Four hundred off-duty police officers protested a Rage Against the Machine concert in Worcester, Mass. last Tuesday (Nov. 30), but police officers are not planning to demonstrate at the group's Philadelphia concert at the First Union Spectrum on Dec. 6. Police around the country oppose the rap metal group for supporting a retrial for Mumia Abu-Jamal, who was convicted of killing Daniel Faulkner, a Philadelphia police officer.

"We're not going to do any counter-demonstrations. We have our own memorials in support of Daniel Faulkner," said Michael Lutz, President of the Pennsylvania Fraternal Order of Police.

Faulkner was shot and killed in 1981 after stopping William Cook for driving down a one-way street in Philadelphia. Cook's brother, radio journalist and Black Panthers-member Mumia Abu-Jamal, was found guilty of the crime and sentenced to death. Abu-Jamal's supporters claim that prosecutors destroyed evidence and pressured witnesses into identifying him as the killer.

Abu-Jamal was granted a stay of execution on Oct. 26 and is pursuing a federal appeal. Rage Against the Machine made a donation to Abu-Jamal's defense fund after playing a benefit on his behalf.

Many police officers oppose Rage for its stance and have allied themselves with a national Fraternal Order of Police boycott against high-profile public figures who support Abu-Jamal.

Lutz believes that the group supports violence in general.

"We feel that Rage Against the Machine professes violence, not only violence against the community, but violence against the police," he said.

Police officers in New York, Baltimore and Worcester have refused to work off-duty security detail at Rage Against the Machine concerts. Lutz said that Philadelphia officers will do the same.

The Philadelphia police decision not to protest the group in the same city where Faulkner was killed comes in stark contrast to the protest at the Worcester show.

For nearly two hours before that show, 400 off-duty police officers from Worcester and surrounding communities marched and displayed signs, according to an Associated Press report. Dozens of fans responded with "Free Mumia" signs and chanting. Thirty-four people were arrested before the show for disorderly behavior, disturbing the peace and other charges.

For the Philadelphia show on Monday night, Lutz said that no Philadelphia officers will volunteer to work security inside the arena. On-duty officers will still direct traffic outside the 21,000 seat venue, as is usual for a large civic event.

"I'm sure they will be there reluctantly," he said.

The Spectrum does not anticipate any protests outside the show and plans to use a normal-size, private security force inside, according to a spokesperson for the venue.