from Twitter
open hours and all other events at the A-space are suspended for the next 3 weeks (at least) #coronavirus
Anarchy Afternoons: Unistʼotʼen Camp
from Facebook
During this week’s open hours, we are going to be watching short films about the Unistʼotʼen Camp.
To our north, this month has witnessed an explosion of actions intended to “shut down Canada” with blockades of rail lines cancelling passenger service trains across the country and paralyzing freight shipment. In the cities, protests have blocked streets, highways, and bridges. The present wave of resistance can be traced to the Unistʼotʼen camp’s decade-long battle against proposed pipelines in unceded Wetʼsuwetʼen territory. We will watch films and discuss this history to get a clearer picture of what has been happening.
For more information on recent events: https://itsgoingdown.org/from-sea-to-sea-train-blockades-colonialism-and-canadian-rail-history/
3:00 open hours
4:00 films
[February 21 3-6pm at A-Space 4722 Baltimore Ave]
Anarchy Afternoons: La Haine
from Facebook
Anarchy Afternoons is the name for the regular open hours at A-space. Lately, we have been watching movies in addition to the open hours/Kaffeeklatsch. This week we are watching the classic (1995) French film called La Haine (“Hate”).
Released 10 years before the famous 3-week long riots in Paris in 2005, this film depicts a group of friends in the Parisian suburbs in the aftermath of a riot. The plot revolves around the discovery of a cop’s missing gun and the possibility of revenge for the police brutality that sparked the previous day’s riot. It’s a fictional depiction of 20 hours in the life of the Parisian suburbs inspired by actual events and common experiences.
While La Haine is a very different kind of “Suburb Film” (and very different understanding of suburb) than Over the Edge, it seemed like a good follow-up film.
Open Hours 3:00pm
Film 3:45
[January 31 at A-Space 4722 Baltimore Ave]
Anarchy Afternoons: Over the Edge
from Facebook
Based on late-70s sensational journalism intended to vilify suburban youth, this movie explores what young people can do in a world designed for the interests and profits of bougie adults. The suburbs in Over the Edge are alienating, inhibiting, and completely unlike the spaces of childhood innocence found in other teen films of the era. The movie imagines a group of suburban teens that discover the means to resist, to fight their parents, the school, the police. It’s as if the filmmakers asked themselves what it would be like if the Italian/German Autonomist movement spontaneously emerged in American suburbs. Over the Edge is a fantasy of teenage rebellion that shatters the image of suburban civility and complacency. We are going to watch it this week because why not?
For more (spoiler-filled) info on the movie: https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/wdz5bb/over-the-edge-134-v16n9
Open Hours begins at 3:00pm
Film at 3:30
Note: Open Hours will end early this week at 5:30 instead of 6
[January 24 at A-Space 4722 Baltimore Ave]
January Letter Writing: Michael Kimble!
from Facebook
Join us once again for monthly letter-writing to either strike up correspondence with someone new or keep up your correspondence with an existing penpal in prison.
When: Monday, January 27th, 6:30-8:30pm
Where: A-Space, 4722 Baltimore Ave.
January’s letter writing is in support of Michael Kimble who is a Black, gay anarchist serving a life sentence for the murder of a white, homophobic, racist bigot. He was recently placed in segregation at Holman Correctional, in Alabama, for coming to the defense of a fellow prisoner who was being beaten by guards. He is urgently asking for support in attaining transfer to a new facility.
Michael has been politically active behind bars for many years, in particular helping agitate for the 2016 national prison strike, which made waves across the country and largely started as the brainchild of prison rebels at Holman. He is also the author of several zines, and his writing can be found at anarchylive.noblogs.org.
We will also send birthday cards to political prisoners with birthdays in January.
We will have snacks and stamps and all the supplies. Bring yourself, bring a friend!
Anarchy Afternoons presents Bee Movie
from Facebook
Someone said Bee Movie had anarchist themes. We are going to screen this movie for no other reason than to find out. And maybe it’s funny?
It’s the last Anarchy Afternoon of the year!
