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
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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.

An Afternoon of International Solidarity with Anarchist Prisoners

  • December 6, 2022 1:23 am

from Philly ABC

international-solidarity-call-in-event.jpg

Philly ABC invites you to join us this Sunday, from 1:00 – 3:30pm at Iffy Books (319 N. 11th St. ) for an important afternoon of international solidarity with anarchist prisoners across the pond. It is our firm belief that political education and solidarity work should extend far beyond the borders of the territories we live in and fight against. In this special event we’ll be hearing from UK-held anarchist prisoner Toby Shone and from a supporter of Italian anarchist prisoners Alfredo Cospito and Anna Beniamino.

Toby Shone was arrested by counter-terrorism cops in November 2020 as part of “Operation Adream” – a series of coordinated raids against the anarchist website 325.nostate.net, and part of an ongoing attempt by the UK government to silence dissent and criminalize anarchist beliefs.

He plead not guilty to charges under the UK Terrorism Act, and was set to stand trial on October 6th, 2021. However, with no evidence to put before the court, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) was forced to drop these charges on October 1st, leaving a sentence of 3 years and 9 months for psychedelic drugs found during the raid.

Out of spite, the prosecution and Counter-Terror Unit also attempted to apply conditions of the Serious Crime Prevention Order (SCPO). If granted, the police and Counter-Terror Unit would have been able to control, monitor and surveil Toby’s electronic devices, finances, residence, visits to the residences of others and other movements, and his entire associated social, professional and political network for five years following his release, with the prospect of returning Toby to prison for an additional five years if conditions were breached. Their efforts failed again on May 6th, 2022, when a High Court Judge refused the order on account of “No Necessity,” even going as far to say the order is draconian even for ’terrorist’ offences.

The next juncture for revenge against Toby comes at his mandatory prison release on December 28th. Without any legal basis whatsoever, the Counter-Terror Unit, MAPPA (Multi-Agency Public Protection Arrangements) along with the Probation Service have used experimental de-radicalizaton measures to place Toby in their highest risk categories and have drafted the following release conditions which are more extreme than that of SCPO:

  • No contact with extremists or anyone arrested for extremism;
  • No discussions (sharing opinions will be regarded as ‘grooming’ ‘radicalisation’ and ‘preaching’);
  • No attending any meeting or gathering except for the purpose of worship;
  • Only one phone, which must be handed over to the police whenever they ask for it – nothing must ever be deleted from this phone; and,
  • Must live in an Approved Hostel for one year.

For a deeper dive into this latest effort against Toby, what he faces in the road ahead, and what we can learn from this case, see the full October 22nd update from ABC Brighton and join us for his call.

Similar repression against anarchists exists all over the world. In Italy, anarchist prisoners Alfredo Cospito and Anna Beniamino are being given life sentences after accused of an explosive attack that didn’t harm anyone. On May 5th, 2022, Alfredo was moved to the 41bis prison regime, a regime based on total isolation, sensory deprivation, and “white torture.” He began an indefinite hunger strike on October 20th. Anarchist prisoner Juan Sorroche has also joined the hunger strike together with Anna, Ivan, and Toby.

Together with these heavy sentences, several comrades are being charged with incitement to revolt and apology of terrorism for writing in journals and websites: there is a clear attempt to silence all forms of anarchist speech. Normal repression? Something more, a warning for all those who struggle without compromise inside and outside prison and who haven’t stopped believing in the practice of direct action and revolutionary solidarity.

This is not an Italian exception but rather a European trend, given the numerous investigations and detentions involving anarchist comrades in England, France, Spain and Greece, and it is clear that the attack on anarchists can only be understood in the context of the permanent state of emergency and war in which we have been immersed for two years now (strengthening of the state and its control over the population, increasing powers given to police forces, experimenting with “red zones” and curfews, harsh repression in the streets and in the workplace, increasing technological control and increase of prices of essential goods and general impoverishment the consequences of which, also in terms of conflict, are hard to imagine, but against which the state is already preparing its countermeasures).

