Khalif Miller Given 1-10 Year State Sentence On Top Of Federal Sentence

  • July 9, 2024 1:22 am

from Mastodon

It’s been a little over a month since the upsetting news that was given a 1-10 year state sentence on top of the 61 month (5 year) Federal sentence that he has been serving since October of 2020.

Khalif is one of the five people indicted along with for his participation in the racial justice uprisings in 2020. He is facing a total of 15 years for attending a protest on May 30th, 2020. This is the new COINTELPRO!

We’re rehashing this 6/1 post from the @FreeAntPHL IG account to bring Khalif back to the top of your feed.

Send him some ♥️ at:

Khalif Miller -066
USP Big Sandy
U.S. Penitentiary
P.O. Box 2068
Inez, KY 41224

Rear perspective image of Khalif in a courtroom. Vertically aligned text displays the hashtag "Free Khalif." Horizontally aligned text reads "Today, Friday May 31, Khalif was given a 1-10 year sentence for a probation violation. Khalif has been in federal prison since October 25,2020, when he was arrested for participating in racial justice protests in Philadelphia. He was given a five year federal sentence, which triggered a probation violation. Now he has to serve another 1-10 years. 15 years for attending a protest."

ALT
Two headshot photos of Khalif over a background of swirling shapes and colors. Left photo shows Khalif smiling in front of a tree, and wearing a Rugrats shirt. Right photo shows him in a car with child sleeping in the back seat. He is wearing glasses in both photos. Text on image reads the hashtag "FreeKhalif."

ALT
Background of swirling shapes and colors, with text that displays Khalif's mailing address.

Monday June 24th: Card-writing for Anarchist Prisoners

  • June 12, 2024 1:17 am

from Philly ABC

j11-card-writing-2024.jpg

Designed and printed by Dre.

 

Today is June 11th, the international day of solidarity with Marius Mason and all long-term anarchist prisoners! Read the 2024 call including updates on international political prisoners, and the 2024 statement from Marius Mason.

Then later this month, join us for a J11 themed card-writing event! We’ll be getting together on Monday June 24th, 6:30pm at Wooden Shoe Books to sign and send cards to Bill Dunne, Casey Brezik, Malik Muhammad, and Marius Mason.

The first official J11 was held 20 years ago in support of Jeff Luers and all eco-prisoners. In 2014, Jeff told the story of its origins and subsequent evolution:

In June 2000, I along with Craig Critter Marshall set fire to 3 vehicles at a Eugene car dealership in an effort to call attention to climate change. Unbeknownst to us I was currently under investigation and surveillance by the same counter terrorist unit that years later would be responsible for operation backfire. As a result, we were arrested and after a year of court battles Critter was sentenced to 5.5 years and I received a sentence of 22 years and 8 months.

Across the country and the world people expressed outrage that a young idealistic youth was to serve more time in prison than he had been alive for an action that harmed no one. In the years that followed that outrage would take shape in the form of the international day of solidarity with Jeff Luers and all eco-prisoners.

The majority of my incarceration was spent defending my actions to a skeptical public and media all the while being punished by the state for my articulate defense of direct action.

It was through this media campaign and the amazing work of my support group that my support network began to grow. Before my second year was finished Critter and I had been added to the list of political prisoners being supported by the Jericho Movement, ABCF, and numerous other prisoner support groups. We were among the first eco-prisoners in the US to be accepted in radical circles as political prisoners.

On June 11 2004, after years of networking and public outreach, the first international day of solidarity with Jeffrey Free Luers and all eco-prisoners was held. The event quickly drew the fury of the state and the FBI issued an unprecedented national security alert warning of imminent eco-terrorist attacks across the nation. News headlines for a week warned of the attacks, showing my picture along with the eco-terrorist caption.

In the years that followed June 11 came to be a rallying cry for social and environmental justice movements the world over to protect our planet and to demand that those that have sacrificed their freedom doing so be recognized as political prisoners and not terrorists. I have spent the years of my life since my conviction combating the application of the terrorist label to activists and eco-activists in particular.

As an anarchist and a veteran activist who spent 9.5 years of my life in prison because I fought to protect an imperiled planet, I humbly ask that we remember that June 11 is about gaining political recognition for eco-prisoners and their struggles.