Open hours begins at 3:00
Movie at 3:30
[December 20th at A-Space 4722 Baltimore Ave]
Winter Solstice Card Party for Political Prisoners
from Philly ABC
Join Philly Anarchist Black Cross for a Winter Solstice Card Party on Monday, 12/23, 6:30pm-8:30pm, at A-Space! (4722 Baltimore Ave)
We will send cards and warm wishes to our friends and comrades inside. Maintaining and building relationships with them is the crux of what we do, so we will be sending cards to U.S.-held PPs and POWs. Light refreshments will be provided and folks are welcome to come use the time as a regularly scheduled time to correspond with current penpals inside prison as well.
We will also be mailing birthday cards to those who have birthdays in January: Fran Thompson (3rd), Jeremy Hammond (8th), Abdul Azeez (9th), Sundiata Acoli (13th), Joseph “Joe-Joe” Bowen (15th), and Marius Mason (25th),
Anarchy Afternoons: Greece 2008 films
from Facebook
![](http://scontent.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/79678056_10156678289520866_6993234131245072384_n.jpg?_nc_cat=111&_nc_ohc=Rf5BJvErMDIAQkF5VDnGCbjCK2R1Yb58DOHflZtbsvYZZfNO3LXiAfiGw&_nc_ht=scontent.xx&oh=22595436be2423ea6b5c431fae8a689c&oe=5E7E13CC")
On December 6, 2008, Greek police shot and killed Alexandros Grigoropoulos, sparking widespread riots. These riots unfolded in the wake of the financial crash that year and were fueled by a large anarchist milieu centered around the Exarcheia neighborhood in Athens.
This Friday we will watch films about these events and learn more about the anarchists in Greece. We will also discuss the present situation in Greece, which has seen a slew of police raids of squats in recent months.
Films include “Potentiality for Storming Heaven,” Sub.media clips, and others.
Open Hours 3pm
Films 3:30
[December 13 at A-Space 4722 Baltimore Ave]
Anarchy Afternoons: Breaking the Spell (1999 Seattle WTO doc)
from Facebook
It’s been 20 years so, this week, we are going to look back at the Battle of Seattle aka the 1999 Seattle WTO protests. We will be watching the classic documentary Breaking the Spell and a few shorter videos.
For many anarchists in North America, the events in Seattle signaled a new phase of street action. The actions in Seattle informed and inspired anarchist engagement with the anti-globalization movement and other demonstrations in North America for years after. Not to mention that the tactics developed in this period still shape anarchist activity 20 years later.
We will watch this documentary and discuss the events in 1999 to consider what is still relevant now. What can we get from taking another look at this stage of anarchist organizing? Is there any remaining untapped potential or lessons still to be learned?
Anarchy Afternoons begins at Friday 3:00pm
Documentary 3:30
Shorter film clips 5-6pm
[December 6 at A-Space 4722 Baltimore Ave]
Monday, 11/25: Letter-writing for Black Liberation Prisoner Russell Maroon Shoatz
from Philly ABC
Join us once again for monthly letter-writing to either strike up correspondence with someone new or keep up your correspondence with an existing penpal in prison.
When: Monday, November 25th, 6:30-8:30pm
Where: A-Space, 4722 Baltimore Ave.
Bring only yourself or friends and comrades. All letter-writing supplies and snacks are provided.
This month we will be sending letters to Russell Maroon Shoatz. Maroon is serving life in prison after being charged with four other known Black Panther Party members for an attack on a police station, committed by unknown persons presumably in retaliation for Frank Rizzo’s persecution of the BPP and tensions arising from police brutality and police killings of Black youth. Maroon has not wavered in his commitment to Black liberation and community involvement despite almost 22 years in solitary confinement before he was transferred into general population in 2014 after a lawsuit filed on his behalf.
