Protest Near Harris-Trump Presidential Debate Opposes Bipartisan Support for Israeli Genocide in Palestine

from Unicorn Riot

Philadelphia, PA – Protesters opposing the ongoing Israeli genocide in occupied Palestine are gathering near the security perimeter erected outside the National Constitution Center — the site of the first debate between 2024 presidential candidates Kamala Harris (D) and Donald Trump (R). A call to “shut down the presidential debate for Gaza” was announced by the Philly Palestine Coalition to rally at City Hall, which is east of the debate site.

Pennsylvania is considered the largest swing state in the presidential election. The statewide winner will take all 19 electoral votes. Street closures entered effect Tuesday morning on Arch and Market streets between 4th and 7th streets in Philadelphia’s historic Old City east of Center City. Eastbound lanes of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge are also closed. Watch our live coverage.


A flyer from the Philly Palestine Coalition circulated online

While Trump has promised he would help Israel “finish the problem” in Gaza, the Biden administration, which includes Kamala Harris as Vice President, has repeatedly gone out of its way to continue arming, funding and politically supporting Israel throughout its deliberate mass killings of displaced civilian children, women and men alongside the targeting of life-supporting infrastructure in Gaza, including the destruction of hospitals and water treatment plants and the torture of healthcare workers.

As of September 10, at least 41,020 Palestinian residents of Gaza have been reported killed and 94,925 injured, while 692 Palestinians in the West Bank were killed and more than 5,700 injured. At least 1,139 Israelis have been killed and 8,730 injured, according to Al Jazeera, based on regional agencies’ data.

Protests outside the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee in July criticized Trump and the Republican Party’s alignment with Israel’s racist and far-right government; demonstrations during the Democratic National Convention in Chicago late last month highlighted the fact that no Palestinians were allowed to speak onstage at the party’s national gathering.

Clips below from Milwaukee and Chicago highlight the scope of Palestine protests that have been the most visible element of dissension around the presidential race.

While paying lip service to talk of a ceasefire, the Biden-Harris administration has continued directly enabling Israel despite the International Court of Justice’s findings that allegations of genocide are “plausible” in regards to the invasion of Gaza and that Israel’s occupation of Palestine is illegal under international human rights law and should be ended.

Recent reporting has also shown that Israeli authorities are subjecting Palestinians held in crowded administrative detention camps such as Sde Teiman to rape and torture at a mass scale – a revelation that has apparently not impacted Harris’ public, unconditional support for Israel in recent media appearances.


For more from Palestine click on image below.

Union Busting Pizza Shop Vandalized on May Day

from Instagram

A local union busting pizza shop was apparently decorated by an anonymous actor on May 1st, international workers day, this year. That same pizza shop is now re-opening after closing their doors, over a year ago, because workers presented them with a union contract vote. We at ruthless believe everyone deserves more direct democracy in the work place and the best way to begin that process is a union. F@$k small business tyrants and down with union busting. We don’t need these types of businesses in HBG. We miss Mercados any ways!!!!

Third Annual May Day A Success !

from Philly Metro Area WSA

By Greater Chicago WSA

Reprinted from WSA Discussion Bulletin # 75

1

Wednesday, May first, at 8 30 pm EDT, workers from around  the country and Canada gathered for our third annual May Day online event.

The recent passing of our beloved Clarissa, who was pivotal in the first two years of our evening May Day, was frequently mentioned through the gathering.

The opening song, by Martin Traphagen, ‘Arrival,’  was inspired by Clarissa.

The third annual May Day Speech, this year delivered by Rebecca Croog, vividly described the impact that Clarissa had on her work:  “As I find my way into this work, I am visited multiple times a day by the memory and spirit of our Comrade Clarissa, who we recently lost to long covid. I can hear her encouraging us:

‘Don’t mourn, organize!’ I can feel her galvanizing us: ‘Let’s build coalitions! Let’s make this moment bigger and bigger!’ Gathered together as an anarcha-syndicalist community, let’s invite her in to remind us: ‘ALL BUILDS TO THE GENERAL STRIKE’

Rest in power, Clarissa! Free Palestine!”

As attendance increased, speakers reported on recent health care labor struggles, and one of the founding members of WSA, Steve Rabinowitz, read from the history of the Haymarket Martyrs, specifically the words of August Spies.

After the formal program, attendees shared news of May Day events and Gaza actions in their areas, from Philadelphia, Asheville, Greater Chicago WSA and other cities.

