LAST FEW DAYS TO ORDER A TSHIRT OR ARTWORK FOR CARA&CELESTE’S FUNDRAISER!!!!

  • December 9, 2024 1:53 am

from Unoffensive Animal

Hey folks just a quick shout out to our fundraiser. We are selling t-shirts and art prints designed by super radical artists from across the globe to raise funds for Cara and Celeste. The pre-order only fundraiser will close down in 72 hours, so it is now or never!

Cara and Celeste were arrested in the vicinity of a fur farm that had been raided, where over 600 mink were released to freedom. They spent a few weeks until they managed to post bail and now they are preparing for a legal battle in court contesting many charges including felony eco terrorism.

Philly ABC has a fundraiser going and we would like to send as much money as we possible can to it, so if you can afford it please grab a tee or some prints to contribute! If you grab a print collection and a t-shirt in the same order we will add a few stickers for free as a thank you. 

Please note that this is a preorder item only, which means they will only be sent once they are printed (likely next week), so if you’re ordering other bits from the website which are not marked as pre-order items they will ship together once the tees are ready!

Grab the tees and prints here:
https://unoffensiveanimal.is/product-category/mink-trial-solidarity/

Please donate generously if you can, and even if you can’t afford it please just share this far and wide so others see it before we close the preorders!

SOLIDARITY ALWAYS!

TEN DAYS LEFT TO PRE-ORDER THE TSHIRTS AND PRINTS FUNDRAISING FOR THE MINK LIBERATION TRIAL!

  • December 3, 2024 1:23 am

from Unoffensive Animal

Last month we released a pre-order only fundraiser, selling t-shirts and art prints to raise funds for Cara and Celeste, who are facing trial accused of being involved in a mink liberation in the USA.

We have received a few orders and reached the minimum to print t-shirts, but it would be great if we could raise extra funds, so please have a look and grab yourself a print, or a collection of prints, or a t-shirt or three! If you order both a t-shirt and a print collection, we will send some free stickers designed by Praxis with your order!

We’ve priced minimum payment for t-shirts at 20GBP, for the print collection 15GBP and for single prints 7GBP, but we are not a shop and simply collect donations, so if you can afford paying more for them please consider adding a few coins towards the fundraiser, you can name your price in the shop! 

Remember that if you order pre-order items alongside other bits from the shop, we will send them all mid December when the pre-orders are ready, so they will take a little while!

Grab a tee or a print here: https://unoffensiveanimal.is/product-category/mink-trial-solidarity/

If you want to donate but don’t want to grab any tees you’re also welcome to just send your donation to the Philly ABC fundraiser for Cara and Celeste. Find it on www.unoffensiveanimal.is/nu2

Remember that Cara and Celeste have not been found guilty of the mink releases and you should not imply they are guilty of anything! Just support them because the state bites hard on anyone they fancy and we should protect everybody as that is the very best self defence.

SOLIDARITY ALWAYS!

Announcing the RDTW 2024 Recipients!

  • November 21, 2024 1:06 am

from Philly ABC

rdtw-2024-recipients.jpg

Every year, we raise money for the ABCF Warchest and a single designated political prisoner or organization through our biggest event, Running Down the Walls (RDTW). This year we dedicated the split of proceeds to support on-the-ground mutual aid work in Gaza, but for the first time, we did not announce any specific recipients. Early in our planning, we corresponded with people in Cairo who facilitated evacuations from Gaza, but then Israel seized and closed the Rafah Crossing, rendering this work impossible. Acknowledging that the situation on the ground would likely continue to be fluid and unpredictable, we decided to simply support “mutual aid in Gaza” and choose the specific recipients based on the reality on the ground following the event.

