On 9 November, London supporters of Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism! joined the Mumia Abu Jamal Defence Campaign, George Jackson Socialist League, African People’s Socialist Party and other groups for a lively protest outside the US embassy. The demonstration was part of a global demonstration on the day that Mumia’s legal team was to present an oral argument before the US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit in Philadelphia. Other demonstrations occurred in Germany, France, and across the United States and other countries.
Mumia Abu Jamal is a revolutionary journalist, who was a founder member of the Philadelphia branch of the Black Panther Party. He gained a reputation as the ‘voice of the voiceless’, giving solidarity and coverage to the struggles of poor and oppressed people across the world, notably his coverage of the 1985 Philadelphia police department bombing of the compound where members of the MOVE organisation were living. He was sentenced to death for the murder of Philadelphia policeman Daniel Faulkner, in a trial characterised by open racism, suppression of vital evidence, changing statements by witnesses and death threats against the legal team. Mumia was convicted of a crime that he did not commit.
A speaker from Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism! talked about the racist nature of the imperialist state, Mumia’s struggle, and the struggle of Irish Republicans, Black and Muslim people against the racist British police and prison system. Chanting and music from supporters of the Mumia Abu Jamal campaign ensured that the demonstration was lively and made its presence felt. Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism! offers its full support to Mumia, and will continue to work to prevent his murder at the hands of US imperialism.
