Submission
Saw this paint for Antwon Rose, murdered by the fuckin’ cops. It was in South Philly near Catharine st.
FTP forever.
from It’s Going Down
“The Summer of Rage has begun! Get your sun screen on because it’s gonna be a hot one!”
by Art Burbridge
Radical struggle is on the rise in Philadelphia. Since at least 2016, anarchist actions—by the Summer of Rage Anarchist Crew, Antifa, and many others—have been intensifying and broadening in a city that already had a long history of antiauthoritarian struggles. Other groups have been energized too, like prison and police abolitionists, socialists, and Marxists. With anarchists, they are challenging gentrification, police brutality, mass incarceration, predatory landlords, and attacks on workers. These far left forces are starting to converge and overlap—seen in reaction to the killing of a local activist, in the abortive 2016 anti-DNC protests in the city, or in actions against local white supremacy. But the radical scene remains disconnected. It is still struggling to develop on the mass scale that would be needed to challenge capital in a revolutionary way.
Anarchists and their allies confront a city in the middle of a profound neoliberal transition. Since the collapse of much of the local industry, Philly has been undergoing a process of profound transformation by corporations like Comcast and the flood of bourgeois managers, lawyers, and others that corporations bring with them. Internal colonization, displacement, police brutality, and a savage “gig” economy inevitably follow. They deepen the already obscene racial and economic inequality here. But Amazon is threatening to build a new headquarters in the city, a move that would accelerate and intensify Philly’s forces of displacement and domination.
Anarchists play an important role in radical organizing in Philly. They offer a set of ideas, practices, and experiences for building power beyond the state and capital—especially important as capital increasingly relies on an authoritarian, fascistic state to survive. And they provide some of the most important spaces—the Wooden Shoe, A-Space, etc.—for far left groups to meet, hold events, and spread a revolutionary culture.
But what possibilities and obstacles exist here for building revolutionary, autonomous power? To ask this question, I place far left struggles in Philly against the backdrop of its material context—neoliberal capital’s crisis-ridden development on the local, national, and international scene. The point isn’t to give easy answers—there aren’t any—but to help chart some of the potential tasks ahead. Ultimately, I ask: what would it take to make a revolution here?
This piece is part of a series from the Radical Education Department (RED)—see this and this—exploring possibilities for building a revolutionary mass movement today. It emerges out of RED’s attempts—alongside many others—to build mass, revolutionary power in Philly.
Submission
We dropped a banner over the local “beep beep bridge in glenolden with a torched flag attached to it in solidarity with juneteenth and solidarity with the immigrants that are being locked in cages
From Anathema
Volume 4 Issue 6 (PDF for printing 11 x 17)
Volume 4 Issue 6 (PDF for reading 8.5 x 11)
In this issue:
from Instagram
If you’ve been wondering whats up with the guerilla garden at 4224 Baltimore Ave, it’s beginning to face its first pressures from developement (by the the same developers of Clarkville and with the support of Spruce Hill Community Association). We caught this flyer up that states “Real estate developers are trying to build fancy condos on this lot. Right now there is an autonomous gardrn here after years of vacancy. Before it was vacant, it was another community garden that was destroyed by the same developers in their first attempts at construction. This land is not ours. This land is not theirs either. It is the land of the Lenni Lenape and of the birds and worms and sun and rain who live here. We don’t want more condos, or concrete, No more gentrification and sterilization. When the earth is dead, we are all dead too.” We want to spread widely support for this project and of resistence to their developement and so-called “progress”.
from It’s Going Down
In early 2017, a large scale uprising was launched at the James T. Vaughn Correction Center in Delaware. For background information, see Bloc Party’s interview with a former Vaughn prisoner here, and print out an awesome poster with addresses to write to, here.
“Live From the Trenches” Zine for Printing HERE
“Live From the Trenches” Zine for Reading HERE
Between the months of January and May of 2018, a small group of friends in Chicago reached out to the 17 individuals charged with involvement in the February 2017 uprising at the James T. Vaughn Correctional Center in Delaware.
This zine is an attempt to share the thoughts and experiences of these comrades as they shared them in their letters. We asked for and were generously given their consent. We hope that reprinting them for others to read will deepen connections with these individuals and help to multiply acts of solidarity and support. Contact information for the Vaughn 17 may be found throughout and at the end of the zine.
