Campaign for Mumia's release escalates

By Jeffrey Mackler

SAN FRANCISCO — On November 7, a militant demonstration of 2500 people here broadened the support for a new trial and for freedom for US political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal, whose appeal against his frame-up conviction on a murder charge was rejected on October 30.

The two-hour rally featured former political prisoner Angela Davis and other speakers representing 45 organisations, including Amnesty International, the School of the Americas Watch West, the San Francisco Labor Council, the AFL-CIO, Longshore Union Local 10 and the Oakland Education Association. These unions have endorsed and supported the freedom of Mumia Abu-Jamal.

The rally was the third in eight days as Mumia supporters mobilised to prepare for the critical struggle that faces all those who cherish human and democratic rights. An October 31 action in downtown San Francisco drew 1000 protesters, and a march and rally a few days later drew a similar number.

The November 14 meeting of the Mobilization to Free Mumia Abu-Jamal, attended by more than 70 activists, announced plans for the coming months, including distributing 50,000 Mumia fact sheets, petitions and other campaign information in the area in late November and, on December 12, local demonstrations, rallies and teach-ins in San Jose, Oakland, Sacramento, Berkeley, Palo Alto, Fresno, San Diego, Los Angeles, Sonoma, Marin, Santa Cruz, Portland and other cities.

A western regional conference is set for the University of California at Berkeley on January 30. The conference aims to mobilise support for national protests in San Francisco, Chicago and Philadelphia on April 24.

Mass mobilisations on April 30 in Philadelphia, San Francisco and Chicago are designed to unite all forces in the US and internationally who stand for Mumia's freedom and a new trial.

[For more information, e-mail Mobilization to Free Mumia Abu-Jamal at <jmackler@sirius.com>.]

From GLW issue 342