Black Community Activist Faces Possible 10 Years
in Prison in Free Speech Case. Sentencing
Scheduled for Wednesday, October 13.
What: Pre-sentencing Press Conference and Demonstration
When: Wednesday, October, 13 8:45 AM
Where: East side of the Philadelphia Criminal Justice Center (13th and Filbert)
Contact: Free Diop Committee, John Perez @
215-200-8737, or Alison Hoehne @ 215-313-9506
Diop Olugbala (aka Wali Rahman) will be sentenced
on Wednesday, October 13 to a possible 10 years
in prison for speaking out on behalf of the
rights of the black community. He was convicted
on August 24, 2010 of aggravated assault on a
police officer despite videotape evidence that
Diop was the victim of a police assault while he
was engaged in a peaceful, legal protest of
Philadelphia Mayor Nutter budget presentation.
Olugbala is the President of the International
Peoples Democratic Uhuru Movement, an
organization that advocates for democratic rights
and social justice for the black community.
Olugbalas supporters believe that the decision
to prosecute and convict Diop on such serious
charges for a civil protest is part of a
repressive trend guided by the Obama
administration to stifle dissent and silence
citizen opposition to government policies on the
local and federal levels. As recent examples, they cite:
* July 2010 re-sentencing of Lynne Stewart to
10 years following her conviction on providing
material support to terrorists charges stemming
from her legal representation of Sheikh Omar Abdel-Rahman.
* September 2010 FBI raids of 8 homes and
offices of anti-war activists in Chicago and
Minnapolis allegedly seeking connections with
Colombian and Palestinian liberation organizations.
* Attendees to Olugbalas trial in August
2010 were required by Judge Renee Cardwell Hughes
to submit identification a departure from normal court procedure.
Olugbala was arrested in March 2009 at a
Philadelphia City Council meeting while holding a
sign protesting what he calls Mayor Nutters
billion-dollar war budget because of its
generous funding of the police department and
drastic budget cuts to social services cutbacks
felt most severely in the black community, where
40% of families live below the poverty level.
Previously Olugbala received worldwide media
coverage when he publicly challenged
then-candidate Barack Obama during a 2008
campaign stop in St. Petersburg,
Florida. Olugbala demanded to know why Obama
would not denounce police violence and economic
exploitation in African communities in the U.S.
He raised a banner and led a chant, What about
the black community, Obama? He has organized in
cities around the U.S. demanding economic
development resources for black communities and
denouncing the common policy of aggressive
policing and discriminatory incarceration.
Olugbalas sentencing takes place during a time
of growing civil unrest in Philadelphias black
community in the aftermath of the highly
publicized police beating of Askia Sabur. Free
speech and black rights advocates say that
Olugbala is being targeted to silence legitimate
protest against government policy, especially as
it relates to police conduct. The District
Attorney in Olugbalas case is Seth Williams, who
is also leading the drive to execute journalist
and former Black Panther Party member Mumia Abu Jamal.
According to Olugbala, The Rizzo years are back
in the form of the right wing reactionary
Democratic Party finance capital-affiliated uncle
tom trinity in the form of Michael Nutter,
Charles Ramsey and Seth Williams. But theyre too
late. Nothing can stop the reemergence of the
righteous struggle for self-determination and
freedom for African people. Black is back!
A press conference and demonstration will be held
prior to Olugbalas sentencing hearing, at 8:45
a.m. on the east side of the Philadelphia
Criminal Justice Center (13th and Filbert).
Endorsing and participating in Wednesdays press
conference and demonstration will be the
International Peoples Democratic Uhuru Movement,
African Socialist International, Pam Africa of
International Concerned Family and Friends of
Mumia Abu Jamal, Black and Nobel Bookstore,
Pastor Donna Jones of Cookman Methodist Church,
Top Dollar CEO of the Dollar Boys and Alison
Hoehne of the African Peoples Solidarity Committee.
For video background info, visit:
<http://postlink.www.listbox.com/784690/a9c01b59e2c2751541bd4abd7ed08e12/2999461/a9ca1d25?uri=aHR0cDovL3VodXJ1bmV3cy5jb20vdmlkZW8vcGxheT9yZXNvdXJjZV9uYW1lPWZyb20tZmxhc2htb2JzLXRvLWJsYWNrLXBvd2VyLWZyZWUtZGlvcC1vbHVnYmFsYS12aWRlbw>http://uhurunews.com/video/play?resource_name=from-flashmobs-to-black-power-free-diop-olugbala-video
http://uhurunews.com/video/play?resource_name=philadelphia-mayor-nutter-served-summons-to-people-s-court-video
<http://postlink.www.listbox.com/784692/3d4318b049a332c3ebfdf1ffcb08e344/2999461/a9ca1d25?uri=aHR0cDovL3VodXJ1bmV3cy5jb20vdmlkZW8vcGxheT9yZXNvdXJjZV9uYW1lPXdoYXQtYWJvdXQtdGhlLWJsYWNrLWNvbW11bml0eS1vYmFtYS12aWRlbw>http://uhurunews.com/video/play?resource_name=wha©
0\¹ÿÿÿÿlZb t-about-the-black-community-obama-video
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John Johnson
Change-Links Progressive Newspaper
[email protected]
http://change-links.org
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