>From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >To: "International"<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >NEW MEDIA ATTENTION REFLECTS GROWING MASS ACTIVITY IN >SUPPORT OF MUMIA ABU-JAMAL�S DEMAND FOR A NEW TRIAL > >The growing number of mass actions and confrontations, from the >Antioch College commencement activities to the mass rally in Madison >Square Garden on May 7, have prompted increased media attention on >Mumia�s case. It is noteworthy that the New York Times, which has >been particularly silent on Mumia�s struggle, carried a major article by >Francis X. Clines in the Week in Review on May 21. The article that >leads with a streamer �Killer or Victim?� puts Mumia�s case at the >epicenter of the countrywide raging controversy on concerning the >death penalty. > >The article states in part, �Mr. Abu-Jamal�s cause, in any case, is >clearly flourishing. � 6,000 believers in Mr. Abu-Jamal gathered earlier >this month in Madison Square Garden in Manhattan. And thousands >more demonstrated in European capitals, blocking some Paris >intersections. When a five-member French delegation showed up last >month in Philadelphia with 50,000 protest signatures, their path had >been blazed by Francois Mitterrand�s widow Danielle, who visited Mr. >Abu-Jamal in prison. His cause has drawn sympathy from movie actors >and world leaders, from Ed Asner to Nelson Mandela, Amnesty >International joined the call and citing �a pattern of events that >compromise Abu-Jamal�s right to a new trial.�� > >The New York Times article continues, �'It�s probably the biggest >international mobilization since the Angela Davis case,� said Leonard I. >Weinglass, an experienced leftist advocate who is handling the appeal >for Mr. Abu-Jamal.� > >The New York Times article concludes �Even so, with the Abu-Jamal >case now entwined with the capital punishment issue, his supporters >expect a pending court decision to galvanize both causes, whether a >new execution date is set or a new trial is ordered. �We�re persisting,� >said Pam Africa, who directs the Abu-Jamal web site. �This can only >get bigger.�� > >In addition to the New York Times article, the New York Amsterdam >News, the Harlem-based African American weekly known throughout >the United States, carried the headline �Thousands Cheer Mumia� on >its front page May 11 with a cover photo of Abu-Jamal. The >Amsterdam News coverage of the May 7 Madison Square Garden event >was a major breakthrough. > >Mumia Abu-Jamal supporters are planning to pack the courtroom when >Mumia comes to court for what they hope to be an evidentiary hearing >sometime this summer. Monica Moorehead, a coordinator of the >Millions for Mumia/International Action Center, stated that the growing >movement in support of Mr. Abu-Jamal will bring thousands of >supporters to protest at the Republican Convention on July 30 to August >2 and in Los Angeles at the Democratic Convention on August 13. > > __________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki - Finland +358-40-7177941, fax +358-9-7591081 e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.kominf.pp.fi ___________________________________ [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe/unsubscribe messages mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] ___________________________________