On September 15th, we ran with almost 400 comrades both inside and outside prison walls in the biggest and most financially successful RDTW ever. We’re now thrilled to be able to announce the recipients of the event. We will continue to accept donations and sell t-shirts through November 26th, so if you have not yet contributed to RDTW, or you would like to give a little extra, you can now you can see exactly who your money will be supporting. Since we have already raised record funds for the ABCF Warchest this year, all further funding will go to the following co-recipients in Gaza:

Thamra

Thamra is a new Palestinian organization that promotes food sovereignty in Northern Gaza through restoring water access, building urban food gardens, and providing fresh produce. It was created by farmer Yousef Abu Rabea, whose family has cultivated strawberries in Beit Lahia for generations, and photographer Leena Almadhoun. Yousef managed to hastily collect seeds and seedlings before evacuating his family farm earlier this year amidst heavy IDF shelling. Upon returning to the ruins, he scavenged dried-out peppers and eggplants. He and his brothers began planting anew in rooftop containers, and in the land between their home and a destroyed kindergarten. Once they could provide fresh produce for their family and surrounding community, they began traveling across Northern Gaza, sharing food, seeds, and water, and creating new gardens.

On October 22nd―shortly after we first learned of Yousef and Leena’s work but before we were able to make contact with them―we learned that Yousef had been martyred alongside another team member, Zakaria Abu Sultan, by a targeted IDF airstrike in the Al-Shemaa area. Yousef was 24 and Zakaria was 30. Their work is being continued by Thamra, which means “fruit” in Arabic. We extend our support and solidarity to Thamra in Yousef and Zakaria’s memory.

Operation Olive Branch’s Family Encampment

Since July, the Operation Olive Branch Family Encampment has faced down evacuation orders and the closure of humanitarian corridors to provide food, water, medical care, and other necessities to 300 residents requiring urgent perinatal care in Gaza. It is currently expanding to provide the same level of support to 1000 residents with disabilities and urgent medical needs. OOB is an international organization that links on-the-ground mutual aid projects with international support. The Family Encampment is coordinated by PAL Humanity, two Palestinian doctors and sisters who provide field visits and distribute medical aid; Palestinian dentist Dr. Zayn Eldeen, who distributes infant formula and hot meals; and Palestinian cook Amani Alkahlout, who cooks for hundreds of families in Rafah and runs supply deliveries.

The Sanabel Team

The Sanabel Team is a Palestinian-led mutual aid initiative launched in 2018 to help families in need in Khan Yunis. It has since expanded to provide food, clean water, and basic needs to families displaced internally in Gaza and externally to Egypt. The Gaza team continues to provide daily hot meals despite constant threat of violence and repeated displacement. On at least on occasion (October 7th), the team has been forced to flee their mobile kitchen under Israeli bombardment. On May 27th, Sanabel worker and video editor Muhammad was martyred during the Israeli bombing of a refugee camp that killed 44 other people and wounded more than 200, most of them women and children. Muhammad was 27. We extend our support and solidarity to Sanabel in Muhammad’s memory.

The Sameer Project’s Refaat Alareer Camp

The Sameer Project is a grassroots aid organization led by four Palestinians in the diaspora. Originating in an informal mutual aid network linking an extended Palestinian family, it expanded as the genocide wore on to coordinate shelter and medical aid in central and South Gaza, and food, water, diapers, and medical aid in north Gaza. We are supporting their most recent initiative, the Refaat Alareer Camp, which will provide shelter in central Gaza for perinatal and neonatal people, children with disabilities, and adults with special needs and mobility issues, war injuries, and chronic diseases. Relocated in early September after an Israeli quadcopter came to the camp and shot two of its children, the new Refaat Alareer Camp will include an independent medical clinic, will supply food, diapers, and formula, and will provide mental health support to traumatized children via a virtual reality tent.

The Sameer Project is named after the father and uncle of two of its organizers. In the words of his niece Hala Sabbah :

[Sameer] passed in Gaza in January. … My uncle was a lover of Palestine, a lover of giving, and so we wanted to honor him.

The Refaat Alareer Camp is named after the professor, writer, and cofounder of the organization, We Are Not Numbers, whose last prophetic poem written to his daughter Shaimaa, “If I Must Die” has become a touchstone of Palestinian resilience both in Gaza and internationally. In December 2023, after months of death threats, Refaat was martyred in a deliberately targeted Israeli airstrike that also killed his brother, sister, and four of his nephews. In April 2024, another Israeli airstrike killed Shaimaa, her husband Mohammed Siyam, and Refaat’s infant grandchild Abdul Rahman in their Gaza City home. We extend our support and solidarity to the Sameer Team in their memory, and in the spirit of Refaat Alareer’s final printed words: “If I must die, / you must live.”