Monday May 27th: Letter-writing for Ant Smith

  • May 24, 2024 1:23 am

from Philly ABC

ant-smith-letter-writing.jpg
Join us on Monday May 27th at 6:30pm at Wooden Shoe Books to write letters to Philadelphia’s own Ant Smith. Ant is a high school social studies teacher in North Philly, an activist with organizations including Food Not Bombs Solidarity and Philly for REAL Justice, and a beloved community member currently serving a yearlong sentence for politically motivated charges related to the 2020 George Floyd Uprisings.

On Oct 26 2020, Ant was taken from his home and charged with obstructing law enforcement during a civil disorder and aiding and abetting the arson of a police cruiser. An outpouring of community support and outrage immediately followed. The impact of his tireless pursuit of collective liberation for his community was made clear to the court from the statements in his support released by the North Philly Peace Park, Philly Student Union, the Racial Justice Organizing Committee, the Coalition for REAL Justice, as well as the over 70 character letters submitted by students and colleagues after his arrest.

At his sentencing on Nov 21 2023, Ant’s friends and supporters had to be packed into a second overflow courtroom. U.S. District Judge Juan Sanchéz heard emotional pleas that Ant not be sent to prison from family, students and coworkers. Sanchéz sentenced him to a year and a day in prison, and two years probation on top of the three years of house arrest already served, and monetary restitution for the burnt police cruiser. Ant’s felony conviction also bars him from teaching for 10 years.

Just as Ant worked selflessly for all of us before he was imprisoned, we need to have his back while he’s in prison. This includes writing him letters to let him know he’s not alone. If you can’t join us in person on Monday May 27th, you can still write to him at:

Anthony Smith
14813-509
FCI Fort Dix Federal Correctional Institution
Satellite Camp
P.O. Box 2000
Joint Base MDL, NJ 08640

Letter-writing for Marius Mason

  • April 23, 2024 1:35 am
from Philly ABC
marius-mason-letter-writing-2024.jpg

Join us on Monday April 29th, 6:30pm at Wooden Shoe Books as we complement the 2024 NE Bash Back Convergence in Philly with a letter writing for incarcerated transgender anarchist, environmentalist, and animal rights activist Marius Mason. Marius is currently serving an almost 22-year sentence for property damage conducted in defense of the planet.

After years of aboveground organizing for social movements in Indiana and Michigan, Marius embarked on a Earth Liberation Front sabotage campaign in the late 90s. In 1999, he set fire to a lab at the University of Michigan that researched genetically modified organisms (GMO) for Monsanto. Threatened with a life sentence, lacking financial stability, and wary of dragging his family into a costly legal battle, Marius pled guilty in 2009. At sentencing, the judge applied a terrorism enhancement, makng Marius’s sentence the harshest punishment levied on anyone convicted of environmental sabotage in the US to date. No one was ever harmed in any of his actions.

Marius lived and worked in the Detroit area for most of his life. Like the late Earth First! (EF!) organizer Judi Bari, he was part of a generation of radicals who worked to link the environmental and labor movements, and was jointly active in both EF! and the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW). This alliance contributed vastly to the initial successes of the anti-globalization movement, including the 1999 anti-WTO demonstration in Seattle. Mason was an editor of the the Industrial Worker, and is also a musician. In 1999, he recorded “Not For Profit,” a neo-folk album with EF! comrade Darryl Cherney.

If you can’t join us in person this month, you can still write to Marius at the address below. Please review his current mail restrictions before drafting your letter.

Marius Mason -061
FMC Fort Worth
P.O. Box 15330
Fort Worth, TX 76119

We’ll also sign and send birthday cards to U.S.-held political prisoners with birthdays in May: Xinachtli (May 11th) and Kojo Bomani Sababu (May 27th).

The Blue Agave Revolution – Book Release from Oso Blanco

  • January 8, 2024 1:41 am
from Philly ABC

oso-blanco-blue-agave-revolution-book-event.jpg

Join us at 3:30pm on Sunday, January 28th at Iffy Books for the premier release of freshly published, The Blue Agave Revolution: Poetry of the Blind Rebel. Collaboratively written by indigenous anarchist political prisoner Oso Blanco and Michael Novick, The Blue Agave Revolution is a joint work of speculative/magical realist fiction containing tales of the Mexican Revolution, analyses of contemporary Indigenous struggle, engagement with the work of other political prisoners including Leonard Peltier, Mumia Abu-Jamal, and Jessica Reznicek, art, poetry, and meditations about what struggles for freedom may look like in the future.

