San Jose, CA – On the evening of Monday, April 21, 30 people gathered at the San Jose Peace and Justice Center for the Mumia Freedom Tour hosted by the Freedom From Frame-Up Foundation. The focus of the event is to center the wrongful imprisonment of Mumia Abu-Jamal, a prolific journalist and Black Panther political prisoner, who has been held captive in Pennsylvania prisons for over 43 years.

Jamal Ibn Mumia, Abu-Jamal’s eldest son who is spearheading the foundation’s tour and campaign, started off the event with an energizing and unifying chant, “Free Mumia!”

Mumia expressed that a reinvigorated campaign is needed to fight for Abu-Jamal’s freedom and win his unconditional release from prison. The Mumia Freedom Tour will continue in other locations in the U.S. to garner broad public support. Mumia reminded the attendees saying, “as revolutionaries, we unify – that’s what makes us strong cuz our message is justice not for a few, but for all.”

The first part of the program featured a screening of Manufacturing Guilt – A Short Film About Mumia Abu-Jamal’s Case, telling the story of how Abu-Jamal was framed for the killing of a police officer and ,through an egregious absence of due process, was wrongfully convicted and imprisoned. The screening also detailed how there was no evidence presented that incriminates Abu-Jamal.

After the short film, Rachel Wolkenstein, a previous lawyer for Abu-Jamal’s case, spoke about the grave injustice that he faced for his initial sentencing saying, “Mumia was the only [victim] in the United States to actually be sentenced to death for his association with the Black Panther Party. No previous criminal charges except for this one.”

The evening continued with a spoken word performance from Oakland artist Epitome and a fundraiser for the Mumia Freedom Tour, which will make stops around the Bay Area before continuing across the country.

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