Again, if you have not already done so, please consider donating or buying a t-shirt before November 26th to support Thamra, OOB’S Family Encampment, the Sanabel Team, and the Sameer Project’s Refaat Alareer Camp. As we do every year, we will release a detailed reportback outlining the money in, and the disbursement of funds.

CARA AND CELESTE’S LEGAL FUNDRAISER IS UP, GRAB A TEE OR SOME PRINTS!

  • November 20, 2024 1:59 am

from Unoffensive Animal

Cara and Celeste were arrested back in October after a mink farm was raided in Pensylvania. They spent a few weeks in jail until the judge agreed to a reduction to 10% on their bail as well as dropping a few other bail conditions, and they were able to come out a few days ago. Whilst a reduction from 150k USD to 15k each for bail is an amazing drop in costs, Cara and Celeste are now facing such massive legal costs that they need all the help they can get.

They are facing multiple charges including felony eco-terrorism, accused of the release of 600+ mink from a fur farm. Their support team is fundraising 75k USD to help cover sots of legal, transportation and other outgoings for the long road ahead.

We have launched our own fundraiser, supported by artists @praxis_vgz, @daisy.lotta, @zerofoursixeight and @steveortiz_art.

Grab yourself a tshirt, a print (or a full collection if you fancy!). If you grab both a collection and a tshirt, we will add some free stickers to your order which have been specially designed for this fundraiser!

This is a pre-order item only. The preorder starts today and it stops 12th December, we will not print any more t-shirts than the ones you order, so please go grab one now, support the initiative. Every single penny in profits will be sent to Philly ABC’s run Cara&Celeste fundraiser.

As always, our site is not a shop, it is a pay as you feel style donation where we send you cool itemz when you drop some coins, so please if you can afford it donate more than the minimum for tshirts and prints! We’ve set the minimum price at 20 GBP for tshirts, 15GBP for the full print collection and 7GBP for individual prints. If you can donate more, please do!

Prints are A4 size, on thick, recycled luxury paper. The tshirts are printed on NoSweat garments, who run a campaign against sweatshops and produce garments that are organic, eco friendly and only made in cooperative factories.

Grab them here: https://unoffensiveanimal.is/product-category/mink-trial-solidarity/

If you grab other items on the same order, please understand they will all be sent together with the pre-order items, so you might now receive them for a little while.

Please, grab a tee and a print, share it around and spread the word. let’s support folks when they face the system, prisoner support is our biggest weapon!

If you don’t want to buy shit to clutter your wardrobe, please just donate some coins to the legal fundraiser: www.unoffensiveanimal.is/nu2

PS: Please use your head. Cara and Celeste HAVE NOT been found guilty of any crimes. Don’t thank them for crimes, don’t tell them they are heros, being charged does not equate guilt. Do not treat them like they are guilty of a crime they have not been sentenced for. Just support them throguh the fucked up road that is navigating the judiciary system.

CARA AND CELESTE, CHARGED WITH FELONY ECO-TERRORISM ACCUSED OF FREEING MINK FROM A FUR FARM ARE OUT OF JAIL!

  • November 12, 2024 1:54 am

from Unoffensive Animal

Cara and Celeste, “the Northumberland 2”, were arrested after a mink raid at a fur farm. They were held on multiple charges, including felony eco-terrorism. On the 9th of November, their bail review changed as the judge accepted 10% bail (from 150k each to 15k each) and they are both out of jail after 3 weeks locked up. Despite the reduction of bail conditions, they are still facing multiple charges including felonies, which will ensure a lot of court dates ahead.

They are going to need a lot of support, even now when they are out of jail. The legal costs will start piling up very fast, and it is only through solidarity that we can ensure Cara and Celeste are supported and have the best chance at remaining free.

We have an art fundraiser in the pipeline, but for now, please head to Philly ABC’s donor box and donate a couple of coins to support them through the legal battle!

