Updates on George Floyd Protests, Riots, Repression, and Reaction

  • June 2, 2020 3:01 am

from Instagram

Today the cops and the racists waged war. A very unrowdy, chill march had a deluge of teargas leveled at them by the hands of state and city police agents from both the ground and helicopter as they tried to disperse. If you don’t know your history, in 1985 the Philadelphia Police Department dropped a bomb via helicopter on a residential block of West Philadelphia then shot people trying to flee the ensuing fire, murdering 11 MOVE members and burning down 61 homes. Helicopters and weapons targeting us here, that’s a trauma that hits HARD.

To make things more terrifying today, bands of white people were encouraged by the PPD to arm themselves and patrol the streets, beating the hell out of a number of folks with baseball bats, and then congratulated by the police. We did our best to support who we could, and will continue, but the horror of today was beyond words… #georgefloyd #blacklivesmatter

from Instagram

Another day of Philadelphia Uprising. People are still standing off across Philadelphia. In west philly police tear gassed the surrounding neighborhood of 42nd and market so we made this guide about tear gas. Send this to all your west philly friends. Love and Rage. .

from Twitter

After hearing several reports that Philly cops were “warning” white residents that “antifa is coming”, about 50 – 150 all white men gathered around Girard and Berks and started heading west down Girard. At least three reported by assaults by them.
This guy attacked street medics who were helping another person they attacked.
Some footage of them marching down Girard. They are being protected by Philly police, who seem to have intentionally instigated their violence
Please share more pics and videos if you have them. Make sure your comrades and loved ones are aware. As always, it’s on us to defend ourselves from violent white supremacists.

George Floyd Riots in Center City

  • May 31, 2020 12:33 am

from Twitter

No shortage of artwork to depict the way people in #Philadelphia feel about police. #RestInPower #GeorgeFlyod



from Instagram

It was a beautiful sunny day of resistance in #philadelphia. Rest In Power #georgefloyd. #letitburn #ftp #acab

 




from Twitter

Philly police pin young black man to the ground with their knees, swat our field reporter with a baton for filming the scene.

“Beat it.”

“I’m a journalist, sir!”

“I don’t care what you are. Beat it.”

In a scene echoing George Floyd’s death, tonight @PhillyPolice kneeled on a young black man’s neck as another officer already had him pinned. Officer w knee on neck called him a “pussy” shortly before other cops batoned our camera away fom the scene

[Video Here]

We’ve ended our ground reporting from Philadelphia for the night due to repeated assaults by officers on our reporter making it unsafe and impractical to continue. Our Philly staff is safe at home now but Philly Police made it clear our 1st Amendment press freedoms are suspended

In Philly tonight we repeatedly saw some officers charging ahead to beat people with batons while their commanders yelled at them to stop and hold their line. Police personnel generally seemed quite on edge and quick to verbally insult, taunt, and push/strike protesters

Whether police command structures can actually control their rank and file during these escalating protests is a question we find ourselves asking a lot

from Twitter

Modell’s window advertisement: “Everything must go!”

Rebels: “Okay, if you say so!”

#FTP #ACAB #GeorgeFloydProtests #Philadelphia

 

from Twitter

Anger at #GeorgeFloyd’s murder has spilled over into Philadelphia, PA today – fires and looting across center city, City Hall is at least partially on fire
 

These fires were cop cars on fire on the North side of Philadelphia city hall
 

Philadelphia: Windows of Wells Fargo at 15 and Chestnut have been smashed. Graffiti seen saying “Fuck 12” and #NoDAPL.
 




Philly Police are holding line but outnumbered and many projectiles thrown.
 
Small fire started near Wells Fargo as protesters stand off with police in #Philadelphia while seeking #Justice4GeorgeFloyd. Many stores are being broken into and goods are being expropriated.
[Video Here]
 
An update from Center City as #GeorgeFloyd protests erupt in Philadelphia.
 
From Instagram

YO PPD YR RIDE IS HERE. Philly set it the fuck OFF today. #FTP #georgefloyd

 

from Instagram

Solidarity with all fighters against police terrorism .






Up Against The Law: Solidarity statement with Twin Cities response to police terrorism

  • May 30, 2020 12:57 pm

from Facebook

May 29th, 2020

First, a big thank you to those saying “fuck the police!”

