May 7th Letter-writing for Anarchist Prisoners

  • May 1, 2018 12:00 pm

from Philly ABC

Join us for this month’s letter-writing event in honor of May Day. On May 1, 1886, more than 300,000 workers in 13,000 businesses across the United States walked off their jobs in the first May Day celebration in history. Anarchists led the strike in the Chicago area, and the strikers were met with heavy police force. In response, the anarchists called for an open forum on police brutality held in Haymarket Square.  Eight anarchist were arrested as organizers and became known as the Haymarket Martyrs as four were later murdered by the state.

Over one hundred years have passed since that first May Day. In the earlier part of the 20th century, the US government tried to curb the celebration and further wipe it from the public’s memory by establishing “Law and Order Day” on May 1. In honor of the Haymarket Martyrs and those who have come before and since, we will be writing to anarchist comrades behind bars: Bill Dunne, Jeremy Hammond, Eric King and Cedar.

We will also be sending birthday cards to political prisoners with birthdays in May: Alvaro Luna Hernandez (the 12th), Kojo Bomani Sababu (the 27th), and Doug Wright (the 31st).

The event will be held at 6:30pm at LAVA.  Food will be provided by North Philly Food Not Bombs.

[May 7th at LAVA 4134 Lancaster Ave]

Running Down The Walls!

  • April 24, 2018 12:25 am

from Philly ABC

August 5th 2018, 10am
Fairmount Park 5K

Hosted by Philly ABC and sponsored by the MOVE organization, Philadelphia’s first Running Down The Walls (RDTW) event is dedicated to the MOVE 9. On August 8th, the MOVE prisoners will have been locked in Pennsylvania prisons for 40 years. Despite the overwhelmingly obvious, irrefutable evidence of their innocence, and the prosecutorial misconduct used to convict them, the political warfare to keep them imprisoned has lasted decades.

Join us and Move prisoners as we run down the walls together. Philadelphia RDTW 2018, exists to amplify their voices, rectify solidarity, strengthen our forces, and Free the Move 9!  If you cannot make it to the event or would like to make an additional contribution, please sponsor a runner either outside prison or inside or one of each. Contact us for more information.

Proceeds will be split between the Warchest Program and the MOVE 9 Support fund. The ABCF Warchest program sends monthly stipends to Political Prisoners and Prisoners of War who have insufficient, little, or no financial support during their imprisonment.

Thanks for your interest in supporting the Move 9 by participating in this 5k!

[Register Here]

Philly ABC Film Screening:The Skyjacker’s Tale

  • April 12, 2018 3:53 pm

from Facebook

Philly ABC will be hosting a film screening of “The Skyjacker’s Tale” by Jamie Kastner. The film is a documentary and the description of it from the website can be found below. We look forward to seeing y’alls beautiful faces there.

“Ishmael Muslim Ali is the American convicted of murdering eight people on a Rockefeller-owned golf course in the US Virgin Islands. After years of trying to get his conviction overturned, he took matters into his own hands and hijacked an American Airlines plane full of passengers to Cuba on New Years Eve 1984, and got away with it. Until now.” – skyjackerstale.com

Ishmael, as well as Warren (Aziz) Ballantine, Meral (Malik) Smith, Raphael (Kwesi) Joseph, and Hanif Shabazz Bey are known as the Virgin Island 5. On September 6th, 1972, eight American tourists were gunned down at the Rockefeller-owned golf course on the island of St.Croix. Quickly the colonial authorities picked up over one hundred blacks for interrogations, and the U.S. colonial troops carried out a series of repressive acts of violence against the black community. The F.B.I. and the United States Army troops led a 300-man invasion force into the islands and used strong armed tactics to conduct house to house searches of the low income areas.

The five were charged after being subjected to vicious torture, in order to extract confessions. They were beaten, hung from their feet and necks from trees, subject to electric shocks with “cattle prods”, had plastic bags tied over their heads and had water forced up their noses by the “defenders of the law.” The judge (Warren Young) overlooking the case prior to being placed on the federal bench worked as Rockefeller’s private attorney and and even handled legal matters for the Fountain Valley Golf Course.

Their trial was an obvious Kangaroo Court and a mockery of any sense of a fair trial. On August 13, 1973, each of the five men convicted and sentenced to eight(8) consecutive life terms.

Today, Warren (Aziz) Ballantine, Meral (Malik) Smith, and Hanif Shabazz Bey are all confined in federal prisons. Ismail Ali was liberated to Cuba via an airplane hijacking in 1984. Raphael (Kwesi) Joseph was granted a pardon by the V.I. governor in 1992. Six years later Kwesi was mysteriously found dead of poison-laced drug overdose, after it was said that he was about to reveal evidence that would have exonerated at least one or more defendant.