After introducing the book and hearing a piece from Oso Blanco himself, we’ll jump into a multimedia program on contemporary aspects of the Zapatista movement and other topics related to Oso Blanco’s wholehearted connections to indigenous autonomy in Turtle Island. We will be joined by author and journalist Scott Campbell to shed light on the role of Magonismo in the early Mexican revolution.

$20 suggested donation (includes a copy of the book). No one turned away for lack of funds.

Remote participation is welcome! If you can’t make it in person, we’ll ship it to you so you can follow along. We also encourage those who are joining in person, to purchase and familiarize yourself with the book ahead of time, but that is completely up to you. Cash donations at the event are welcome too!

Monday December 4th: Reportback Mailing and Card-writing

  • December 2, 2023 1:57 am

from Philly ABC

rdtw-2022-reportback-zine.jpg

In lieu of our usual monthly letter-writing event, we will be mailing printed copies of our 2023 Running Down The Walls reportback to the political prisoners and prison rebels who participated from behind the walls, and to the 15 political prisoners supported by the ABCF Warchest.

Join us this Monday at 6:30pm, at Iffy Books (319 N. 11th St. ) as we package and mail the reportbacks. Snacks and supplies are provided. We encourage people who want to discuss ideas on how to support political prisoners and prisoners of war to come hang out, and sign cards for political prisoners with birthdays in December: Fred “Muhammad” Burton (December 15th) and Casey Brezik (December 30th).

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!

Monday, August 28th: Black August Letter-writing

  • August 25, 2023 1:50 am
from Philly ABC
black-august-card-writing.jpg

In August 1979, the first official Black August took place when incarcerated people came together to commemorate the deaths of brothers Jonathan and George Jackson, who were killed after the Marin County Courthouse Rebellion (Jonathan in August 1970 and George in August 1971). Prisoners in San Quentin started this tradition of daily exercises to sharpen their minds, bodies, and spirits in honor of the collective principles of self-sacrifice, inner fortitude and revolutionary discipline needed to advance the New Afrikan struggle for self-determination and freedom.

Black August now takes place all month as an invitation to reflect on the history of the Black freedom struggle, to celebrate those who have come before, and to commit to continuing this fight for justice and liberation. We invite you to remember, reflect, learn, and unlearn, by connecting with Black freedom fighters still behind bars and/or donating to the post-release fund of Ruchell Magee –the sole survivor of the Courthouse Rebellion who was just released earlier this month after 67 years of imprisonment.

Join us and Malcolm X Grassroots Movement Philly chapter this coming Monday, August 28th at 6:30pm online as we share a compilation of audio commemorations and inspiration from Black August and take time to send out letters and cards to political prisoners from Black liberation movements.

Download a PDF of the Black August illustration by Kevin Rashid Johnson laid out as a card to print. Check prisonersolidarity.com for Black Liberation prisoners to send cards to.

To get more information on the history of Black August, see an in-depth article on Ruchell, “Slave Rebel or Citizen?” by Joy James and Kalonji Jama Changa. Kiilu Nyasha, one of Ruchell’s strongest supporters for decades, wrote this classic: Ruchell Cinque Magee, sole survivor of the Aug. 7, 1970, Courthouse Slave Rebellion.

We’ll also encourage sending birthday cards for U.S.-held political prisoners with birthdays in August and September: Bill Dunne (August 2nd), Eric King (August 2nd), Hanif Shabazz Bey (August 15th), Ronald Reed (August 31st), and Leonard Peltier (September 11th).

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.

Running Down The Walls 2023!

  • July 14, 2023 1:46 am

from Philly ABC

RDTW 2023

Philadelphia Anarchist Black Cross and MXGM Philly invites you to our sixth annual Running Down The Walls (RDTW)! Join us for another revolutionary 5K run/walk/roll and day of solidarity amplifying the voices of our comrades behind bars, lifting them up in their struggles, and maintaining material support. If you would like to participate in light yoga and warm-up stretches before, please arrive by 10am and bring a mat if you can.