The attack against our comrades is an attack against all those who won’t surrender to a system based on the exploitation of all living creatures and the destruction of human beings and the planet. Let’s mobilize to prevent the advancing of repression, life sentences and the 41bis special security regime. Let’s come together, coast to coast, to build and strengthen our support and solidarity for comrades worldwide

Give Through the Bars 2022

  • November 29, 2022 1:28 am

from Philly ABC

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The closing stretch of 2022 with its holidays and festive gatherings is in sight. No doubt, many of you are eager to gift the new Certain Days calendar to friends and loved ones. However, just because the year is winding down into sweater weather and hot cocoa, does not mean that the Anarchist Black Cross Federation’s struggle against repression will be taking a break.

On the contrary, we plan for 2023 to be full of solidarity, mutual aid, and freedom for political prisoners and we’d love it if you could help us get a head start on those efforts.

Tax Deductible Donations

The ABCF can now provide tax deduction receipts for donations of over $500 through our fiscal sponsor, IDAVOX/One People’s Project.

To take advantage of the tax deduction, make your check payable to “One People’s Project” with “ABCF” in the memo and mail it to: ABCF-OC, P.O. Box 4341, Santa Ana CA 92702. Be sure to include a return address (preferably email) where we can send your receipt back to you.

Of course, this isn’t the only way to contribute to the work the ABCF does– we can accept contributions of any amount through the normal CashApp, Venmo, PayPal and checks/money orders if no tax deduction is desired. You can also pick up some sweet Pushing Down The Walls and other merch from our Orange County chapter.

Looking Back and Planning Ahead

Speaking of “the work,” here’s an incomplete list of what we’ve been up to since our last year end round up:

Online and in-person letter-writing events hosted by various chapters, as well as our ongoing administration of prisonersolidarity.com.

ABCF Chapters and comrade organizations all over the US and Canada put together 12 Running Down The Walls 5K events which raised a combined $21,154.84 for the Warchest Program.

Regular, reliable disbursements to the 17 current Warchest Program recipients.

Additionally, we’ve provided mutual aid to comrade organizations internationally as well as individual political prisoner support committees here on Turtle Island. For example:

$2000 to Belarus Anarchist Black Cross to support political prisoners there.

$1500 to Moscow Anarchist Black Cross to respond to the repression of anti-war organizing against Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. We were able to make this transfer before Russia was excluded from SWIFT banking systems.

$1000 to the Civil Liberties Defense Center to assist with their eventually successful representation of Eric King. The BOP’s bogus, retaliatory charges were designed to bury him decades beyond his original sentence.

$4000 to Sundiata Acoli’s post-release support fund.

$1000 to the housing fundraiser for Herman Bell, a former Black Panther and political prisoner who was incarcerated for 45 years.

$1000 to the support committee of Kamau Sadiki to help cover ongoing legal, medical, and visitation costs.

Now that you have some idea of what to expect from us in 2023, please consider making a contribution and inviting your friends to do likewise. As an organization made up entirely of volunteers, our ability to fight for the survival and freedom of imprisoned comrades is dependent on gifts from our community.

They’re in there for us. We are out here for them.

Monday November 28th: Letter-writing for Kojo Bomani Sababu

  • November 26, 2022 1:40 am

from Philly ABC

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Philly ABC is back with our regular letter-writing events this month featuring New Afrikan Prisoner of War, Kojo Bomani Sababu. He is currently serving time for actions with the Black Liberation Army, and later an attempted escape from prison.

Kojo was captured on December 19th, 1975 along with anarchist Ojore Lutalo during a bank expropriation. He was also charged with the murder of a drug dealer in his neighborhood. He was convicted of seditious conspiracy in 1981 and sentenced to 55 years in prison (until 2045). Then in 1988, he was convicted of conspiracy to escape from the federal prison at Leavenworth with Puerto Rican Independista Oscar Lopez Rivera. He is now scheduled to be released to state prison upon the expiration of his federal 55-year sentence to serve possibly an additional 15 years for this case. Notably, Ojore was paroled and Oscar was granted clemency by President Obama.

Join us this Monday at 6:30pm, at Iffy Books (319 N. 11th St. ) as we show Kojo that he is not forgotten! We continue to advocate for our elder freedom fighters serving time for their service to liberation struggles. Snacks and letter-writing supplies will be provided and we will listen to a few short audio recordings of Kojo.

We will also send birthday cards to U.S.-held political prisoners with birthdays in November & December: Josh Williams (November 25th), Muhammad Burton (December 15th), Casey Brezik (December 30th).