Comrade Greg McGee shared breaking news of attacks on the Ceasefire Gaza encampment at Columbia University.

Rebecca shared news of her work with Jewish Voice for Peace, recent union drives, and workers  standing up for Gaza.

At one point everyone joined in singing happy birthday to our comrade Alexandra, who is a May Day baby!!

2

As the meeting wound further down, comrades stayed for more informal discussion. Comrade Mitchell, (WSA zone 2 delegate in Oregon), asked what anarchist-syndicalists make of Rosa Luxembourg. This led to an energetic discussion on how anarchists can build relationships with anti-authoritarian Marxists, such as council communists and anti-state Marxists, outlining how Luxembourg’s work prefigured councilism, lamenting how Trotskyist groups have claimed her. Like later councilists, her criticism of anarchists seemed to be more that, at that moment, they were disorganized and had little capacity, different from criticism of organized libertarian communism itself.

By this point there were a few brave and sleepy comrades engaging in this conversion, and there were warm goodbyes. And for annual attendees not part of WSA, there were hopes to see everyone on May Day 2025!

 

 

Below is Martin’s opening song ‘Arrival’, in honor of Clarissa –

 

 

Nationalist White Power Band Condemned84 South Jersey Show Cancelled

from Jersey Counter-Info

In November 2023, Stomp Out NJ, a NJ hardcore show and event planning project run by Jay Baluski, announced it would be hosting a show on April 20, 2024 featuring nationalist punk band Condemned84.

A screenshot from Stomp Out NJ’s Instagram page, which depicts a number of different metal and punk shows, including the Condemned84 show (bottom left corner).

 

Jay Baluski’s advertising of the show on his personal Facebook page.

Condemned84 has decades long ties to Britain’s nationalist socialist and white power movements. Immediately upon the shows announcement there was understandable outcry from the local hardcore community over the organization of the show.

The event flier for the ill-fated Spring 2024 Condemned84 show. Note the coded swastika, depicted on the center of the flier by way of a nationalist punk and lightning.

Baluski/Stomp Out NJ played dumb and tried to shrug off people’s legitimate concerns like Condemned84’s nationalist and racist history, the date of the show overlapping with Hitler’s birthday (a well known and celebrated ‘holiday’ among national socialists), the event flier having a coded swastika on it, and the location of the show being a secret.

Baluski playing dumb on the Stomp Out NJ Instagram page.

While Baluski tried to play coy about the show and offered half-assed excuses to avoid any heat, the NJ hardcore scene and antifascists started to apply pressure to get the show cancelled. With consistent public pressure applied to Baluski/Stomp Out NJ, information about the scheduled April 20, 2024 show went dark for several months. In March 2024, Baluski made a public announcement on his social media that he had cancelled the Condemned84 show and was refunding ticket sales.

The official announcement from Baluski/Stomp Out NJ about the cancellation of the Condemned84 show.

 

Baluski/Stomp Out NJ posted further details about ticket sales being refunded.

The cancellation of the Condemned84 show can be attributed to the collective effort between the NJ hardcore scene and NJ antifascists, who created an inhospitable environment for racist nazi bullshit. Baluski/Stomp Out NJ do not currently have plans to reschedule the show or host future national socialist shows but both should be regarded with extreme caution. Nazi sympathizers and their ilk have no place in NJ.

🚨 BREAKING: PALESTINE ACTIONISTS HIT ELBIT SYSTEMS IN PENNSYLVANIA ‼️

from Twitter

At this Birdsboro, PA location, an Elbit subsidiary “Aydin Displays” makes screen displays & technology installed in Israeli tanks, drones & vehicles used by the occupation to surveil & mass murder Palestinians. #ShutElbitDown

WELCOME TO THE NEW PGH COUNTER-INFO SITE!!

from Berkman School of Anarchy

The Office of Scholarly Communications at the Berkman School of Anarchy is pleased to announce the launch of our new counter-info project! We will be accepting all Pittsburgh and University of Pittsburgh specific submissions that are hostile to authority. Analyses, reportbacks, communiques, public flyers, and other relevant anti-authoritarian stuff are welcome. Submissions will be published right here, on this site, so check back often! Instructions for submission can be found on the Contact & Submissions page. We are excited to see what you have to send us 😉

NJ Hate Watch: NJ Neo Nazi Richard Rygaard Spotted in Asheville North Carolina

from Jersey Counter-Info

In September 2023, South Jersey neo-nazi Richard Rygaard was spotted in Asheville, North Carolina. Concerned community members spotted Rygaard out and about in the community and recognized him as the former drummer and collaborator of the neo-nazi metal band Bound for Glory (BFG).