Running is not required! You can also walk, roll, or cheer. 5K is two loops around the park and at a walking pace will take about 45-60 minutes. Light refreshments and socializing will take place in the park afterward.

This year’s event will benefit the ABCF Warchest, and community and Weelaunee forest defenders facing repression from the ongoing efforts to #StopCopCity. Join us as we once again raise energy and funds for the freedom of political prisoners and the struggles they are caged for.

Cop City Will Never Be Built!

Vive vive Tortuguita!

#StopCopCity #DefendWeelaunee #JusticeForTort

This year marks a milestone in the Warchest program as we surpassed $205,000 in funds raised! Due to the abominable conditions that political prisoners and freedom fighters are subjected to, and the prevalence of health issues from medical neglect, they need our support now more than ever. Join us as we celebrate our successes this last year and build momentum for the struggles ahead!

If you cannot make it to the event or would like to make an additional contribution, please sponsor a participant either outside prison, inside prison, or one of each. Contact us for more information on sponsoring!

We will ship official shirts nationwide to people who register to participate remotely, pay online and leave their shipping address in the comment box!

Proceeds will be split between the Warchest Program and legal aid to support arrestees from the movement to Stop Cop City. The ABCF Warchest program sends monthly stipends to Political Prisoners and Prisoners of War who have insufficient, little, or no financial support.

[Sunday, September 11, 2022
11 am sharp (Yoga warm-up at 10am)
FDR Park

Deadline is September 3rd. Don’t wait until the last minute!]

Saturday, May 20th: Letter-writing for Edward Poindexter

  • May 18, 2023 1:09 am

from Philly ABC

ed-poindexter-letter-writing.jpg

Join us and MXGM Philly for a joint virtual letter-writing event on Saturday, May 20th at 4pm. We’ll be writing cards for political prisoner Ed Poindexter and addressing his urgent medical release campaign.

Ed Poindexter was sentenced to life in prison, along with his former co-defendant Wopashitwe Mondo Eyen we Langa who died in prison due to medical neglect, allegedly for murder of an Omaha cop when a suitcase containing dynamite exploded in a North Omaha home on August 17, 1970. According to radio journalist Michael Amdor (who would go on to become a lawyer and a judge) the police immediately assumed the Omaha Black Panthers (called the National Committee to Combat Fascism) were responsible for the bombing. Police wanted to raid their headquarters within hours of the blast, but were dissuaded because there was no probable cause to accuse the NCCF.

The “Nebraska 2” case was, and continues to be, very controversial. Ed and Mondo had been targeted by the FBI’s COINTELPRO (Counter Intelligence Program), which operated against and infiltrated anti-war and civil rights groups, including the Omaha Black Panthers. Ed and Mondo insisted they never manufactured a bomb, and so much evidence has come to light since their convictions to corroborate their story that Amnesty International and the Lincoln NAACP have called for their release, or for a new trial. The state’s parole board recommended them for release, but they have been denied multiple times.

Mondo died in prison of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease on March 11, 2016, after being incarcerated from ages 23 to 69 and asserting his innocence for 46 years. Ed has diabetes and receives dialysis six days a week. He underwent triple bypass heart surgery in 2016. After several falls, he chooses to use a wheelchair. He has a cataract in one eye that makes it difficult for him to read. The Nebraska Department of Corrections does not plan to allow him to have surgery because “he has one good eye.” Last month, Ed’s left leg was amputated below the knee due to lack of proper medical care. His family was not even notified before the surgery. We can honor Mondo by continuing to fight for the release of Ed!

Supporters have organized an urgent medical release campaign running through May 30th, so that Ed can be released to receive proper medical care. After more than 50 years in prison, Ed should be released to live the rest of his life outside of prison with his family! His niece Ericka is now 52 years old and was an infant when Ed was targeted, stolen from his home, jailed, framed, and railroaded. Watch the moving, recent video plea of Ed’s niece and sister.

This event will take place on Zoom: passcode 591101 (more info here). We’ll be discussing Ed’s case, writing him solidarity cards, and writing letters/emails to the targets of the urgent medical action campaign. If you cannot make the event, send Ed some love at the address below.