More information on the case can be found here http://www.abcf.net/prisoners/vi5.htm

Monday, March 5th: Letter-writing for Cleveland 4 prisoners

  • February 26, 2018 1:51 am

from Philly ABC

We’re back on our normal first Monday of the month schedule in March and will be writing letters to Josh Stafford, Connor Stevens and Doug Wright of the Cleveland 4.

They were arrested on April 30th, 2012. They were accused of plotting a series of bombings, including that of an area bridge.  However, the real story is that the FBI, working with an informant, created the scheme, produced the explosives, and coerced these four into participating.

Connor and Doug took non cooperating plea deals and pled guilty to all charges.  The judge applied a “terrorist enhancement” charge to each of them, elongating their sentences as well as subjecting them to harsher prison conditions.  Doug is serving 11.5 years, Brandon 9 years 9 months, and Connor 8 years 1 month.

Skelly took his case to trial. He went pro se and acted as his own lawyer. The FBI offered him a non cooperating plea deal with a 3 year sentence, if he would have plead guilty. Josh refused to plead guilty to something he wasn’t guilty of doing. He was found guilty on all counts by his jury and sentenced to 10 years. Even though Skelly had the most minimal role, he got the second longest sentence because he took his case to trial.

Doug and Connor plead without an agreement while facing the threat of life in prison. On appeal of there sentencing they were primarily fighting against the life long probation that was handed down at sentencing. Doug also fought against being branded the leader. After months of waiting for a verdict on the appeals, we got word back. The appeal have been denied.

They all continue to fight against the government’s attempt to brand them as terrorists and to expose the techniques of entrapment employed by the FBI and their informants.

Dinner will be served by North Philly Food Not Bombs and we will sign birthday cards for Joy Powell (the 5th), Andrew Mickel (the 13th), Cinque Magee (the 16th), and Jaan Laaman (the 21st).

[6:30 pm at LAVA (4134 Lancaster Ave)]

Monday Feb 12th: Show some love to Debbie & Mike Africa for Valentine’s Day

  • February 5, 2018 12:09 pm

from Philly ABC

MOVE members and partners Debbie and Mike Africa have been incarcerated since 1978, spending years apart from each other, their children and families and from our community. Right before Valentine’s Day, let’s show them a little love and send them a stack of letters so they know we are still fighting with them from the outside. We will also be sending out birthday cards to all political prisoners with birthdays in February– Veronza Bowers & Norm Lowry (the 4th), Kamau Sadiki (the 19th), Oso Blanco (the 26th), and Ana Belen Montes (the 28th). North Philly Food Not Bombs will provide a vegetarian dinner!

NOTE: AFTER THIS, LETTER-WRITING WILL RETURN TO 1st MONDAY OF EACH MONTH!

[February 12 from 6:30PM to 9PM at LAVA Space 4134 Lancaster Ave]

Letter-writing in Solidarity with Trans Prisoners

  • January 15, 2018 9:04 pm

from Philly ABC

Because of the new year and frigid weather this event is being held on Monday, Jan 22nd.  Events will resume on first Mondays in February.

Our January event will highlight trans political prisoners in honor of J22: Trans Prisoner Day of Action and Solidarity.  This annual event was initiated by Marius Mason, a trans prisoner in Texas, and is now being led by trans prisoners and their supporters from around the world. It is a chance for those on the outside to remember those behind bars, give real solidarity and support, and raise awareness about issues facing trans prisoners. It is a chance for those on the inside to have a voice and organize together.

Join us for dinner at LAVA on January 22nd at 6:30pm as we write to Marius Mason and Jay Chase!  A representative from Marius’ support crew will be there to provide the most updated info on him and his case. We will also send birthday cards to prisoners with January birthdays: Fran Thompson (4th), Abdul Azeez (9th), Sundiata Acoli & Herman Bell (14th), Joe-Joe Bowen (15th) and Marius Mason (26th).

 

Holiday Card Party for US-held Political Prisoners

  • November 27, 2017 2:22 pm

from Philly ABC

Join Philly Anarchist Black Cross as we send holiday cards to political prisoners. We will send cards and warm wishes to our friends and comrades inside. Maintaining and building relationships with them is the crux of what we do, so we will be sending cards to as many PPs and POWs as possible.

North Philly Food Not Bombs will serve up dinner!

