>From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >Statement from the International Action Center and the May 7 Mumia >Mobilization on the verdict: > >JUSTICE FOR DIALLO >Cops' acquittal = license to kill > >The International Action Center and May 7 Mumia Mobilization join with >many other labor, community, religious and student groups in condemning in >the strongest possible terms the acquittal of four white New York cops in the >brutal murder of Amadou Diallo, an African immigrant worker living in the >Bronx. > >The IAC extends its profound solidarity and sympathy to the family of Mr. >Diallo. Amadou Diallo's real, and only, "crime" was being Black in a city >where white cops have now been granted a renewed license to kill people of >color. > >In a multinational demonstration called by People's Justice 2000, on Saturday >Feb. 26th thousands marched from 57th Street. & 5th Avenue through >Manhattan. The mood was militant and angry. > >At 42nd Street and other points throughout the march, police tried to break >up the protest. The police kept pushing marchers back onto the sidewalk. >However, demonstrators kept marching to the downtown City Hall area. > >Chants today included "No Justice, No Peace," "1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10-11-12-13- >14-15-16-17-18-19-20-21-22-23-24-25-26-27-28-29-30-31-32-33-34-35-36-37-38- >39-40- 41," [referring to the number of shots fired at Amadou Diallo], and >"Whose streets? Our streets!" > >The May 7 Mumia Mobilization banner saying, "Justice for Amadou Diallo," >was in the march. In front of St. Patricks Cathedral, 12 or so people were >arrested when they laid down in the street in a civil disobedience action. > >Others were arrested around the 42nd Street area, when the fully-armored >police waded into the crowd and started grabbing leaders of the protest. The >cops then stole the sound equipment being used by the protesters. Among >the 92 arrested point were five people with the May 7 Mumia Mobilization >contingent. > >The outcome of this case was manipulated by Mayor Giuliani and other city, >state and police officials. They moved the trial to Albany, a much whiter and >more conservative area, just as was done in the Rodney King trial in 1992. >(The four cops who viciously beat Rodney King in Los Angeles in 1991 had >their trial moved to a predominantly white suburb, Simi Valley, and were >acquitted, despite the videotaped evidence of their brutality.) > >The judge virtually directed the jury to acquit the NYPD cops in his >instructions and the jury predictably carried out those instructions. > >The Diallo verdict is reminiscent of the infamous Dred Scott case. It says, in >effect, that 'Black people have no rights -- not even the right to live -- >that the >police are bound to respect.' > >There can be no doubt that these four white cops would never have shot >Amadou Diallo once, let alone 19 times, if he had been white. What is needed >now is massive and militant protest against this outrageously racist and anti- >working class verdict. The verdict in Albany reaffirms the truth that we >cannot achieve justice by relying on the courts, which are just another >corrupt arm of a corrupt and racist system. Only the struggle of the people >can win justice for Amadou Diallo. > >The People's Justice 2000 includes the Audre Lorde Project, Center for >LGBSTPOC; CAAAV; Organizing Asian Communities, Capitol District >Justice for Diallo Comm., Center for Constitutional Rights, Center for Social >Action, Fellowship of Reconciliation, Jews for Racial and Economic Justice, >Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, National Action Network, National >Congress for Puerto Rican Rights, National People's Campaign, National >People's Democratic Uhuru Movement, October 22 Coalition, Parents >Against Police Brutality, Positive Workforce, Project Reach, SLAM/USG >Hunter, STRESS Magazine, and Youth Force. > >In related news, hundreds of people were at an event sponsored by the Rev. >Al Sharpton Feb. 26 in protest of the verdict, and another demonstration is >planned at the United Nation Feb. 27. We have received news of protests in >Albany, Baltimore, Newark, N.J., Houston, and Atlanta as well. > >For more information on protests being planned in New York City, contact >the May 7 Mumia Mobilization at 212-633-6646 or the International Action >Center at [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > __________________________________ 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] ___________________________________