Note: It must be in large print or typed with 18 point or larger font and the envelope should be addressed in large print so Ed can read it.

Eddward Poindexter
Reception and Treatment Center
P.O. Box 22800
Lincoln, NE 68542-2800

We’ll also encourage sending birthday cards for U.S.-held political prisoners with birthdays in May and June: Xinachtli (May 11th), Kojo Bomani Sababu (May 27th), and Gage Halupowski (June 29th).

Monday, March 27th: Letter-writing for Urooj Rahman

  • March 26, 2023 1:52 am

from Philly ABC

urooj-letter-writing.jpg

Just us at Iffy Books (319 N. 11th St. ) at 6:30pm on Monday, March 27th to send letters of solidarity to Urooj Rahman, a human rights lawyer and activist arrested during the protests in response to the murder of George Floyd.

Urooj has spent her legal career protecting the rights of refugees around the world. She spent the last year representing low income New Yorkers facing eviction.  She received both her undergraduate degree and law degree from Fordham University where she championed, and continues to champion, civil rights. During her time at Fordham Law, Urooj co-directed an LGBTQI human rights defender training in Cape Town, South Africa and contributed to a shadow report on behalf of Afro-Colombian women submitted to the UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (UNCERD).

During the 2020 protests in response to the murder of George Floyd, Urooj was arrested and then indicted on seven counts for causing damage by fire to an abandoned and previously vandalized police vehicle. After over a year of fighting a slew of federal charges that together carried a mandatory minimum of 45 years in prison and a possible life sentence, Urooj initially took a non-cooperating plea to one count of possession of an unregistered destructive device which carries a sentence up to 10 years. Prosecutors indicated that they would seek to apply a “terrorism” sentencing enhancement against Urooj, which would make it much more likely that she would be sentenced to the full 10 years.

In June of 2022, after months of additional litigation and negotiation, Urooj entered a new non-cooperating plea deal to only one count of Conspiracy, which carries a maximum sentence of only 5 years, and prosecutor agreeing to recommend a sentence of 18 to 24 months. On November 18, 2022, Urooj was sentenced to 15 months in prison with two years of supervised release and over $30,000 in restitution. She was ordered to turn herself to begin her sentence on January 15, 2023.

Snacks and letter-writing supplies will be provided. If you cannot make the event, send Urooj some love at the address below. Note: Her name is Urooj but the BOP has her in the system as “Uroo,” so for the time being it is probably best to address the envelope that way.

Uroo Rahman -053
FDC Philadelphia
P.O. Box 562
Philadelphia, PA 19105

We will also send a birthday card to another political prisoner born in April: Mumia Abu-Jamal (the 24th).

Monday, March 13th: Letter-writing for Leonard Peltier

  • March 7, 2023 1:18 am

from Philly ABC

Just us at Iffy Books (319 N. 11th St. ) at 6:30pm on Monday, March 13th to send letters of solidarity to American Indian Movement elder and boarding school survivor Leonard Peltier . February 27th to March 8th of this year marks 50 years since the Lakota standoff with oppressive colonial forces at Wounded Knee. Wounded Knee is also where, on December 29, 1890, the 7th Calvary massacred approximately 200 unarmed Lakota of Chief Bigfoot’s band. The gathering in 1973 was in response to the oppressive conditions forced on indigenous communities by the Bureau of Indian Affairs– the escalation into a standoff typifies the aggressive stance of government agents towards native people advocating for themselves.

Leonard was a member of the American Indian Movement active in the 1970s. It is his involvement in supporting rights for indigenous people that set the stage for the accusation that he participated in the killing of FBI agents. It’s unconscionable that he’s been left to rot in a federal penitentiary for nearly half a century after being convicted on false evidence . In 2009, Leonard had his first and only parole hearing. He was given a 25-year hit, an exorbitant length that is rarely, if ever, given. His legal team and many supporters worldwide are now seeking executive clemency for him. Let’s send him some love to fortify his strength and resilience, and lend support for his fight for freedom.

Snacks and letter-writing supplies will be provided. If you cannot make the event, drop Leonard a line at:

Leonard Peltier -132 USP Coleman I P.O. Box 1033 Coleman, FL 33521

We will also send a birthday card to another elder political prisoner born in March: Ruchell Magee (the 17th).