[December 4 at 6:30 at LAVA Space 4134 Lancaster Ave]

November Letter Writing – Anti-Colonialism

  • October 31, 2017 12:56 am

from Philly ABC

On the forth Thursday of November every year, Americans gather to feast on turkey in honor of colonialism. While most Americans are busy stuffing their mouths and excusing themselves, since the early 70’s, indigenous activists have countered this holiday with the National Day of Mourning and Unthanksgiving Day to address genocide and continuing native struggles. See Leonard Peltier’s 2015 Day of Mourning statement discussing his case, his plea for support from Obama (who did not grant him clemency despite overwhelming support), and his health around that time which unfortunately continues to suffer due to inadequate medical care in prison. Also in 2015, Jason Hammond released his Don’t Eat the Fucking Turkey statement, where he announced his protest of Thanksgiving from inside prison by means of fasting and telling the stories of anti-colonial resistance movements. He encouraged all of us to do the same. If a prisoner can do it, so can we!

Philly ABC is hosting an anti-colonialist letter writing in solidarity with indigenous freedom fighters held captive in the Unites States. Join us Monday November 6th, 6:30pm at Lava! Brings your friends and send some love to Oso Blanco, Leonard Peltier, and Red Fawn Fallis. We’ll also be sending birthday cards to Ed Poindexter (Nov. 1st) and Josh Williams (Nov. 25th).

From all of Philly ABC,
Fuck Thanksgiving!

October Letter Writing & Disrupt IACP

  • September 25, 2017 2:29 pm

from Philadelphia ABC

When: Monday, October 2nd, 2017 . 6:30-8:30 PM

Where: LAVA, 4134 Lancaster Avenue

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October is a significant month for the anti-police struggle. In June of 1996, a diverse coalition of organizers came together to strengthen the peoples’ resistance to police brutality. October 22 was the date selected for a National Day of Protest (NDP) against police brutality and the criminalization of a generation. O22 has been bookmarked for anti-police demonstrations ever since.

This year, the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) is hosting their annual conference at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia on October 21-24th. In response, opposition has called for mobilizations to disrupt the IACP conference.

Philly ABC endorses disrupting the IACP conference and supports diverse community resistance to police terror.

In the spirit of fighting back, we’ll be featuring anti-police struggle political prisoners at our upcoming letter writing event on October 2nd, at 6:30pm at Lava. Join us for tasty vegan treats, as we ensure our imprisoned comrades, Alvaro Luna Hernandez, Reverend Joy Powell, and Josh Williams, know they are not forgotten. We will also be signing birthday cards for political prisoners with birthdays this month – Skelly Stafford (October 3rd), Jamil Al-Amin (October 4th), Mike Africa (October 6th), David Gilbert (October 6th), Malik Smith (October 8th), Seth Hayes (October 15th), Jalil Muntaqim (October 18th), and Eddie Africa (October 31st). If you cannot make it to the event, consider dropping one or more of them a line this month. This time is also dedicated to the hundreds of lives lost to badge-wearing, uniformed gang members who kill with impunity.

Brick x brick – wall x wall – free them all!
Philly ABC

– –
Rest In Power Chris Monfort. We’ll never forget you.

9/9/17: First Philly ABC Letter-writing event on Anniversary of Prison Strike

  • September 6, 2017 1:38 pm

from Philly ABC

When: Saturday, September 9th, 2017 . 2-5PM
Where: LAVA, 4134 Lancaster Avenue

Join the newly formed Philly ABC for the first of what will soon be monthly prisoner letter-writing events!  Letter-writing supplies, stamps, and light refreshments will be provided — just bring yourself, friends and comrades.

We will be listening to a podcast featuring two of the prison strike organizers, Siddique Abdullah Hasan and Kinetic Justice.  Hasan is a prison Imam, a skilled writer, and a compassionate mentor and friend to fellow inmates. He was placed on death-row for his alleged leadership role in the 1993 Lucasville rebellion, which occurred shortly before his scheduled release, but he maintains innocence. Kinetic of the Free Alabama Movement has been locked up in solitary confinement for years for organizing, in his words, non-violence protests against the prison system in Alabama.  We will also be signing birthday cards for political prisoners who have birthdays this month: Brian Vaillancourt (Sept 5th), Leonard Peltier (Sept 12th), and Abdul Maumin Khabir (Sept 15th).

For reports and analysis of the 2016 prison strike see The Fire Inside.

If you can’t make it to the event but would like to write on your own:

Siddique Abdullah Hasan (Carlos A. Sanders) #R130559
Ohio State Penitentiary
P.O. Box 1436
Youngstown, OH 44505

Kinetik Justice (In letter, use chosen name Kinetik Justice but address envelope to:)
Robert Earl Council, 181418
Limestone CF D69
28779 Nick Davis Rd.
Harvest, AL 35749

Brian Vaillancourt #M42889
Robinson Correctional Institution
13423 East 1150th Ave.
Robinson, IL 62454

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

Abdul Maumin Khabir (aka Melvin Mayes) #09891-000
Federal Medical Center Rochester
P.O. Box 4000
Rochester, MN 55903