This statement is our written expression of solidarity to the Twin Cities rioters and against all police.
We are saddened and angry to hear about the murder of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police. But we are not surprised.
We support the actions of racial justice by whatever means participants deem necessary. We urge people who are ideologically opposed to certain freedoms of dissent to step aside. Interventinon, especially by white people, will support further police terrorism. Respect a diversity of tactics. Our experience has shown that power and white supremacy doesn’t give up voluntarily, and neither will we.
Don’t attack each other. Understand that this isn’t simply about the choices and actions of individuals, but is a product of the racist system that we live under.
We believe that solidarity is our greatest weapon against state repression.
We need to take care of each other, so we can be dangerous together.
It is our duty and commitment to support those who fight back against police terrorism of black, brown and indigenous communities. We’ve been with you in Baltimore, Charlottesville, DC, and of course Philly. We will march with you as legal observers, call the bail commissioner to see that we can help you out of jail, host trainings at your request, and in some cases get locked up with you.
We want you to know you are not alone in this fight.
We are watching from Philadelphia, and we will support those fighting locally, as we always have.
Please visit our Stop Snitching On Yourself series on our website and arm yourself with the legal ways of dealing with law enforcement, which includes what to do if you witness police brutality.
https://upagainstthelaw.org/be-prepared-watch-know-your-rights-training/
In solidarity, with love and rage,
Up Against The Law Legal Collective
Philadelphia, PA
UpAgainstTheLawLc@gmail.com
Our arrest hotline is (484) 758-0388
*Know that we are an all volunteer collective that is committed to mutual aid and community empowerment. We do not solicit donations, but these MN orgs could use resources: http://justiceforgeorgefloyd.link

Anti-Reform Banner for George Floyd

  • May 30, 2020 1:38 am

Submission

In the wee hours of the morning of 05/29 we performed a meager act in remembrance of George Floyd and in support of our accomplices throwing down in so-called mpls, st. paul, memphis, louisville, nyc, la, phoenix and wherever else folx are fighting against the constant plague that is the police. Mpls burned down a fucking police station! You are all so inspiring , hope this little message shows a bit of love coming out of philly.

RIP GEORGE FLOYD, RIP AHMAUD ARBERY, RIP BREONNA TAYLOR, RIP PHILANDO CASTILE, and all the other people who have been murdered by the pigs and their white supremacist collaborators. Fuck reform, it’s about revenge, been a long time comin.

FUCK 12
FUCK THIS RACIST COUNTRY
BURN IT THE FUCK DOWN, NOTHING LESS!

Graffiti for George Floyd

  • May 29, 2020 12:55 am

from Instagram

Signals of solidarity from Philly.

from Instagram

Signals of solidarity from Philly. ????:@radicalgraffiti .

may day

  • May 3, 2020 10:30 pm

Submission

Just before our May holiday began someone cut comcast cables beneath an access panel in the sidewalk outside of the “Real Time Crime Center.” Located in the Quartermaster Plaza in South Philly, these chumps sit around watching us, monitoring police cameras all over the region. Get a life! Stop trying to suppress ours!

No way to confirm or deny the impact, but we hope it poked them in the eyes and blinded them to the life-affirming actions that anarchists may or may not have taken that night.

Flatten The Curves

  • April 25, 2020 12:28 am

Submission

Did you know that school is mandatory in the United States of America? wtf right? School here has a really nasty history if you think colonialism totally sucks. That’s why two school police cars got their tires slashed and their windows scratched. Also an under construction condo had its windows scratched up and a doorbell camera was scratched up too. If you don’t have super sharp claws you can use a drill bit, compass, piece of flint, tungsten pen, or sandpaper to scratch glass and plastic. It’s more quiet than rocks and hammers.

Bingo Bandits

Letter-writing to Joy Powell (4/27)

  • April 25, 2020 12:25 am

from Philly ABC

Support for political prisoners doesn’t stop during a pandemic; in fact it only intensifies as prisoners are in extremely dangerous conditions without the ability to socially distance or access to protective supplies. On top of that, staff members have been deliberately defying CDC guidelines endangering prisoners by coughing without covering their mouth, etc. Please join us this Monday April 27th for our monthly letter-writing event at 6:30pm. Due to COVID-19, this event will be held online using the secure open source video conferencing platform, Jitsi. Privacy is encouraged – no one is expected to share their camera. We’ll update this post with the meet link, and announce it on social media the day of the event.

This month we are writing to Joy Powell. Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, Joy has contracted COVID-19 inside Bedford Hills Prison. She is in quarantine, fighting the virus, but we are concerned because she has the underlying conditions of both asthma and diabetes. Prior to testing positive for the virus, she wrote a letter to Governor Cuomo asking him for clemency due to her age and preexisting conditions making her more vulnerable to complications.