A recent picture of Rygaard.

Rygaard was confronted and it was discovered that he was temporarily staying in a neighboring town. Rygaard tried to play dumb and deny that he was a nazi but was quickly shut down and forced to leave town.

Community members were able to grab pictures of his car prior to him being booted from Asheville.

Rygaard’s 2010’s silver Toyota hatchback with NJ plates “M76SKE”.

 

A side view of Richard Rygaard’s silver Toyota hatchback.

It was also discovered that Rygaard has a Cash App account, further proving his enduring nazi ties.

Rygaard’s Cash App account can be reported here.


Send tips and information: njhatewatch@protonmail.com

Calling on USians to Memorialize Jennifer Laude and call for American withdrawal from the Philippines

Submission

An Urgent Plea from the Philippines

Anonymous

To the brave comrades of Turtle Island:

Last year, we asked antifascists in the U.S. to act for us in commemorating our slain sister Jennifer Laude, killed by an American soldier. While there was some commemoration and remembrance of Jennifer Laude, this was done after her death anniversary on October 11 because the initial open letter calling for the commemoration initially fell on deaf ears. Earlier, Filipino/a/x autonomists, anarchists, and abolitionists in the so-called Philippines and its diasporas wrote an open letter asking US anti-fascists to resist the return of the murderer of Jennifer Laude to the United States, but his return was not resisted, and we received no report of any action protesting his return.

Let us review the facts for our comrades in Turtle Island:

Joseph Scott Pemberton committed a heinous hate crime by brutally murdering Jennifer Laude on October 11, 2014. Jennifer was murdered precisely because she was transgender, with Pemberton’s legal team even trying the so-called “trans panic” defense as a justification for her murder. The Philippine state appears to have sided with Pemberton’s excuse that Jennifer’s identity was a provocation in itself, inducing Pemberton to kill her. This defense frames Pemberton as the victim and sets a dangerous precedent for trans women in the archipelago and beyond.

Jennifer Laude is fondly remembered as a beautiful person who was confident in her identity and sexuality. She was well-loved by her family and friends and her nickname was “Ganda” meaning “beautiful.” However, Pemberton did not care for Jennifer Laude as a human being. He was unrepentant at his trial, even going so far as to dehumanize Jennifer Laude by referring to her as “it.”

Pemberton’s case was discussed again when the Philippine government considered him for an early release due to “good conduct” in early September, a charge that the Laude family questioned on the grounds that Pemberton could not have proved good behavior. Indeed, how could Pemberton have proven his “good conduct” if he had not interacted with any prisoner in his specially-designed cell?

The point is now moot, as Pemberton has received an absolute pardon from then-president Rodrigo Duterte. He can now walk free, absolved of any criminal liability. We have no doubt that the government of the United States has had a hand in Duterte’s granting of absolute pardon unto Pemberton.

As anti-fascists, we know all too well how the state employs a double standard in its policing between the privileged and the dispossessed. Pemberton’s whiteness protected him from facing any meaningful consequences, just as whiteness protected countless murderers in the so-called United States. His case has been rife with special treatment from the beginning, and his pardon from Duterte only confirms that. This murderer has known nothing but lenience and special treatment in his trial and during his imprisonment. He was detained separately during his trial and was the only occupant of a Camp Aguinaldo detainment facility that was specially constructed for him after his conviction. As the pandemic ripped through overcrowded prisons, the state in the Philippines dragged its feet on releasing non-violent offenders and condemned countless prisoners to a slow death by COVID-19. Yet the white man, the U.S. national, the violent offender, and a prisoner at no risk of contracting COVID-19 was the one prioritized for release. Upon his return to the so-called United States, the U.S. government went on record stating that the murderer would not face court-martial in the country.

The reason Pemberton’s whiteness protected him was due to the imperialized position of the Philippines in the U.S. empire. Since the U.S. invasion of the so-called Philippines in 1898, U.S. troops have enjoyed free rein in the archipelago. Pemberton was in the Philippines due to Balikatan, annual military exercises between U.S. and Philippine armed forces — a recurring program established following the ratification of the 1999 Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA).