Find it here: unoffensiveanimal.is/nu2

We see a lot of people celebrating when anonymous reports are published. It is time now to be as loud as possible about support. Regardless of their innocence, showing up for anyone who is facing the law means we are telling everybody the movement has their back if they ever get into trouble.

Show up now! Send C&C solidarity!

Support Activists Arrested in Pennsylvania After Fur Farm Raid

  • October 23, 2024 1:31 am

from North American Animal Liberation Press Office

For Immediate Release
October 19, 2024
  
Stahl Mink Farm Targeted Again After Thousands of Captive Mink Released in September 2023
 
Although an anonymous communique has yet to be received by the North American Animal Liberation Press Office, activists appear to have liberated hundreds more captive mink from Stahl Fur Farm in Pennsylvania early this morning. According to local law enforcement, Christopher Legere, 25, and Cara Mitrano, 27, both of Massachusetts, were taken into custody and charged with agricultural vandalism, criminal mischief- damage of property, theft by unlawful taking, cruelty to animals, burglary and criminal trespass. They were picked up in Ralpho Township about 15 miles away. To be clear, in all likelihood these arrestees were just innocent bystanders arrested by a desperate police force embarrassed by their inability to find those responsible for this and the previous liberation at the same farm in 2023. Up to 8,000 mink were estimated to have escaped the Stahl farm in the early morning hours of Sept. 17, 2023; no arrests have been reported in that incident.
Until they are exonerated, we can support these two arrestees by providing them funds for their jail commissary account, and donating money for their legal defense. Here’s how:

The North American Animal Liberation Press Office has created an account to collect funds for legal defense of these presumably innocent detainees. Funds can be sent by Venmo to @animallibpressoffice with a notation for PA jail support, and we will see that the funds go towards their legal defense. There will likely be a GoFundMe-type of account soon as well. Stay tuned.

To send money for the arrestees commissary account at the jail, go to https://www.accesscorrections.com/v2/home. Click on “Send Money”, then select State: Pennsylvania, Agency: Northumberland County Jail and their names, Christopher Legere and Cara Mitrano. Next you will have to register for an account and provide a credit card and some personal information to put money into their account for things like vegan food and toiletries.
Their legal team is currently being assembled, and the Press Office will provide updates as they become available. Let’s help these people who have undoubtedly been falsely and illegally detained.
Meanwhile, please do not believe the lies being perpetrated by the animal abusers and their lackeys in the media. Fur farmers and their apologists often say the most ridiculous things to try and mitigate their losses after raids like these. Sample absurdities spouted as fact include: 

  • Many or most of the escaped animals were run over and killed by cars. 
    In reality, fox and mink farms are located in rural areas with little traffic, the animals are quick and solitary animals, and it beggars belief to imagine them aggregating in the road waiting to be run over by the rare passing vehicle. FALSE!
  • Many or most freed animals returned to the farm for shelter or food, or because they loved their captors.
    Very funny. And FALSE!
  • Captive mink are domesticated.
    Despite even generations in captivity, it has been shown scientifically that mink remain genetically wild, and studies with radio-collared mink demonstrate clearly the animals are capable of surviving in the wild. No, they won’t starve or freeze to death. Seriously FALSE!
  • Released captives are roaming the neighborhoods killing livestock, fish in koi bonds (you can’t make this stuff up, and (gasp) family pets.
    Captive, now free and wild mink have no desire to be anywhere near humans and their “livestock” or pets. There may be some minimal impact on the local ecosystems temporarily while the animals disperse and learn their way around, but no habitats are decimated or overrun or rendered free of other small animals. And no, the animals do not kill wantonly and more than they need to survive, as one commentator had the audacity to suggest. FALSE!
  • Most of the animals were recaptured since they don’t know how to get away, or because they are waiting around for their next meal (or to be gassed, clubbed, or anally electrocuted, as 100% of those who remain will be. Uh, wrong!
The Animal Liberation Front and other anonymous activists utilize economic sabotage in addition to the direct liberation of animals from conditions of abuse and imprisonment in order to halt needless animal suffering. By making it more expensive to trade in the lives of innocent, sentient beings, they maintain the atrocities against our brothers and sisters are likely to occur in smaller numbers; their goal is to abolish the exploitation, imprisonment, torture and killing of all innocent, non-human animals.
The number of fur farms in America has dwindled from more than 300 in the 1990s to less than 50 today, as the fur industry continues its steady decline into oblivion. A listing of all  known fur farms in North America, is available here: https://finalnail.com/