There is also a callout for a phone zap on Monday, July 2nd starting at 9 AM. All of these individuals still experience daily retaliation over a year after the uprising took place. All are still held in solitary confinement 23 hours a day, with only one hour out of their cells. One inmate was badly beaten just last week after being shocked with an electric shield and jumped by Correctional Officers at Howard R. Young.
In response this individual has started a hunger strike which may still be ongoing. A number of other letters containing documented cases of retaliation by both guards and administration can be found throughout the zine. These folks face brutal conditions every day for their suspected role in the Vaughn uprising and it is imperative that we show them continued support. We want the prisons to know that we are watching and their retaliation against these individuals doesn’t go unnoticed. Calling in can be a very effective way to do this. Please do call but also be creative in the ways you show your solidarity. Some other ways to show support are included at the end of the zine. A flyer containing the numbers to call and a sample script can be found below.
SNITCH DISCLAIMER: While there are 18 individuals charged with some form of connection to the uprising, one individual– “Royal Diamond Downs”–has collaborated with the authorities by giving statements against other prisoners. As such we refer only to the Vaughn 17 herein. May Royal Downs and all snitches get what they deserve…
from Facebook
The launch for a new book that examines insurgent struggles, social movements and their paths through Philadelphia history.
Pacifist ideals and reformist strategies have long held sway over the radical imagination in Philadelphia. Insurrectionary activity is willfully misunderstood, and its historical legacy largely forgotten. Movement for No Society explores some of the historical conditions for our situation and attempts to recover insurgent possibilities in Philadelphia’s history.
A short presentation and discussion will explore recent struggles in Philly, the conditions for this book’s emergence and the idea of direct struggle.
[7PM June 24 at W/N W/N Coffee Bar 931 Spring Garden St]
from Facebook
[Continua en Español]
Do you feel surveilled by the oppressive systems as a womyn and gender non-conforming POC? Do you feel harassed in the public {{{and private}}} digital space called THE internet? Do you want to use the tools and not be used by corporations? Do you want to ENJOY a transfeminist Internet?! Come and join us in this laboratory to stretch your hackfeminist muscles!
Register here:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/multi-cyberfeminist-identities-a-self-defense-strategy-for-warrior-womyn-tickets-46915156496
Our body is our first technology as a womyn warriors. How can we defend us and care for collectively?
A lab session to explore how to fight with joy the different threats and counter-attack war technologies: espionage, facial recognition, and mass surveillance when we inhabit the internet. How internet affects our communications, our privacy, and our public opinions? We invite you to define this digital territory as our ground battle where we are in defense of our digital bodies, pleasures, struggles, and politics! We will experiment how can we transmute into multiple cyber identities, and how the use of our right to be anonymous can be a powerful kick-ass tool of hackeminist self-defense. (; We welcome all LBTQ and womyn! No previous experience need it, so come and just bring yourself!
This session is co-facilitated by Lil_Anaz, Mexican hackfeminist artist based in México City, and Ana Martina, Mexican hackfeminist cooperator based in Philly, who join forces to share strategies towards the liberation of the multiple territories that we inhabit: our bodies, our neighborhoods, our data and our Internet! Join us for this unique event!
We ask a $5 -$25 sliding scale donation to support the presenter Lil_Anaz who is coming from México to present this content in Philly! Nobody will be turned away!
Co-facilitated by @Lil_Anaz https://lab-interconectividades.net/lili_anaz/, https://twitter.com/lili_anaz
& @radiosonidera https://radicante.media/about
[Español]
Registrate aqui
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/multi-cyberfeminist-identities-a-self-defense-strategy-for-warrior-womyn-tickets-46915156496
¿Te sientes vigiladx por este sistema opresivo por ser mujer o de género no binario y persona de color? ¿Te sientes acosadx en el espacio público y {{{privado}}} de Internet? ¿Quieres aprender a usar herramientas tecnológicas y no ser utilizadx por las corporaciones? ¿Quieres GOZAR una Internet transfeminista? ¡Pues ven y acompáñanos en este laboratorio para calentar esos músculos hackfeministas! No necesitas tener ninguna experiencia previa.
Nuestro cuerpo es nuestra primera tecnología como mujeres guerreras. ¿Cómo podemos defendernos y cuidarnos colectivamente?