The VFA is a reminder of the neocolonial presence of the United States in the Philippines. It allows for the presence of U.S. military personnel, aircraft, and vessels in the Philippines. It also complicates the custodial process for U.S. troops accused of committing crimes while in the archipelago. Though the Duterte administration moved to suspend the agreement earlier this year, Duterte reneged 3 months before pardoning Pemberton. Now, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. revived the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) and its VFA, promising to use the Philippines as a base for American imperialist interests in Asia.

Militarization of the archipelago by U.S. troops has been correlated time and again with violence and sexual assault against women and sex workers. The violence that occurs at the intersections of racism, sexism, fetishization, and dehumanization is compounded for trans women who experience violence simply for being trans.

We anti-fascists already know that there is no justice to be had from the state, whether Philippine or American. This transphobic murderer continues to walk free as far as the states in the Philippines and the United States are concerned, so we reiterate our call to anti-fascists in the so-called United States to act.

While U.S. anti-fascists acted valiantly in response to the killing of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor and stepped up and defended communities where the state willfully failed, we have heard very little to suggest that Filipino/a/x trans lives matter in response to the return of the murderer to his country.

It has been nine years since the murderer took Ganda away from her family. There is still time to make up for this injustice.

We are writing this letter to ask antifascists and radicals of all strips on Turtle Island to act where we Filipinos could not. When the Spanish colonial government suppressed our people and murdered José Rizal, the anarchist Michele Angiolillo assassinated the Spanish Prime Minister Antonio Cánovas del Castillo. When US President William McKinley conquered the Philippines and murdered our people by the thousands, he was assassinated in turn by anarchist Leon Czolgosz. We mention these examples of direct action not because we are asking you to kill the murderer of Laude, but rather to show you that the anarchist movement has historically acted where Filipinos cannot.

To be clear, we are not asking you to kill Joseph Scott Pemberton. As anarchists and abolitionists, we abhor such cycles of violence. Killing Pemberton will not bring Ganda back, nor will it be justice for the Trans and Queer comrades among us. What we want is this to never happen again. Do not allow Pemberton to forget the vile crime he committed. You must prevent Pemberton from committing harm again. You must petition Pemberton’s prospective universities and employers not to accept him because of his violent past. You must picket his home, workplaces, and schools with memorials to Jennifer Laude. You must reveal to the world what a hateful and spiteful little man he is. You must make his life hell.

In terms of social justice, you must organize for the United States to withdraw its military assets from our islands, the Philippines. Their hateful and imperialist military can never bring good to our country. The biggest reduction of sexual and intimate violence from American servicemen would be in terms of their total withdrawal from the Philippines.

Above all, we ask you to remember Jennifer Laude as a victim of white supremacy and include her in your commemorations of the victims of white supremacy. She must be spoken in the same sentences as George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and all other victims of U.S. imperialism and police violence. Remember her as Ganda, kind, and generous. Remember her family as brave and steadfast in their demands for justice. While Jennifer’s story is not well known in the so-called United States, the injustice surrounding her case deserves your anger and solidarity.

Filipinos/as/xs have thundered that trans lives matter and for justice for Jennifer Laude, but we regret that our voices were not joined by U.S. anti-fascists. Ganda’s death anniversary is on October 11. We expect you to remember. We expect you to act.

In anger and solidarity,

Filipino/a/x autonomists, anarchists, and abolitionists in the so-called Philippines and its diasporas

THOUSANDS OF MINK LIBERATED FROM A FUR FARM

from Unoffensive Animal

[Youtube link]

18th September, PA, USA

received anonymously via email:

“dear mink murderer stahl, fur commission secretary:

i saw your mink prison recently and was not impressed. you have dozens of sheds but so many are falling apart. thankfully your operation seems to have gotten smaller over the years. when will you learn that animal abuse isn’t worth it?

people like me will continue to visit you at 4130 pennsylvania 890 sunbury, pa 17801, which i found on finalnail.com. a recent communique on animalliberationpressoffice.org inspired me to visit, document what was happening, and liberate as many mink as possible. people need to see the filthy & cramped conditions where these territorial & genetically wild animals are kept up to four in a single cage. and the joy that is possible when they experience freedom.

when the cage latches were opened the mink jumped out to experience their first steps in grass and mud. i hope most have escaped to freedom and no more animals are ever imprisoned and slaughtered here again. whatever happened after i left i hope it was expensive.

the fur industry is hurting. great. profits are already at record lows and we can make it cost more than ever to continue breeding animals to steal their fur.”