Background:
As a pastor and a consistent activist against police brutality, violence and oppression in her community, Rev. Joy Powell was warned by the Rochester Police department that she was a target because of her speaking out against corruption. On many occasions Rev. Joy had held rallies and spoke out against the police brutality and “police justifications” in Rochester NY through her organization ‘Equality and Justice for All.’ Later, Rev. Joy was accused and convicted of 1st Degree Burglary and Assault and subjected to an unfair trial.

An all white jury tried her; the state provided no evidence and no eyewitnesses. Rev. Joy was not allowed to discuss her activism or say that she was a pastor. The person that testified for her was not allowed to tell the court that he knew Rev. Joy through their activist work and through the church. Furthermore, judge Francis Affronti promised he was going to give her a harsh sentence because he did not like her. She was sentenced to 16 years and seven years concurrent. After this conviction, herself and others were charged with a cold murder case. After her codefendent was acquitted, Joy was convicted and sentenced to life in prison. She maintains her innocence and has appealed the conviction because evidence has been withheld from her defense team to this day.

If you are unable to join us on Jitsi, please send Joy a letter anyways:

Rev. Joy Powell #07-g-0632
Bedford Hills Correctional Facility
P.O. Box 1000
Bedford Hills, NY 10507-2499

tacks

  • March 26, 2020 1:30 am

Submission

Following the example of someone in Hickory, North Carolina, tacks were spread around several Philly police station parking lots. Hopefully we have been as successful in flattening their patrol car tires.

News that the cops began disrupting homeless encampments at the Philadelphia Convention Center the morning the Covid-19 stay-at-home order was to be observed provided a catalyst, but it is not the reason. The very existence of the police is a reason to target them. Cops are violent antagonists of the living and enemies of freedom, in collusion with judges, prosecutors, bosses, landlords, and politicians.

We have no demands short of their destruction, and know that such a victory will never be handed to us. We react for now, but look forward to taking the offensive.

Phone Zap for Akil January 17

  • January 17, 2020 2:27 pm

from Dreaming Freedom | Practicing Abolition

Important: Please do not mention anyone’s name on the inside when asked how you know about the attack. You do not have to give your name either.

Yesterday, two guards at SCI-Fayette in PA had a calm, compliant man in handcuffs. They punched him in the pack of the head, body slammed him, and threw him in the hole. All of it went down in front of cameras and an entire block of witnesses.

Akil Johnson needs medical care and immediate release from the hole. The two officers who did this–CO Williamson and CO Lacey--deserve to be fired immediately. At the very least, they must be suspended, investigated, and disciplined. At the absolute least, they must never be permitted to be on Akil’s block again.

Today we are calling to voice these demands, and to remind PA-DOC and its racist, violent guards that we see them.

Please call SCI-Fayette and ask for Superintendent Mark Capozza: 724-364-2200

And PA-DOC Deputy Secretary for the Western Region Trevor Wingard: 717.728.4122 ext 4123

Here is a sample script you can use:

“Hello, my name is _______. I am calling to express my concern for the well-being of Akil Johnson, who was attacked yesterday by two COs. Akil needs real medical care, and he should be immediately release back into general population. I am also calling to ask what, if anything, will be done to COs Williamson and Lacey, who attacked Akil while he was handcuffed on camera? [They’ll deflect and say they do not know, etc]. Both COs should be suspended or terminated, or at least disciplined and separated from Akil.”

Thank you to everyone who can call in. When we stood up for our comrade Andre at Smithfield last summer, we got him released and transferred. We can do this again for Akil.

In Struggle,

Outside comrade IJ

Touch the Sky: Stories, Subversions, & Complexities of Ferguson

  • January 4, 2020 1:13 am

from Facebook

A new video collage reflecting on the raw moments of the 2014 Ferguson riots. A film for the wild ones, the anarchists, and the dreamers…

More info: https://touchthesky.noblogs.org/

110 minutes followed by a short discussion

[January 11th 7-9PM at Wooden Shoe Books 704 South St]

Philly Noise Demo Reportback

  • January 4, 2020 12:19 am

Submission

Happy New Year Fuck the System!