Earlier this year, Maroon experienced some health issues resulting in a lengthy stay in the infirmary and an operation that revealed Stage 4 colorectal cancer. He has since been transferred to the medical facility at SCI Fayette for chemotherapy. This facility is further from family and loved ones, so we’ll send him some extra mail and also will be co-hosting the upcoming December 7th Healing and Justice fundraiser to support him as well as Dr. Mutulu Shakur, the inspiration for the annual H&J events held all over North America.
We will also send birthday cards to political prisoners with birthdays in December: Muhammad Burton (the 15th), Chelsea Manning (the 17th), and Casey Brezik (the 29th).
Anarchy Afternoons Schedule Change
from Twitter
Starting this week, Anarchy Afternoons is moving to a 3-6 pm schedule (still Fridays)
[Fridays at the A-Space 4722 Baltimore Ave]
Anarchy Afternoons: The First Umbrella
from Facebook
This week we will be hanging out at A-space open hours as usual with coffee and snacks. Also we will be watching Umbrella Diaries: the First Umbrella, a documentary on the origins of the Umbrella Movement in Hong Kong of 2014.
Protests in Hong Kong continue even after the withdrawal of the extradition bill as american anarchists continue to follow the events, debate their relationship to it, and learn from the innovative tactics. We will be watching this documentary to understand a bit more about the context and history behind the current protests.
Open Hours begin at 1pm
Film begins at 3:00
Intermission at 4:00
Second half at 4:30
[September 13 from 1PM to 6PM at A-Space Anarchist Community Center]
Anarchy Afternoons: back from hiatus w/ 2 films
from Facebook
This week we will be watching 2 short videos from Sub.Media. One concerns the age old question “What is Violence?” The other is the timely back-to-school episode “Learning to Resist,” looking at student movements.
The main aim of Anarchy Afternoons is to function as regular open hours at A-space, an anarchist social center. There is usually coffee, snacks, zines to read, and people to talk to.
After a summer hiatus, we are returning to our regular open hours this Friday with more emphasis on programming and intentional discussion. Each week, we will be either watching videos, discussing a reading, or (occasionally) having short presentations. Beyond this week, there is no fixed schedule so if you have ideas for content, please share.
Open Hours begin at 1pm//Videos begin around 3pm
[September 6 from 1PM-6PM at A-Space Anarchist Community Center]
Monday, 8/26: Letter-writing for anarchist Eric King
from Philly ABC
When: Monday, August 26th, 6:30pm
Where: A-Space, 4722 Baltimore Avenue
Snacks Provided; No Letter-writing Experience Necessary
Eric King, vegan anarchist political prisoner, was arrested and charged with an attempted firebombing of a government official’s office in Kansas City, MO in September 2014. Eric was charged with throwing a hammer through a window of the building, followed by two lit Molotov cocktails. The criminal complaint states that both incendiary devices failed to ignite. Eric was identified as a suspect by local police because he had previously come under suspicion for anti-government and anti-police graffiti.
On March 3, 2016, he accepted a non-cooperating plea agreement to one count of using “explosive materials to commit arson of property used in or affecting interstate commerce.” Eric King was sentenced to ten years, the statutory minimum and maximum for the charge he plead guilty to. His release date is June 2nd, 2023. Since his arrest and subsequent incarceration, he has been extremely isolated from his loved ones and has repeatedly been targeted by the guards, who regularly put his safety in jeopardy.
On or around 8/3, when in custody at USP Lee, Eric woke up unable to use his left hand/arm whole side of his body with paralysis of the whole left side of his face. When looking in the mirror he experienced mirrored-self misidentification, which means that he did not recognize himself in the mirror. Within 24 hours all symptoms were gone, meeting a lot of the qualifications of a transient ischemic attack or a mini stroke. Obviously without testing we can not know, but if this is the case it puts him in danger. One in three folks with this go on to have a full blown stroke. If he doesn’t get a neurological assessment asap, there is the possibility of irreversible damage. The standard of care is to perform an immediate CT scan and ultrasound of the neck, be evaluated by a neurologist, and have blood tests.