Antifascists Kick NJEHA, Embrace Struggle Active Club, and Garden State Nationalists Out of Princeton, NJ

from Jersey Counter-Info

Local antifascists received a tip from a concerned Princeton area resident on the morning of July 1st, 2023 that NJEHA and other fascists were at a Walmart on the outskirts of Princeton. Based on this tip, antifascists were able to mobilize and disrupt their meet up in the Walmart parking lot and gather intel. The group included members of NJEHA, Embrace Struggle Active Club, and Garden State Nationalists.

NJEHA members and the other fascists were spotted at the Walmart around 9am July 1, 2023. They soon found themselves unexpectedly surveilled by antifascists. They were visibly taken by surprise and it was clear they were not expecting anyone other than their own comrades as no one took any effort to cover their faces, license plates, or other personal property.

Two fascists in shock over being discovered at their meet up. At the time of publishing these two individuals have yet to be identified.

 

A fascist and their Black Nissan Sentra with PA plates “LPB1567”.

 

A group of three nazis at the Walmart parking lot, including former antifascist Paul Minton.

 

A white Dodge van that the fascists used to transport a banner and supplies. PA plates “ZVB3926”.

 

Paul Minton, who crawled back to fascism in 2020, was present too. He was wearing Embrace Struggle Active Club gear. Minton is a confirmed member of Embrace Struggle AC.

Some of the fascists must still be identified, however, there were some familiar faces including Paul Minton and Dan D’ambly. Minton, who was previously an antifascist, but backslid into fascism in 2020, was caught with his mask off talking to two other fascists. D’ambly was caught by his blue/green Toyota Camry with another fascist.

D’ambly and his Toyota Camry.

 

D’ambly and another fascist caught by surprise.

The fascists scrambled on what to do next and divided into two groups, one group lagged behind at the Walmart lot and the other set out to their intended destination, which ended up being downtown Princeton, NJ. Antifascists were able to discover this in real time through on ground surveillance work, which was successful because of the fascist’s sloppy tactics and security measures. While they attempted to use counter measures like staggering the time their members left, and later, waiting around Princeton in the hope that antifascists would leave, NJEHA, Embrace Struggle Active Club, the Garden State Nationalists, and their associates were unable to shake antifascists.

The group of fascists marching on the sidewalk attempting to conduct their demo.

 

An antifascist disrupting the Princeton demo.

Antifascists were able to mobilize quickly in Princeton once D’ambly and his crew hit the ground for their march and immediately began to disrupt their efforts. They were shouted down with a bullhorn and random passerby’s started to harass them as well. At one point one of D’ambly’s grunts tried to pass out NJEHA fliers and members of the public refused to take them, crumpling them up and throwing them on the ground like the trash they were.

NJEHA were unable to spread their fascist due to the efforts of antifascists.

 

One of the crumpled NJEHA fliers that was thrown out by the general public.

With their efforts foiled and heavy resistance from the general public and antifascists the assorted group of fascists gave up unceremoniously. They were spotted shortly after waiting for public transport by antifascists who were in the area.

The visibly dejected fascists waiting for public transport to take them back to their cars at Walmart.

 

D’ambly, Minton, and their fascist lackeys will probably try and spin their march and actions taken today as successful. That they were brave “American patriots” who took on antifascists in the streets. We know however that this couldn’t be further from the truth.

Eastern US Fur Farm Survey Reveals Numerous Closures

from North American Animal Liberation Press Office

Recently, anonymous aboveground activists conducted research of east coast fur farms, with the purpose of determining operational status and the number of active fur farms in the eastern United States, primarily Pennsylvania and New York.

Of the 18 farms visited, only one farm was confirmed as an active mink farm, the Stahl mink farm in Sunbury PA (4130 SR 890). One fox farm was inconclusive, the Pacuchinski fox farm in upstate NY (2730 Lenox Road).  All 16 others have shuttered. We found dilapidated and decayed sheds, and sheds that once confined mink were full of derelict machinery and various tools.

The number of operational U.S. mink farms is now under 100, down from over 400 in the 1990s and 274 just ten years ago. Estimates of active U.S. fox farms put the number between 25 and 50.