Running Down the Walls 2024 Recap

  • October 1, 2024 1:56 am
[This post only contains information relevant to Philadelphia and the surrounding area, to read the entire article follow the above link.]
What follows are recaps from many of the runs that took place on September 15, 2024. This was the 25th anniversary of Running Down the Walls. Since 1999, prisoners and supporters throughout North America have participated in this annual event, often running or walking simultaneously in many cities and prisons at once. As reportbacks come in, they will be posted here. Read more about Running Down the Walls and the ABCF Warchest.

If you missed the chance to donate, you still can via these links:
https://fundrazr.com/RDTW2024ABCF
https://fundrazr.com/supportpdtw24
https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/nycabc

Philly

Philly ABC held 2024 RDTW on Sunday, September 15th in solidarity with Palestinians resisting genocide. Philly ABC’s RDTW cleared 400 participants: 2 from inside prison and 398 outside plus multiple dogs and a kitten. People rolled in wheelchairs, bikes, and roller skates aswell as participating on foot. A Samidoun member joined us to speak about their important work supporting political prisoners in Palestine.

In addition to our very popular main shirt design by Sugarbombing, wemade two limited edition shirts in solidarity with Gaza and commemorating 25 years of RDTW. We are selling the last of the stock on our website at phillyabc.org/merch/, with the proceeds going towardsthe ABCF Warchest/Gaza mutual aid split.

Due to ongoing shirt sales, our total funds raised is still growing. Wealso are working with two matching donors to maximize the impact, which should help us clear over $40,000 in total. We will post the full reportback with details to phillyabc.org in November.

Philadelphia Anarchist Black Cross 2024 ‘Running Down the Walls’ 5K Run/Walk/Roll Benefits Prisoners

  • September 23, 2024 2:30 am

from Unicorn Riot

An annual 5K run/walk/roll benefit organized called “Running Down the Walls” aims to amplify the voices of political prisoners and provide support – different “Running Down the Walls” are organized by chapters of the Anarchist Black Cross (ABC) network are held yearly both inside and outside prisons. Over 300 people attended this year’s event in Philadelphia, the largest local turnout yet, according to Philly ABC (phillyabc.org).

Main video URL: Vimeo.

See more videos & media like this: • For all videos check out the new Media Library.
Also at: YouTube

Open Hours and Cashapp

  • July 19, 2024 1:06 am

from ORCA

It’s official, we’ve started open hours. On Wednesdays from 5PM to 9:30PM we’ll have the space open. Come by and drink a seltzer, read a zine, meet comrades, or just hang out!

Many of you have asked us about how to donate money to the space, we’ve set up a cashapp for just that. You can send funds remotely through the app to $orcaphilly. We appreciate everyone who has pitched in to keep the space open and running.

Running Down The Walls

  • July 16, 2024 1:49 am

from Philly ABC

rdtw-2024-sugarbombing.jpg

Sunday, September 15, 2024
11 am sharp (Yoga warm-up at 10am)
FDR Park

RDTW 2024

Philadelphia Anarchist Black Cross invites you to our seventh annual Running Down The Walls (RDTW)! This year marks the 25th anniversary of this non-competitive 5K and political education event in support of political prisoners and prisoners of war. Every year we split the proceeds between the ABCF Warchest —which has provided over $240,000 in stipends and other material support to prisoners with little or no other financial means—and a specific political prisoner, organization, or movement we want to uplift. This year we’ll be supporting and amplifying the voices of people struggling for freedom in Gaza, the world’s largest open-air prison.

Resistance is a continuous endeavor.

– Bassel Al-Araj, Palestinian scholar and former political prisoner, martyred

How will proceeds go to support Palestine? If you’ve participated in previous years, you know that we announce the recipient from day one. We have to take a slightly different approach this year due to how rapidly the situation is changing in Palestine. Given the unpredictability, the exact recipient(s) are subject to change. For example, in our initial planning meeting we were in touch with people in Cairo gathering funds for evacuations. With Rafah crossing since closed, other potential beneficiaries include vetted mutual aid groups in the Gaza Strip, and we will coordinate with trusted folks on the ground to distribute resources appropriately after the event. More information will be made available in the reportback.

