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From International Concerned Family and Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal: From: icffmaj@aol.com Date: Mon, 5 Jun 2006 21:41:07 EDT Subject: [icffmaj] FOP Update! Free Mumia! Friends and comrades of Mumia and the Free Mumia Coalition: This ongoing struggle with the Fraternal Order of Police and its allies, particularly in Philadelphia of course, has escalated considerably. Last week Congressman Fitzpatrick and Congresswoman Schwartz co-sponsored House Resolution 407, calling on the US Congress to denounce the honoring of Mumia by the city of Saint Denis in naming a street after him. The resolution demands that Saint-Denis UNname rue Mumia Abu-Jamal and, alternatively, if it refuses to do so that the French Government force Saint Denis to withdraw that name. Interestingly, and note the former Mayor of Saint-Denis' response to this issue, the resolution also calls for commending "all police officers in the United States and throughout the world"(!). Surely that includes those cops who sodomized and tortured Abner Louima, the cops who shot 41 shots and killed Amadou Diallou, and the cop who killed Anthony Baez because his football hit the police car -- just to mention a few police officers who would be included in this blanket honor. On May 25th, while a group of us called a press conference at the Fraternal Order of Police in Philadelphia, the City Council of Philadelphia, in response to City Councilman Ryan's initiative UNANIMOUSLY passed a resolution supporting Fitzpatrick's and Schwartz's congressional resolution. The media, other than noted, meticulously detailed, and researching journalist Linn Washington, studiously avoided our press conference so as to be able to continue to present their totally one-sided picture of "Cop killer gets street named after him in France". The press conference quickly turned into a confrontation with the FOP, who came out with their "Fry Mumia" raggedy banner (which they could not keep up despite repeated attempts to do so!), and tried to silence our attempt to get out information about why the Congressional resolution was one-sided, inaccurate, and was not in the service of truth or justice. A video of that confrontation will be up on our website some time next week. Yesterday, June 1st, we were at Philadelphia's City Hall to confront that council with the one-sided picture they had been given, to the resolution they had passed with no presentation of the "other side" -- the statement by the Mayor of Saint-Denis about why they were naming the street in honor of Mumia, and the endless statements from around the globe about the total lack of fairness of Mumia's trial, conviction, sentence, and appeals process. WE PLAN TO BE BACK IN PHILADELPHIA AT THE CITY COUNCIL NEXT THURSDAY TO BRING MORE INFORMATION INTO THE RECORD. PLEASE JOIN US IF YOU POSSIBLY CAN. CALL 212-330-8029. Leave a message stating that you are available with your phone number, and we will call you back within 24 hours to make travel arrangements. In this context, the response of Patrick Brauouezec to the FOP vitriolic and fascistic campaign, aimed at intimidating and SILENCING the legitimate and just worldwide demands for a new and FAIR trial for Mumia, are extremely significant. Please give his analysis and his proposals for action your serious attention. Ona Move! Free Mumia and All Political Prisoners! Long live the people's struggle for justice! Suzanne Ross, Co-chair, Free Mumia Abu-Jamal Coalition (NYC) |