for Equality for Immigrants and New Canadians, Freedom Socialist Party, International Socialists, International Federation of Iranian Refugees, Iranian Immigrants and Refugees Society, Iranian People's Fedaian Guerrillas (Vancouver), Radical Women, Radio Aras (Farsi), Sandy Nelson Defense Committee, SF P!RG, Socialist Action, Socialist Challenge, Vancouver International of Hope, Union of People's Fedaian, Workers Communist Party of Iran (Vancouver), Workers Communist Party of Iraq (Vanvouver). Add your name to the list of Mumia supporters. For more information or to help build the rally call 604 874-9048 or 604 872-2761, 604 874-9058 fax.
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