Solidarity for Mumia

by: mike davidson, moshava

Philadelphia- Saturday, April 24 - I would have to say that my favorite group there was the running anarchists. I don't know if that is their official title but as we marched through the downtown area every few minutes they would appear sprinting alongside the march in all black, their faces covered with bandanas, jumping on top of constructions sites and waving the black flag of anarchy over the city of Philadelphia.

We were in Philadelphia that day to join tens of thousands of people from around the country and around the world in support of a new trial for Mumia Abu Jamal, a founding member of the Black Panther Party in Philadelphia and a supporter of the MOVE organization, one of the most bitter enemies of the Philadelphia police department. He has won many journalism awards for his exposes on police brutality and racism in Philadelphia. In 1981, he was arrested for the murder of a police officer and was sentenced to death. In the years since, large amounts of new evidence has surfaced that was not seen by the trial jury, but the judge under pressure from the fraternal order of police has refused to grant a new trial. He is scheduled to be executed this year under order of the governor of Pennsylvania. Many of his supporters argue that he was framed by police and judicial systems because of his political activism.

This case has drawn together a coalition of hundreds of organizations and movements from the radical left wing all over the world who view Mumia as a political prisoner and are outraged at his imprisonment and death sentence. A weirder group of people would be hard to find together, but they came out in force today to let the State of Pennsylvania know that this outrage would not be allowed to continue unchallenged. From France and Germany to Ohio to New York to Canada and Japan came Communists and Socialists, Anarchists, Vegans and College Students, Union Members and Anti-death penalty activists, all to rally in support of Mumia. It was inspiring to see the rainbow of faces of different groups that were there for the cause. I saw families with little children, old men wearing black Anarchist t-shirts, middle-aged hippies and many different gay, lesbian, and bi-sexual groups (including "Feed Up Queers," who used the acronym of their name very creatively in their banners). It was great to see the radical left in America put aside the factionalization that has plagued them for years and fight for what is right.

Disappointingly, there was not a large contingency of groups from religious communities such as the Catholic Peace movement or left wing Jewish groups (although one was spotted). Many Jews were present, (following the rich tradition of Jewish radicalism led by individuals as diverse as Emma Goldman, Leon Trotsky, Abbie Hoffman and J.C. Sirrot), however they were not officially representing the mainstream Jewish community.

Twenty some members and former members of Habonim Dror (10 from Workshop 47!) [yeah, but did they stay till the end of the rally? –ed] marched together for Mumia. We were all drawn by the same need to see justice done and to stand up to a racist judicial system. It was an incredible day of solidarity with people from around the world to our own close friends.

For more information, check out: www.mumia.org