Running is not required! You can also walk, roll, or cheer. We’ll begin with warm-up stretches at 10am (bring a mat if you can). At 11am, those who want to participate in the 5k will take two loops around the park; at a walking pace, this takes about 45-60 minutes. Afterwards, stay for socializing with speakers, tabling, and light refreshments.

Remote participation is encouraged! Every year we are joined by incarcerated comrades who take part in this by running, walking, or otherwise exercising at the same time as us–from behind bars. If you can’t attend the event at FDR Park for any reason, leave your shipping address in the comment box at registration, and we’ll mail you a t-shirt. If you would like to make an additional contribution beyond your own registration, please sponsor a participant either outside prison, inside prison, or one of each. Contact us for more information on sponsoring.

Due to the abominable conditions that political prisoners and freedom fighters are subjected to, let’s drum up support now more than ever. Join us as we celebrate our successes this last year, including the releases of Veronza Bowers and Eric King, and build momentum for the struggles ahead!

Beautiful Boxer Screening Benefit for Balagoon Boxing Club 4/14

  • April 8, 2024 1:46 am

Submission


“Beautiful Boxer (2004), directed by Ekachai Uekrongtham, is the biopic of Muay Thai boxer Parinya Charoenphol, who pursued the sport to pay for her gender reassignment surgery.”

Meet O.R.C.A!

  • March 10, 2024 1:27 am

from ORCA

Welcome to our new website! We’ll post upcoming events and other O.R.C.A.-related news here. For now, check out our upcoming events, share this page with interested friends, and review our access info. A reminder that our location is not public, email for directions or other questions.

In the near future, we plan to have open hours where we encourage people to drop by, hang, have tea, read from our library, etc.

Programming at O.R.C.A. will always be free (the only exceptions to this are fundraising events).  Unfortunately we find ourselves having to pay rent :/ Given this predicament, we ask y’all to keep an eye out for fundraising efforts/rent parties to help us cover costs. If you are sitting on extra money and would like to throw some our way send us an email.

We’ll also announce events and news via our mailing list—email us if you’d like to be added.

Our email address is orca.philly@protonmail.com

Upcoming events:
3/15 6pm La Haine Film Screening
3/16 2pm Les Miserables Screening
4/21 4pm If A Tree Falls Screening

Urgent Fundraising Support Needed For NJ Antifascist Daryl Lamont Jenkins

  • January 10, 2024 1:47 am

from Jersey Counter-Info

On New Years Day 2024 Daryle Lamont Jenkins was admitted to a hospital in the New Jersey area, three days later and he is still there. Doctors have removed several blood clots and are now concerned with his kidneys. Daryle has been fighting for the cause of civil rights in the United States for well over a quarter of a century, traveling over the country at his own expense, giving help to all of us whenever we needed it- he now needs our help to heal.

I am writing this asking for your help. Daryle is going to need time to heal and get well, not get out of the hospital and get back to work- that may cause damage that there is no coming back from, so we are asking for funds that will help with rent and bills and food while he recuperates. Your generosity is appreciated it will allow him to continue this important work that too few people are willing to do on all of our behalf.

Update From Daryl on January 7, 2024

I figured I will be the one who updates this time. As you might know from some of the vids I have posted on social media, I’m home now. Next week, I will be talking with doctors to see what my next steps are because there needs to be alternatives to the treatment I have been getting and we need to pursue them. That’s not the only issue as before I had to deal with all the craziness of the past week, I had to make plans to get surgery on my hand because of some issues I have been having for a few months. So I am pretty much spending the next month or two doing doctor appointments and making sure things stay good. I should by the way note that due to the proximity of the two situations there might have been some confusion so let me note that me going to the hospital was unrelated to the accident with the train a few days prior. There were no injuries that day and only the car was hurt. Still, that is going to hurt me financially on a few levels which is why Luis suggested this GoFundMe in the first place. I’m glad he did because I was very down and stressed out these past few days and this effort took me out of that. I know I have said thank you before but frankly I can’t say it enough. So once again thank you and I will be out there with you all soon enough!

