Imprisoned Black Panther activist speaks to student encampment by speakerphone
Incarcerated Black Panther activist Mumia Abu-Jamal told USA TODAY he supports “anti-imperialist” student encampments spreading across the country to protest the war in Gaza. He has been in prison for over 40 years after being convicted for the 1981 murder of a Philadelphia police officer. Abu-Jamal’s death sentence was overturned by a federal court. He has maintained his innocence.
Today’s activism on college campuses reminds 70-year-old Abu-Jamal of his youth during protests against the war in Vietnam and the civil rights movement for Black Americans, he said in a brief phone call from Mahanoy state prison in Pennsylvania. He compared the protests to people once holding up lighters at concerts. Today, people tend to use cell phones.
“These are flickers of light in an anti-imperialist movement,” he said. “It’s remarkable to see.”
Abu-Jamal was set to speak Friday afternoon to the City College of New York student encampment in West Harlem, but Muslim students were in prayer on the campus lawn, so his call would be rescheduled for the evening. On Thursday, he spoke to Columbia University’s student encampment via speakerphone. A microphone amplified his voice.
− Eduardo Cuevas
Drums in the Global Village 