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INTERNATIONAL ACTION CENTER
Tel: 212.633.6646 Fax: 212.633.2889
Web: { HYPERLINK http://www.iacenter.org }www.iacenter.org Email: { HYPERLINK mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] }[EMAIL PROTECTED]
For Immediate Release: August 1, 2000
For Information: Teresa Gutierrez/212-633-6646
IAC ACTIVISTS & SCORES OF OTHERS
ARRESTED AT REPUBLICAN CONVENTION IN PHILADELPHIA
Police are blamed for cracking down on right to protest
Activists in Philadelphia protesting the Republican Convention were arrested Tuesday afternoon as they demonstrated throughout the city. According to on-the-scene witnesses the police attitude toward today's protestors was the root of the problem. News reports indicate that over 200 people have been arrested so far.
IAC activists were among those arrested in Philadelphia. Included in the arrested IAC affinity group was Larry Holmes, who has recently been leading the protests against the execution of Shaka Sankofa/Gary Graham. Sankofa was executed in June by Gov. Death-George W. Bush despite an avalanche of material that raised Graham's innocence.
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Also arrested was Imani Henry, a founder of Rainbow Flags for Mumia. Henry, a trans activist, is reported to have been brutalized while being held by police. Activists are organizing phone calls, sending out emails and alerting the movement to assure that Henry is not further brutalized by infamous anti-trans police.
Since events in Seattle last year, government and law enforcement institutions around the country have beefed up their repressive apparatus in an attempt to quash dissent.
Seattle was a wake-up call to the powers that be when students, youth and some labor activists held militant protests and pitched street battles around the city denouncing the for-the-rich-only national and international politics of this country. Fearful of a burgeoning youth movement against capitalist corporations, police departments around the U.S. have escalated their repressive preparations to preempt dissent.
Monica Moorehead of Millions for Mumia and the IAC said, "This fear of a growing youth movement is why the Philadelphia police have provoked a situation today at the Republican Convention. Students and youth and all progressive people have every right to do whatever it takes to make our message heard. Unlike the Republican and Democratic Party, the people's movement does not have the corporate wealth to get its message across. How else would the people of this country hear about the movement against racism and the death penalty, for example if we were not taking to the streets of Philly?"
On Sunday, the IAC organized an anti-policy brutality and anti-death penalty march. The demonstration demanded justice for Robert Brown and Thomas Jones, two African American men who were brutalized recently by the Philadelphia. Brown was killed by the police just days before the Republican convention.
Brown and Jones are just but two recent examples of people of color who are daily subjected to the most vilest treatment by police or other law enforcement officials. "This brutality and violation of human and civil rights is of epidemic proportions," said Moorehead. "If the Democratic and Republican Parties were truly representative of the people, they would be calling on all their delegates to also take to the streets and protest against police brutality. That is the number one priority in society today. But neither the Republicans nor the Democrats would do that," continued Moorehead, "because they represent the rich and the multinational corporations."
"This is exactly why Mumia Abu-Jamal is in prison today. Not because he committed any crime but because he has fought against police brutality and racism all his life," said Moorehead. The IAC plans to continue its fight to demand freedom for Mumia. "Despite today's arrests, our next battle site is Los Angeles to protest against the Democratic convention," said Moorehead.
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International Action Center 39 West 14th Street, Room 206 New York, NY 10011 email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] web: www.iacenter.org CHECK OUT THE NEW SITE www.mumia2000.org phone: 212 633-6646 fax: 212 633-2889