Monday February 6th: Letter-writing for Alex Stokes

  • February 3, 2023 1:24 am

from Philly ABC

alex-stokes-letter-writing.jpg

Philly ABC is back with our regular letter-writing events this month featuring Alex Stokes, an antifascist prisoner sentenced to 20 years for defending himself and others from armed Proud Boys at the New York State Capitol on January 6th.

Alex is a journalist and artist from Albany, NY. He began documenting social unrest in 2014, and was arrested with over 200 protestors and independent journalists during #DisruptJ20 in Washington DC. He was injured during the 2017 “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, VA, and has routinely attended Black Lives Matter protests in Albany throughout 2020. He also regularly exposed local white supremacist groups and members.

On January 6, 2021, multiple members of the Proud Boys—a nationwide far-right gang—gathered outside the New York State Capitol in Albany, NY in support of the larger “Stop the Steal” rally in Washington DC. A fight broke out with counter-protestors as one Proud Boy tased a Black man who had his hands in his pockets, and another beating a woman over the head with a flag pole. Alex was watching from the sidelines and ran to help those being attacked, at which point he was also assaulted and managed to fend off multiple attackers, injuring two of them, and helped get other victims away from the fray. The Proud Boys involved did not receive any charges. Alex was charged with first-degree assault, among other charges.

In November 2022, despite video evidence from multiple angles showing this very clear cut case of self defense, and despite the fact that no one died or received life-altering injuries, Alex was found guilty and sentenced to 20 years in prison. His previous work and experience with exposing dangerous hate groups was inadmissible for his defense. The prosecution picked apart his social media accounts and portrayed his actions as premeditated. Alex is currently appealing the sentence. A fundraiser has been launched by the International Anti-Fascist Defence Fund to ensure that his appeal case does not lack financial resources.

Join us this Monday at 6:30pm, at Iffy Books (319 N. 11th St. ). Snacks and letter-writing supplies will be provided. If you cannot make the event, please send Alex some love at:

Alex Contompasis
Elmira Correctional Facility
PO Box 500
Elmira, New York 14901

We’ll also be signing birthday cards for political prisoners with birthdays in February: Veronza Bowers (February 4th), Kamau Sadiki (February 19th), and Oso Blanco (February 25th).

Philly ABC Monthly Letter Writing Event

  • January 31, 2023 1:49 am

from Iffy Books

February 6 @ 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm

Photo of a black envelope.

On Monday, February 6th at 6:30 p.m., the Philadelphia Anarchist Black Cross is hosting a letter writing event at Iffy Books. Come out and write letters to anarchist prisoners!

What is Anarchist Black Cross (ABC)?

ABC chapters around the world autonomously support people who are imprisoned for their thoughts and actions for justice and freedom from oppression, also known as political prisoners or prisoners of war. It is an extension of the work begun by the Political Red Cross in the late 19th century supporting political prisoners in Tsarist prisons or labor camps. PRC not only provided aid, but many times assisted in the planned escapes from prisons or places of exile. In 1907, the Anarchist Red Cross formed and branched out internationally to support both anarchist and socialist revolutionaries in prison and exile, since revolutionaries with these movements had begun to be excluded from the PRC’s support. With the rise of a new dictatorship in Russia, the ARC reorganized in 1919 as the Anarchist Black Cross. During the Spanish Civil War and WWII, ABCs comprised mostly of Russian Jews aided anarchist comrades fleeing from fascist persecution as well as those arrested in the resistance movements throughout Europe.*

In 1979, Lorenzo Kom’boa Ervin, an anarchist political prisoner in the US at the time, issued a “Draft Proposal for an ABC Network” in hopes that it would initiate a united mass movement rather than individual collectives. This proposal influenced the growth of ABC for over a decade, and in 1995 several groups banded together to form the ABC Federation of which Philly ABC is still a member. In addition to roughly a dozen chapters across so-called North America, there are chapters in South America, Europe and Asia. As anarchists, we support a diversity of tactics and aim to support current political prisoners as they see fit. Most chapters on Turtle Island prioritize support for Black and Indigenous liberation struggles in addition to people from anarchist and other anti-authoritarian movements.