Philly Muslim Freedom Fund’s first-ever campaign kicks off May 13th and culminates on Malcolm X’s birthday! As we #honormalcolm, this flash fundraiser aims to free our brother from jail and illuminate the unjust practices of the Philadelphia Police Department (PPD).
The PPD actively engages in stop-and-frisk. By 2009, Philadelphia had surpassed every other major US city in the number of stops per capita, with over 260,000. Stop-and-frisk disparately impacts our Black and Latino neighbors, accounting for nearly 90% of stops. Moreover, close to 50% of stops-and-frisks lack a showing of reasonable suspicion. After intense pressure and advocacy, the PPD was forced to limit this practice.
However, a recently leaked memo suggests Philly police use vehicle stops to get around stop-and-frisk reform. The Defender Association of Philadelphia found that 74% of those stopped, searched and frisked were Black.
“What seemed to happen when we saw the pedestrian stops going down was we saw the disparities explode on vehicle stops — not just the number, but the racial disparity,” said Michael Mellon, a lawyer with the Defender Association of Philadelphia.
Our dear brother Abdul was illegally stopped and searched, as he was filling up air in his friend’s car while it was parked. Despite having full-time work, support from his work colleagues, and a loving daughter and fiancee, he was recently detained and jailed.
Micah Gold-Markel, CEO of Solar States says,
“Abdul Malik has been an exemplary employee since he started working at Solar States as a Solar Installer in early September. Abdul has always been on time and during his two month performance review was given high marks for hard work, dedication, and attitude. Abdul is on the fast track to being promoted. He has even mentored some of the younger employees.“
Brother Abdul is being held without bail as an option. We are raising money for his attorney fees, who has been doing an excellent job representing Brother Abdul. Brother Abdul has expressed his interest in keeping this attorney, so we are asking the community to show up for our brother. His story is frustrating, yet not unique within the city of Philadelphia where car searches have surged from police since the Bailey decision.
“I talked to Brother Abdul Malik the day that he came home from prison after serving 10 years at the notorious SCI Greene. Since then, he has been a light in my life and a shining example of a hard-working and community-minded returned citizen. When I learned that the PPD had racially profiled him, cops had lied about him on the witness stand, and they are trying to send him back to prison for another decade or more, I knew I couldn’t stand for it. We all need to fight so our brothers can get free, and stay free once they come home!“
-Jackson Kusiak, Abdul Malik’s close friend and colleague.
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Free Brother Abdul! #honormalcolm #freeabdul #freeemall
In order for Brother Abdul to get his freedom, we need to raise funds by May 20th.
SUPPORT NOW via CashApp:
$PMFreedomFund