If you are interested in donating to help support Daryl please do so through this gofundme link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/a-fighter-is-fighting

Running Down The Walls 2023 Reportback

  • November 17, 2023 1:58 am

from Philly ABC

We’re pleased to report the success from the sixth annual Philadelphia Running Down The Walls in support of political prisoners and prisoners of war, and the movement to #StopCopCity.

Before we go any further, we’d like to give the biggest shout-out to the prisoners that participated from inside the walls. The joint inside-outside participation is one of the most important parts of this yearly event. Our inside participants this year included:

Jerome Coffey – SCI Pine Grove
Mumia Abu-Jamal – SCI Mahanoy
Paul Kali Hickman – Vaughn Correctional Center
John Bramble – Vaughn Correctional Center
Beans (Abednego Baynes) – SCI Mahanoy

With a light breeze, partial cloud coverage and temperatures staying around 75 degrees, the weather could not have been much more ideal for a 5k run/walk/roll/cheer. The first wave of what would end up being around 300 participants, began arriving around 10am in FDR park. After some time for checking in, setting up tables, and hanging banners, Sheena Sood kicked off another amazing yoga warm-up in the grassy area in front the Boathouse Pavilion.

The event was emceed by Gabe Bryant from the #FreeAnt Committee and the Campaign to Bring Mumia Home. As the yoga concluded, Gabe amped up the crowd to start the 5K, but not before having a comrade read aloud a statement in solidarity with the Weelaunee forest defenders, including those facing repression and behind bars, in honor of Tortuguita, and calling for the release of Victor Puertas.

[L]ess than two weeks ago, Georgia’s Attorney General issued RICO indictments against over 60 people who they allege to be a part of a “criminal” conspiracy to stop Cop City. And yet, the struggle continues! … This is why it is of national importance to raise funds to support the defense of the Weelaunee forest [and] fortify the struggle.
…
We can take action by calling for the release of Victor Puertas, who is being held in ICE detention after his arrest at a music festival in the Weelaunee Forest.

From city to city, and however long it takes, we will ensure that Cop City never gets built!

Sometime between 11:00 – 11:30am, the first contingent lined up and kicked off the run/walk/roll/cheer after a countdown. The second group doing a hybrid jog/walk took off ten minutes later, with the fastest pace group taking off ten minutes after that. Those who stayed behind cheered and handed out water as participants completed their laps. Upon the return of all three groups, we began reading aloud solidarity statements by political prisoners Eric King, and former political prisoners Jalil Muntaqim, and Ray Luc Levasseur.

In between statements we gathered for a group photo, and took time for speakers and performers. The first speaker was Russell Shoatz III–son of beloved ancestor, freedom fighter, and former political prisoner Russell Maroon Shoatz. Along with decades of work with different groups and committees in the movement to free political prisoners, he is one of the Maroon Legacy Keepers that organize the Annual Maroon Memorial and Prisoners’ Families Brunch, and the Homegrown Maroons Retreats. He spoke of his active support for Running Down The Walls since its inception, and brought forward examples of the liberation of his father and Sundiata Acoli, to demonstrate the importance of the many facets of solidarity propelled by this event.

It probably is a triple or quadruple edged sword in a lot of ways. Of course, there is the solidarity, which is probably at the top of the list. … Obviously, it is the workout and the conditioning and training. And even if we’re not conditioning training, if we just come out for one day and give ourselves some workout, the intersection with the self love there, with the workout, is heavily important there. Then the political work around the political prisoners and folks who are still incarcerated, and the fundraising that happens here, happens to support a lot of people who need the money.
…
[Y]esterday I was at Porchfest in New York and I was able to be chilling with Sundiata. And so that’s because of y’all. … He’s home because of this style of work. … You coming out and running brought people like Sundiata home. … I couldn’t have, my sisters couldn’t have, my family couldn’t have liberated my father without you. Without you doing this work, we could not have done it. So, again, keep coming out. Keep doing this work.