On NYE in Philly about 20 anarchist gathered for a march and noise demo at the Federal Detention Center Downtown. At the meet up, after an overview of what to expect, what was planned, and flyers of potential chants were handed out, we set off toward the prison. Marching with a banner, we kept it tight and let people in the streets know what we were doing. We walked on the sidewalk until we realized we didn’t need to. A federal building and indigo bike rental kiosk were tagged by the time we arrived at the prison. Once there, someone tagged ‘Burn Prisons’ on the FDC lolol! We lit off fireworks, smoke bombs, banged flags and pots and sang and shouted solidarity to the prisoners inside, and insults to the cops gathered around us. It was really cool this year to interact with those inside, to see them flashing lights and hear them banging on windows. After 30-45 minutes we took our leave, throwing fliers in our wake. The cops, who had started gathering at the prison, followed us. We had planned for a group fare evasion at the subway as our exit, but with the police breathing down our necks we dispersed in the street instead. Eventually we lost the trails of the cops and made our ways home safely. Some of us even had a funny serendipitous group fare evasion with some strangers, who in seeing us not pay decided they wouldn’t pay either! Yay for the spread of anarchy!
Compared to last year we feel a lot has improved. Whereas last year we were rushed out of our meetup by the appearance of a park cop, this time we had a chance to discuss the action together and share supplies. Security felt tighter also, people’s outfits were secretive and no one was taking photos. Also this year we could really feel a shift in group morale. There was a lot more laughter and joy. We though our chants were funnier and more on point (rather than empty flexes). Maybe most importantly we were able to see and be seen by the people locked up, we saw lights and silhouttes in the windows and could hear them clearing lulls in the noise.
The things we wish went different were: our speaker wasn’t loud enough to play music, our dispersal was sloppy (we feel like it is always hard to predict dispersals/exits but could be worthwhile have multiple plans/multiple backup plans and discuss them in advance), and we could have took the streets a little harder. Overall though, we thought it went well.
We hope this report back is helpful in forming even better strategies in the future. It’s cool to reflect on our strengths and weaknesses and make adjustments over the years.

Shout out to the anarchists who were busy wrecking the nazi supporting bar mill creek tavern on nye!

RIP Kitty

Happy 2020 lets fuck shit uP!!




New Year’s Eve reportback

  • January 2, 2020 12:54 am

Submission

We don’t know if there was a noise demo this year, if there was we didn’t roll up. But we took our fireworks and had a great little new year’s party to pregame our own action. Nearly every window at Millcreek Tavern has been gloriously smashed out, costing that scumbag ex cop owner ballpark 7 to 10 grand in replacements, if the figure he dropped in a radio show after the last time one was broken, of $1,500 a window is accurate. There’s something beautiful to be said about crewing up with yr friends and lovers, and just goddamn going harder than you already have. Also 2 nights ago, we found where the Drexel buses sleep at night, and swiftly disabled one entirely, slashing tires with an awl, finding out it was goddamn left open, and spraypainting all the windows and windshields from the inside. Rapid gentrification by universities can be combatted; all it takes is creativity, small crews, and some easily fucking procured tools. Double paned quarter inch reinforced windows take about 2 to 3 solid smacks with a hammer to bring down entirely, in a beautiful cascade of glass. Happy new year y’all, here’s to a lawless 2020.

Signed-
A weary, happy, gay anarchist crew

Former Philadelphia Mayor Frank Rizzo statue vandalized again

  • December 9, 2019 10:40 pm

from Mainstream Media

Former Philadelphia Mayor Frank Rizzo statue vandalized again

The statue of former Philadelphia Mayor Frank L. Rizzo across from City Hall has been vandalized again.

Police are investigating after the word fascist was found painted overnight on the suit jacket of the 2,000-pound, 10-foot-tall bronze statue outside the Municipal Services Building. A sticker with the logo of Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz’s AO1 foundation also was placed in the hand of the statue’s upraised arm.

A sticker with the logo of Carson Wentz's AO1 Foundation was placed on the hand of the Frank Rizzo statue in front of the Municipal Services Building in Philadelphia.

Workers removed the paint and the sticker Monday morning.

After learning of the incident, the faith-based AO1 Foundation issued a statement saying it did not “condone any acts of vandalism.”

The statue of the controversial former mayor and police commissioner was vandalized in 2017 when black activist Wali Rahman spray painted “Black Power” on the statue. Charges against Rahman were later dropped after he agreed to perform 50 hours of community service.

The statue has been a flash point in the city’s racial politics for many years. Opponents say it represents an era in which a tough-talking, law-and-order mayor discriminated against minorities and gays. Supporters have argued that Rizzo was tough on law-and-order issues, but not a racist.

Mayor Jim Kenney announced in 2017 that the statue would be moved to a new location. That move is set for 2021. No location has been chosen.

Fare Strike Graffiti and Info-Graphics

  • December 9, 2019 10:17 pm

From Twitter

From Instagram