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Descendants and Supporters of MOVE Mark 30th Anniversary of Police Bombing

By Cherri Gregg and Pat Ciarrocchi

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- More than 200 people rallied today at 63rd Street and Osage Avenue, to mark the 30th anniversary of the MOVE disaster that killed 11 people and destroyed 62 homes in West Philadelphia.

They held signs that read, "We Will Not Forget," "Free the Move 9," and "Free Mumia."

"The Move is stronger now than ever before," said Michael Africa today.  Born in prison, he is the son of Debbie and Mike Africa, two of nine Move members convicted of the 1978 murder of Philadelphia police officer James Ramp during a previous confrontation between police and the radical group.

Today, members of the group stood with supporters to demand freedom for family members whom they call "political prisoners."

"We're gonna fight to free all of our brothers and sisters!" Michael Africa shouted.

Members of Move use the last name Africa.

"In 1985 they came out here to kill us, to stop us," Rain Africa told the rally today.  Born 15 years after the bombing of the group's house by Philadelphia police, Rain Africa called the action a crime against her family, wanting the world to remember the people who died.

"But I know their message and presence is still here, because I'm still here," Rain Africa said.

Jenny Bunn, a longtime Osage resident, watched today's rally from her porch.  She says she didn't like the Move residents when they lived nearby in the 1980s.

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(Jenny Bunn sits on her front steps and watches the Move rally with her sister. Photo by Cherri Gregg)

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"They would get on the (loudspeakers) and holler and fuss and cuss," Bunn recalls.  But, she notes, the bomb was worse.

"You don't just drop a bomb in a residential section like that."

And, she adds, she'll never forget it.

"I heard when the thing dropped," said Virginia Cox.

As CBS 3's Pat Ciarrocchi reports, Virginia Cox was 52 then and ran toward her home on Osage, a street she loved.

"The whole thing was on fire."

"This was just the best street and the city just destroyed everybody's lives here."

The living symbol of the Move struggle Ramona Africa is carrying on the fight.

"We know people have issues about Move, but get over it and deal with the real issue. The viciousness, the injustice, the brutality."

A sad day in Philadelphia's history remembered.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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