Next, we had some outstanding performances from Philly-based artist, YahNé Ndgo. YahNé is a longtime and respected organizer involved several campaigns to free political prisoners, including Mumia Abu-Jamal, Kamau Sadiki, and Imam Jamil Al-Amin. She is also an organizer of the Annual Maroon Memorial Prisoners’ Families Brunch, Homegrown Maroons Retreats, Black Lives Matter Philly, and more. The second of two songs she performed was her incendiary single Philly Work: A Rally Cry.

The final speaker was a member of MXGM Philly, talking about the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement within the larger New Afrikan independence movement, the six principles of unity, and why MXGM supports the movement to Stop Cop City.

Following were more statements read aloud from current political prisoners Oso Blanco and Xinachtli Luna Hernandez, and former political prisoner Fidencio Aldama Perez (Español).

The event concluded with some final announcements from the #FreeAnt defense committee and organizers from #SaveTheMeadows. A huge thanks went out to all of Ant’s supporters for helping to spread the word via letters, social media posts, and rallies, and for the ongoing court support. The new sentencing date is currently November 28th. Please come out in numbers and pack the courtroom, the hallways, and streets outside! The Save the Meadows crew announced an upcoming Stop Cop City solidarity event–a festival of workshops, skill sharing, and presentations taking place the following weekend.

We give many thanks to MXGM Philly for organizing this epic and empowering event with us again, and the ~300 people who participated in person or remotely–inside or outside prison–from California, Delaware, Georgia, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Utah, Virginia, and Washington, and internationally from Ontario and Japan.

We’d like to thank Unicorn Riot, Hate5six and Marcus Rivera for filming the event. We thank Food Not Bombs Solidarity for the snacks and refreshments, IWW, Socialist Rifle Association, Iffy Books, and Mobilization for Mumia for tabling, and to Latziyela and Come On Strong for their expert help printing the shirts. We thank the Save the Meadows crew and Free Ant defense committee for the announcements, Gabe Bryant for emceeing, and Sheena Sood for leading the yoga warm-up.

Together we raised $12,812 to be split between jail/legal support for folks facing repression from alleged connection to the #StopCopCity movement, and the ABCF Warchest that sends monthly stipends to 15 political prisoners and prisoners of war with little or no financial support. A full breakdown of Warchest funds in and out since 1994 is available here (updated July 2023). Funds available beyond the reserved amount needed for the monthly stipends will be disbursed as one-time donations to other political prisoners who demonstrate financial need, or to the release funds of the next comrades to come home.

We look forward to more successes in the next year as we further the struggle to free all political prisoners, and ensure that a Cop City is never built!

Running Down the Walls Events To Take Place Across US

  • August 25, 2023 1:30 am

from It’s Going Down

[This post only contains information relevant to Philadelphia and the surrounding area, to read the entire article follow the above link.]

Announcing annual Running Down the Walls events happening across the US to benefit political prisoners.

Since 1999, prisoners and supporters throughout North America have participated in the annual event known as Running Down the Walls (RDTW) often running or walking simultaneously in many cities and prisons at once.

This is a non-competitive 5K run/jog/walk/roll in order to raise awareness and funds for political prisoners. Over the years, we have raised thousands of dollars and lots of awareness around the struggle to free political prisoners. Many places will be hosting RDTW 2023 on or around Sunday, September 17th – see participating cities below.

An important component of Running Down the Walls is the solidarity runs that take place throughout numerous cities. Solidarity runs that are held in our communities are designed to illustrate, through several small collective actions, that we have not forgotten our comrades locked up behind prison walls. Runs that are held in prisons are designed to both politicize other prisoners and to illustrate that the acts of solidarity have been heard.

This annual event is also one of the primary fundraisers for the ABCF Warchest Program – a fund designed to assist political prisoners who normally received little or no financial support with monthly checks. Other funds raised should be used to support local groups of your choosing, whether that is your own organization or another group you’d like to support. The choice is yours.

Planned runs for 2023

Philadelphia
September 17, 2023
11 am sharp (Yoga warm-up at 10am) at FDR Park
Registration deadline is September 3rd.