En esta sesión exploraremos cómo combatir los diferentes peligros cuando habitamos Internet, y cómo contra-atacar a las tecnologías de guerra (espionaje, reconocimiento facial y vigilancia masiva) con tecnologías de gozo cyberfeminista. ¿Cómo afecta Internet anuestras comunicaciones, nuestra privacidad y nuestras opiniones públicas? Lxs invitamos a reimaginar este territorio también como nuestro campo de batalla en el que defendemos nuestros cuerpos, nuestros placeres y nuestras luchas! Vamos a transmutar en multi cyber-identidades y experimentar cómo el derecho al anonimato puede ser una poderosa y chingona herramienta para la auto defensa hackfeminista. Todxs lxs mujeres LBTQ son bienvenidxs a este laboratorio. ¡No necesitas tener ninguna experiencia previa! (;
Esta sesión sera co-facilitada por Lil_Anaz, artista mexicana hackfeminista que reside en la Ciudad de México, y Ana Martina cooperativista hackfeminista que reside en Philly. Estamos uniendo fuerzas para compartir estrategias para la liberación de los múltiples territorios que habitamos: nuestros cuerpos, nuestros barrios, nuestros datos y nuestro Internet. Acompañanos en este evento único!
Pedimos una cooperación de $5 a $25 para apoyar con gastos y viaticos a la presentadora Lil_Anaz, a quién esta viniendo desde México para presentar estos contenidos en Philly. Si no puedes cooperar no te preocupes, a nadie se le negara la entrada.
Co-facilitado por @Lil_Anaz https://lab-interconectividades.net/lili_anaz/, https://twitter.com/lili_anaz
& @radiosonidera https://radicante.media/about
from Facebook
Press contact: press@phillysocialists.org
Our statement regarding our comrade’s arrest:
On Sunday June 10, a comrade, ReeAnna Segin, was arrested for exercising their First Amendment rights by allegedly attempting to burn a “Blue Lives Matter” flag at the Philly Pride March. She was charged with arson, causing/risking a catastrophe, and other misdemeanors, and released from CFCF (a men’s prison) at approximately 5pm on Monday.
Several groups, including Philly Socialists and Philly for REAL Justice, helped to raise bail funds and legal support for her. We’re going to give ReeAnna some space, but we’ll let you know if she decides to make a public statement to the media. We cannot release much information at this time, but this incident highlights why cops should not be allowed at any pride parades.
As an institution, the police have no place at Pride. Police presence at Pride represents an affront to LGBTQ people and people of color, who daily face threat of unjustified, brutal violence and death at the hands of the police state. We must not forget the courageous work of trans women of color activists like Marsha P. Johnson and Sylvia Rivera, whose actions at Stonewall against the dehumanizing systems of police oppression laid the groundwork for Pride and for the LGBT movement as a whole.
While there have been social and legal improvements for LGBT people since Stonewall, these improvements have disproportionately gone to cis white people. Trans people and queer people of color still face tremendous threats of violence from the state. Though Pride has become a celebration of all that the LGBT movement has accomplished, we cannot forget that the struggle against state oppression is far from over.
Philly Socialists stands in solidarity with all queer and trans comrades, and against the capitalist police state!
from June 11th
On June 11th in Philly we had a vegan barbecue in an autonomous garden. We raised money for anarchist prisoners and had a nice time hanging in the sun. We had anti-prison and anti-police literature on hand.
Up with autonomous spaces!
Down with prisons!
Anarchist prisoners we are with you!
from It’s Going Down
In this episode of the It’s Going Down podcast, we sat down with two members of the Radical Education Department or RED, based out of Philadelphia. In our discussion we talk exclusively about their new text published on IGD entitled, Insurrectionary Councilism, which proposes the creation of spaces that bring together various groups for the purpose of becoming better organized.
In our conversation, we cover a lot of ground, starting largely with a critique and conversation about Left Unity, as well as a look back on the “movement of movements” approach in the anti-globalization period as well as the horizontal structures of Occupy. We discuss some of the organizational needs of the current age, as well as what groups that exist now are already doing to put these ideas into practice.
While it would be impossible to say that this conversation arrived at any easy answers, this discussion in itself brought up some important tensions and questions. What forms do we need to take to be organized? How do we organize across our various groups? How do we relate, if at all, to Left groups like DSA? Are new organizational structures needed, like Federations, and what exactly would they do that current forms do not?
We hope that this conversation sparks more, as well as experimentation over how we can better organize ourselves, and make our movement more powerful in the process.