However, instead of any medical care, he was picked up for transfer at 3am on August 13th and told he was being called into court on a “writ.” It seems likely that they are bringing him back to Colorado to try to charge him federally for being dragged into a broom closet, attacked and then kicked in the head repeatedly by 6 officers, tied to a 4-point bed covered in blood for 8 hours, having to urinate on himself, before being placed in a cell with a toilet clogged with feces and a strobe light overhead for 4 days.
Transfers are always difficult for prisoners, but this one is especially so because in addition to him losing access to his commissary money, contact with his family will be limited/more expensive, he will likely lose access to vegan meals and is STILL in need of urgent medical attention in addition to whatever bogus reason he is being called into court for. We will be writing letters to Eric with words of support in this difficult set of circumstances and have them ready to drop in the mail as soon as we get word which facility he ends up at after transfer. If you are writing from home, check supportericking.org for news on where to send mail. We understand he tends to like news about his favorite football team Manchester United, science, IRA articles, space, anything interesting, funny, weird or entertaining. We also encourage folks to donate to his support crew or buy merch from them as funds will be needed for commissary and legal expenses.
We will also send birthday cards to prisoners with birthdays in September: Brian Vaillancourt (the 4th), Leonard Peltier (the 11th), and Abdul Maumin Khabir (the 14th).
Monday 7/22 Letter-writing for Chuck and Del Africa
from Philly ABC
When: Monday, July 22nd, 6:30 pm
Where: A-Space
Charles Sims “Chuck” Africa and Delbert Orr Africa are two of the longest held political prisoners in the world, having been in prison for over 40 years. They are the last two of the MOVE 9, incarcerated since 1978, after a siege in Mantua by the Philly PD that led to the death of a cop. Despite eyewitness testimony and forensic evidence indicating the cop was likely shot by the police, 9 people, including Chuck and Del, were charged with aggravated murder and sentenced to 30-100 years. Merle and Phil died in prison under suspicious circumstances, and Debbie, Mike, Janet, Janine, and Eddie were paroled. Chuck has been battling cancer inside prison and is the next up for parole in November. Support for his parole can be easily expressed by signing the petition. Del is next up for parole in 2022, although that date is being appealed by his lawyer to make it sooner. While last year’s Running Down the Walls 5K supported MOVE 9 members in prison, this year’s on Sept 7th will provide post-release support.
History
MOVE is a group following the teachings of John Africa, which generally centered around the dual principles of black liberation and green anarchism. Almost since its inception, MOVE, and the members which comprise it, have been the target of some of the most brutal policing in the history of Philadelphia. Many of the major police incidents from the 70s and 80s targeted MOVE, including the siege and shootout of 1978, the arrest and imprisonment of Mumia Abu-Jamal, and, perhaps most notoriously, the aerial bombing of MOVE house by the Philadelphia Police in 1985. The MOVE lifestyle, along with their determination to defend it, have brought to the forefront many issues of social and racial inequality, and done so in ways that can’t be whitewashed, painted over, or ignored.
Chuck grew up in West Philly, joined MOVE in 1973, and is the brother of Debbie Africa, the first of the MOVE 9 to be released on parole last year. Delbert is originally from Chicago, and was a member of the Black Panther Party for several years before joining MOVE in 1970. During the 1978 siege, Del was brutally beaten by police after surrendering, the photos of which have become somewhat iconic images of the greater struggle.
As always, all the letter-writing supplies and light snacks will be provided. If you can’t join us, you can write to them at:
Smart Communications/PADOC – Charles Sims Africa #AM4975
SCI Dallas
P.O. Box 33028
St. Petersburg, FL 33733
Smart Communications/PADOC – Delbert Orr Africa #AM4985
SCI Dallas
P.O. Box 33028
St. Petersburg, FL 33733
We will also send birthday cards to U.S. political prisoners with birthdays in August: Eric King (the 1st), Bill Dunne (the 2nd), Hanif Bey (the 6th), Dr. Mutulu Shakur (the 7th), Little Feather Giron (the 14th), Russell Maroon Shoatz (the 22nd), Dr. Rafil Dhafir (the 24th), and Ronald Reed (the 30th).
