[Pnews] ‘This Shit Ain’t New!’ Philly cop corruption cover-ups - freedom for Mumia Abu-Jamal

[Prisoner News]

https://www.workers.org/2019/10/43989/


  ‘This Shit Ain’t New!’ Philly cop corruption cover-ups

By Betsey Piette <https://www.workers.org/author/betsey/> posted on 
October 10, 2019
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Over 50 demonstrators gathered in Center City on Oct. 4 to rally for an 
end to mass incarceration and cop corruption cover-ups under the slogan: 
“This Shit Ain’t New! Cop Corruption Cover-ups Continue.” The protest 
took place at the bitterly contested statue of Frank Rizzo, notoriously 
racist and fascistic former police commissioner and later mayor of 
Philadelphia.

Speakers called for freedom for Mumia Abu-Jamal, the remaining 
imprisoned MOVE 9 members, and all unjustly convicted prisoners. They 
were responding to the Philadelphia Fraternal Order of Police’s staged 
show of concern held earlier that day at FOP headquarters for “victims 
of crime.” The FOP highlighted Maureen Faulkner, widow of the cop whose 
death was used to send activist-journalist Abu-Jamal to Death Row.

Police from the “victims” event later rallied at the office of 
Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, calling for his removal 
from participation in Abu-Jamal’s ongoing appeals process.

The counter-FOP protesters pointed out that the FOP and supporters are 
mobilizing against everyone who wants to end police misconduct. They 
emphasized that the FOP’s showcasing of Faulkner showed contempt for 
friends and relatives of thousands of Philly families whose loved ones 
have been unfairly imprisoned and murdered by cops. Many of those 
victims’ names were called out at the rally’s end.

On Sept. 3, Abu-Jamal’s attorneys filed new appeal briefs as well as a 
request, based on their finding of new evidence in DA files, to have his 
case sent back to the Philadelphia Common Pleas Court for a new hearing. 
In a Sept. 17 filing, Krasner’s office said it did not oppose this 
motion by Abu-Jamal.

A press release from Mobilization4Mumia, which initiated the counter-FOP 
protest, stated:  “Among the thousands of unfair convictions over the 
decades in Philadelphia is that of Mumia Abu-Jamal.  Recent court 
decisions and newly discovered evidence in his case have confirmed what 
his supporters have been arguing since 1981 — that his arrest, trial and 
appeals were rife with police, prosecutorial and judicial violations of 
the constitution.

“Police terror and over-zealous prosecution have resulted in the 
conviction of countless innocent people and mass incarceration. 
Intimidation and manipulation of witnesses, hiding evidence, 
discrimination in jury selection, ineffective counsel, judicial bias — 
these and other unfair systemic failings in Abu-Jamal’s and other cases 
cause unjust imprisonment of our community members.  At the same time 
the courts excuse police violence.”

The peoples’ rally was chaired by Megan Malachi, from Philly for REAL 
Justice, who said: “Those of us who were beat down in the streets by 
Philadelphia cops in 2014, 2015 and 2016 created the conditions [of 
organizing] that put Larry Krasner into office. Our consistent demand 
was that we were going to bring Mumia home.”

*FOP: protecting the system, not people*

Ted Kelly, speaking for Workers World Party, read from Abu-Jamal’s book, 
“Have Black Lives Ever Mattered?” describing the police as servants of 
capital, of those who run this system from the bank vaults and corporate 
offices. Kelly addressed the function of the FOP and how it came to be 
established, not as a real workers’ union, but as a structure used by 
police to exert political power. The FOP has a multimillion-dollar slush 
fund designed to buy politicians and judges.

Morgan Malachi, also with REAL Justice, stated: “Rizzo was the 
grandfather of racist Facebook posts. Instead of a computer, he used the 
media.  He had years of stacking his influence in this city. We know 
that the fix was in for Mumia, for the MOVE family and for every Black 
Philadelphian. But we know that resistance will outlive racists like 
Rizzo.  Resistance will bring Mumia home!”

Several speakers denounced the FOP’s intervention on behalf of cops 
either fired or convicted of serious crimes, only to have them returned 
to policing city streets.  One police commander accused of sexual 
harassment of at least four female cops was promoted to supervise the 
Special Victims Unit.

Following the rally, demonstrators took to the streets, curb-to-curb, 
blocking traffic as they marched around City Hall and down South Broad 
Street where they held a mini-rally outside the historically racist and 
sexist Union League. The march finally ended at 13th and Locust streets, 
site of the 1981 shooting for which Abu-Jamal was falsely convicted. A 
moment of silence was held for all victims of police brutality, 
including two MOVE 9 members, Merle Africa and Phil Africa, who died 
during incarceration.

Organizations that participated in the rally included 
Mobilization4Mumia, International Concerned Family and Friends of Mumia, 
Food Not Bombs Solidarity, Philly for REAL Justice, Campaign to Bring 
Mumia Home, Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, Occupy PHA, Revolutionary 
Abolitionist Movement, International Action Center, Occupy ICE, Workers’ 
Solidarity Network, Free Mumia Coalition (NYC), ACT-UP, Black Lives 
Matter Philly, Black Alliance for Peace, Philadelphia Tenants Union, 
MOVE and Workers World Party.


-- 
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863.9977 https://freedomarchives.org/
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