More Info: Insurrectionary Councilism and Radical Education Department
from It’s Going Down
In the early hours of the 8th of June we immobilized an earth mover in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania at a new development project.
This small gesture was taken in solidarity with la ZAD of Notre-Dam-des-Landes, France, where rebels have fought to maintain an autonomous zone, free from the state and it’s plans for almost a decade.
The ZAD was first occupied 9 years ago to prevent the construction of a recently abandoned airport project and has inspired eco-rebels across the world, especially it’s inspiring defense against ‘Operation Ceaser’, a massive eviction attempt in late 2012.
Once again la ZAD is facing a fresh wave of repression, in the form of intense both police violence and a recuperative negotiation process which seeks to tame and legalize the uncontrolled zone.
For the defense of territory against the interests of capital
For sabotage against the instruments of ecological devastation
from Philly ABC
We are just a little under two months away from Philadelphia’s Running Down The Walls 5k for political prisoners! In some cities the run/walk/roll has already taken place. For others it is just around the corner. See complete listing of RDTW events. The registration deadline for Philly is July 22. So if you haven’t already, please register here! Posters and flyers are available for download.
In the mean time, please enjoy these RDTW solidarity statements from Hanif Shabazz Bey of the Virgin Island 3, and anarchist prisoner Eric King!
–Philly ABC
Message for Running Down the Walls 2018 from Hanif Bey:
Once again, I am grateful to be able to give back something to the Anarchist Black Cross movement, if only in thought. As I run today, I will reflect on a card sent from Danny Tender, a comrade from the Colorado ABC collective. On the front of the card is a picture of someone’s hand holding a lit match, and at the bottom of the card Danny wrote, “Hanif, hold onto the light!”
The ABC bulletin being sent inside to comrades is part of that light, because it keeps us abreast of what’s going on with comrades in other gulags.
Also the assistance from the ABCF Warchest is also part of that light that works to counter the darkness that attacks inclusion, diversity, and equality.
The light is also symbolic of the “truth,” and the truth is that the “people’s power” can dispel the darkness, and make a better world.
ALL POWER TO THE PEOPLE!
Hanif S. Bey
– –
Write to Hanif at:
Beaumont Gereau #16-001
Tallahatchie Correctional Facility
415 US Highway 49N
Tutwiler, Mississippi 38963
Message for Running Down the Walls 2018 from Eric King:
Prisons are not abstract ideas. They are tangible businesses, with real tangible buildings, structures, employees, who have real tangible addresses. The prisons have roads, fences, mail rooms, offices, etc, etc. These are all real targets that should be looked at. No matter where you live, there is most likely a jail, holding center, prison, ICE center, or juvenile prison nearby. Tags and check-ins on instagram, twitter and facebook. That facility most likely has a facebook and its employees most likely have ‘liked;’ that site, or actively post in it. There are groups and forums for prison guards. This means we know WHO is working at these spots, we can find where they life, what they enjoy doing, where they like going. All the power is at the tip of our fingers. Lets find em!!
Let’s spitball some ideas, some realistic ideas, some I dream of seeing come to fruition… bedbugs can be rehomed into offices to infest all of their furniture, lice or fleas, the bug of your choice! Hammers can bust up roads or parking lots leading into facilities and potential potholes to bang up cars. Have fun with google map pages for the facility, yelp etc. All ideas are good ideas! One could find their local police union and creatively display rage, either way make our point. Show up at their houses and let their neighbors know what is up, dance parties in driveways. Or just keep it simple with call in campaigns, just to irritate the workers and jam up the phone system for a bit. If you know a prisoner has specifically shitty mailroom I hear glitter bombs are cool. Wardens and captains always need glitter, they are incredibly bland and basic and need sprucing up.. or if glitter isn’t your ticket I hear animal feces works just as well.
We can make prisons a horrible place to work, we can make prisons a DANGEROUS place to work even on off days. This is a fight against a system that hurts and destroys, it is a real fight. Not everyone is capable of doing everything, but everyone is capable of doing anything, any strike against these fucks is a good thing. There are a thousand ways to fight back, and I stand beside all of them. Solidarity to all who are keeping the struggle alive, fire to all of the prisons, welcome home Herman!!
UNTIL ALL ARE FREE, EK (A) (///)
– –
Eric King #27090-045
FCI Florence
P.O. Box 6000
Florence, CO 81226
Submission