Last year, the Animal Liberation Front liberated over 15,000 mink from U.S. fur farms. In recent years, global pressure campaigns have seen nine designers go fur free. This is the grim state of the fur trade.

As the fur industry teeters on the brink of collapse, it’s up to all of us to do what it takes to ensure this industry never recuperates. Activist efforts and a diversity of tactics can destroy this industry that preys on native wildlife.

Look for the latest updates of closures and active fur farms at finalnail.com.

 

Announcing Unravel.noblogs.org

from Act For Freedom Now!

Unravel is a counter-information project with an insurrectional perspective that aims to connect acts of negation and attack in the so-called USA. Those in power want our acts to remain disparate and disconnected, the spark that drives each of us shielded from the other’s view. By weaving together the threads of action, this project hopes to draw throughlines in the struggles that anarchists engage in, in order to broaden and amplify shared projectualities.

Domination and authority cross us in a tangled and knotted web of ever more interconnected systems; unraveling this network at one point has the potential to create a cascade that throws everything into disarray, opening spaces for freedom. This website is explicitly anarchist, and accepts/reposts communiques, reportbacks, analysis, calls to action, events, and mass media articles about unclaimed acts of vandalism, sabotage, arson, or destruction.

Neo-Nazi Mathew David Bair of “First Capitol Proud Boys” Exposed

from Philly Antifa

Mathew David Bair, neo-nazi associated with The First Capitol Proud Boys and Southern Sons Active Club. Resident of Spring Grove, PA.

Atlanta Antifascists recently released an extensive report-back from a months-long infiltration of the “Southern Sons Active Club,” a cell “of the larger ‘Active Club’ network founded by fascist organizer Robert Rundo and his close associates.” As usual, it is S-tier research and reporting by ATL and we recommend reading it, even if you do not live nearby or feel you have a full understanding of the groups involved.

Most members and posters on the SSAC telegram reside in Georgia and the Carolinas, but one user, who posts on telegram as “Kermit (Sapper Actual)” reps Southern Sons while being from and living in Pennsylvania.

In addition to involvement in the openly fascist “Active Club,” Kermit runs the “First Capitol (York, PA) Proud Boys” telegram channel and appears to be running the chapter. Neo-nazi infiltration is well-documented in the proud boys, and many chapters function as essentially front-groups for neo-nazi orgs, while the “civic nationalist” chapters provide deniability and protect them.Kermit is feuding with the Ohio proud boys for being insufficiently openly racist for him.

Your Opsec is not good, Mathew.

Thanks to information provided to us by Antifa researchers, and then verified, we are prepared to expose “Kermit (Sapper Actual)” as Mathew David Bair of 138 N. Water St, Spring Grove, PA.

Antifa became aware of Kermit’s real name due to a doxx by his “white brothers” at Runic Storm, who make it a habit of doxxing anyone who doesn’t pay for an order or has issues with payment processing.

Though Bair had ordered under the name “Matthew Howse”, he used an email of MathewBairHxC@gmail.com. Sure enough, some light research confirmed that the address Kermit ordered to belongs to a Mathew Bair, who has been in the news several times for his far-right activities, as well as a run-in with York cops that generated a few moments of local notoriety for him. Interestingly, one of Bair’s friends present that day was named “Matthew Howse,” so we presume Bair used his friend’s name as a “cover,” while using his real-named gmail address.

Bair is 33 years old. He was in the marines but court martialed and discharged for stealing night-vision goggles. “Kermit” actually bragged about his court martial and it’s availability online. He was involved in an altercation with York PD for alleged brutality caught on video. The lawsuit was quickly dropped.

Bair was present at the Capitol building on January 6, 2021 and charged with curfew violation. He has prior guilty pleas for selling weed and harassment.

Mathew Bair of FCPB present at the January 6th Attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Bair and his crew have been working along with the NJEHA and WLM nazis we’ve previously profiled on this site, participating in shared days of action and joint demonstrations together. Presumably, the groups are also training together as that is a large part of the “Active Club” model. Recently, Bair posted public support Embrace Struggle Active Club, which is associated with disgraced sexual predator Paul Minton, whom Bair has worked with for some time.

Mathew Bair promoting Embrace Struggle Active Club, affiliated with Paul Minton.
Mathew Bair (holding megaphone) rallying in Easton, PA alongside fellow neo-nazis, including Paul Minton.

