PDC Speaker at Toronto United-Front Protest

“For Class-Struggle Defense! For Mass Protest for Mumia’s Freedom!”

We print below the speech given by Partisan Defense Committee speaker Debby Spector at the April 19 Toronto united-front protest called by the PDC as part of its international campaign for Mumia’s freedom.

The racist rulers want to put Mumia to death or entomb him for life. We say no!! Twenty-five years of legal proceedings starkly show there is no middle ground—it’s either fight for Mumia’s freedom or accede to his legal lynching or life in prison. The question is: how do we fight to win his freedom? What path leads to victory?

Mumia’s frame-up is a stark expression of the class and race bias of the capitalist courts. The rulers see in Mumia the spectre of black revolt, a voice of defiant opposition to the oppression of black people that is the cornerstone of American capitalism. The March 27 ruling should make clear to all that Mumia can get no justice at the hands of the very forces that framed him up and sentenced him to die.

Ever since the PDC took up Mumia’s case over 20 years ago, we have sought to mobilize the broadest forces in his defense. Today’s protest is one of many internationally that have been endorsed by unions representing hundreds of thousands of workers, and by many other organizations and individuals. I want to greet especially the trade unionists who’ve come out today with their banners: CUPW, the Steelworkers, CUPE, UFCW. I’m a member of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 113. Last year our local too voted to join the fight to free Mumia.

The Partisan Defense Committee fights for class-struggle defense—for mass protest for Mumia’s freedom based on labor’s social power, its ability to choke off the profits that are capitalism’s lifeblood. Genuine united-front action in Mumia’s defense means unity in action and complete freedom of criticism. It means open debate about what strategy is needed to rebuild the movement for Mumia and fight for his freedom. It is not a peace pact with reformists who push deadly illusions in the bosses’ courts, but a struggle against them.

The liberals and the reformists undermined the fight for Mumia’s freedom by diverting protests into pleas for a “new, fair trial.” We say the movement for Mumia must be rebuilt on the basis of a clear understanding that he is innocent; indeed, another man, Arnold Beverly, has confessed to the killing. Mumia must be freed, and the power of labor must be brought to bear on his behalf and that of all the oppressed. The power of millions of working people around the world—that’s how we can make the rulers back down!

Mumia’s struggle embodies the struggle against the whole capitalist system of exploitation and racist oppression. He has now nearly reached the end of the legal road. It is urgent that we mobilize labor power in his defense—in the factories, on the shop floors and in the streets. Mumia is innocent! Free him now!