Anyone with more info on Bair or FCPB is welcome to contact us. Bair may be identified by his FCPB’s tattoo on one of his legs.

Mathew Bair’s First Capitol Proud Boys Leg Tattoo

Eternal War on the Hitler Youth,

Jennifer Thomas’ Alleged Financial Impropriety

from Jersey Counter-Info

In mid April 2023, Jennifer Thomas and other TERFs held a “women’s free speech rally” at the state capital, where they pushed transphobic rhetoric in an effort to further oppress imprisoned trans women.

While Thomas’ rally was unsuccessful, questions over her and her groups finances and use of funds raised from her base of sycophants sprang up in the days after the event. In a now deleted tweet, Thomas detailed her funding request prior to the rally, where she requested $2,000 in total for the rally in Trenton.

Thomas’ now deleted tweet detailing her funding request.

Thomas’ itemized request breakdown was: $500-$700 for one overnight Air bnb stay for her group, $200 for cookies to give cops at the rally, $200 for supplies (not specified), and $800 for travel expenses (not specified).

The initial request of funds was odd at best, seeing as Thomas has both family and friends in Central NJ and lives in Pennsylvania within driving distance to Trenton. The same also goes for Brittany Ortiz, who lives in Philadelphia, PA. Given they could have easily saved money on accommodations it’s strange Thomas requested such a large sum of money from her online supporters. Additionally, why did Thomas request $800 for transportation when virtually every TERF in attendance lives within a one to three hour driving distance from Trenton? Did Thomas really need almost five hundred dollars for “supplies” and “cookies4cops”?

Despite the questionable basis of her funding request though, Thomas’ actual use of expenses brings up more red flags and even more questions. Here’s the breakdown: in total Thomas raised $1,182 dollars out of a requested $2,000 from her GiveSendGo virtual fundraiser. Instead of spending $500-$700 for one night in an AirBnB, Thomas paid for four nights, for a price almost exactly equal to the funds raised.

There is considerable disparity between Thomas’ request for donations and her actual use of those funds.

As pictured above, the cost of Thomas’ AirBnB was not only much higher than she initially estimated, but was almost exactly the total amount fundraised. Rather than use the money like she had led donors to believe she would, she rented four nights at a house hardly a thirty minute drive from her own home, for an event that was only supposed to last a few hours.

Thomas requested $200 for “supplies”, to create signage for the rally, but demonstrated this to have been unnecessary. Despite having nothing left over after paying for the AirBnB, they appear to have been well-supplied. It remains unclear at this time whether the cops were forced to do without their cookies. Antifascists on the ground reported they did not spot any evidence of baked goods on site or in the possession of the cops.

Jennifer Thomas and fellow TERFs standing with their collection of homemade signs. It appears that they did not need donations for signage, despite soliciting donations under those very pretenses.

 

Thomas’ homemade sign, resting up against her white Dodge Challenger.

The discrepancies between Thomas’ request for funding and her actual use of those funds need more explanation than simple failure to meet the fundraising goal or unforeseen circumstances. Her gestures toward financial accountability, like posting breakdowns of planned expenditures and receipts, don’t hold up to the slightest scrutiny — no wonder she deleted the tweet. It’s hard to believe even her TERF supporters would have coughed up donations if they knew it was going to an excessive and unnecessary four-night stay. Surely Thomas agrees, or she’d have been up-front about that to begin with.

The most generous interpretation here is that she and her friends are making irresponsible use of donations; a more realistic interpretation is that they’re duping their supporters and stealing from them for personal enjoyment. Thomas’ motivation is unclear at this time but we wonder if she has connections/vested interest to whoever owns the AirBnB she booked.

We wouldn’t normally have a problem with someone stealing from TERFs, but it’s important to expose grifters like Thomas and her friends who are likely just using their followers. Don’t give this fraud your money.

-some antifascists

The George Floyd Uprising

Submission

Written during the riots, The George Floyd Uprising is a compendium of radical writing to come out of that long, hot summer. These incendiary dispatches—from those on the front lines of the struggle—examine the new horizons opened by the revolt, as well as the social, tactical, and strategic obstacles it confronted. This practical, inspiring collection offers a toolbox for all those actively seeking to expand and intensify revolts in the future, and it is essential reading for everyone interested in toppling the state, racism, and capitalism.

Join us May 7th at 3pm at the Quaker Meeting House in Harrisburg, PA for a discussion of the book with the editors!