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Deviant Dykes in solidarity with all y’all fuckin shit up during the week of #BloodFriday
from Facebook
Presentation by the French collective Desarmons-les!
The collective “Let’s disarm them!” was founded in 2012 by anarchist activists who for several years faced state violence and were directly affected by the use of grenades and rubber bullets. Invested in major radical anti-capitalist and ecological struggles between 2011 and 2015 (anti-nuclear and against “useless big construction projects”), the collective met other groups opposed to police violence, street medics, but also many victims, mutilated or close to people killed by the police.
At the end of 2014, “Let’s disarm them!” participated in the building of a national network of mutilated people, the “Assembly of the Wounded”. The state of emergency decreed at the end of 2015 after the attacks of Charlie Hebdo and Bataclan fundamentally transformed the French society and the militarization of the public space accelerated between 2015 and 2018, together with a sharp rise of the far right. Members of the collectives were under house arrest and on numerous occasions prohibited from demonstrating, arrested and brought to justice. The revolts against the labor reform and those of the Yellow Vests between 2016 and 2019 were harshly repressed. Many people have been injured, mutilated and imprisoned.
A member of the collective is organizing an infotour on the East Coast of the United States in November 2019. He proposes to describe the workings of state violence and the evolution of policing in France, from a historical and radical perspective.
[November 18 7PM at 704 South St]
from It’s Going Down
In this episode we were lucky enough to speak with two people on the growth of Black, New Afrikan, and anti-colonial anarchist formations. One of the people joining us in the discussion is a part of the Philadelphia chapter of the Revolutionary Abolitionist Movement and the other person is from the Afrofuturist Abolitionists of the Americas.
Our discussion covers a lot of ground, but we speak heavily on a workshop that the comrades are presenting across the so-called US on black anarchism, the recent theoretical Anarkata statement, as well as everything from anti-police and prison abolition organizing, to the impact of the Ferguson rebellion, survival programs, and much more.
One of the themes that came up several times, is finding “little a” anarchism or simply anarchy, in the day to day self-organization and revolt of everyday people in the face of the American plantation and finding ways to build solidarity and action with these organic forms. Our guests also stress the need for the anarchist movement to stop looking just to European groups, history, and movements for inspiration, and instead draw from the rich history of resistance to settler colonialism, slavery, and industrial capitalism in the so-called Americans, in order to better inform our organizing.
Music: Sima Lee and Black Star
For Info: Set up a workshop by getting in touch with Philly RAM here or via email (ramphilly@protonmail.com), read Anarkata statement, Black Rose reader on Black Anarchism here, and Burning Down the American Plantation from the Revolutionary Abolitionist Movement here.
Reading Recommendations:
As Black As Resistance by William C. Anderson and Zoé Samudzi
The Progressive Plantation by Lorenzo Kom’boa Ervin
Anarchism and the Black Revolution by Lorenzo Kom’boa Ervin
A Soldier’s Story: Revolutionary Writings by a New Afrikan Anarchist by Kuwasi Balagoon
Burn Down the American Plantation by the Revolutionary Abolitionist Movement
Black Fighting Formations by Russell Maroon Shoatz
The Dragon and the Hydra by Russell Maroon Shoatz
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Over the Grey’s Ferry bridge.
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Some paint in the Temple area <3
from Twitter
The Founder of Jacobin Magazine – Bhaskar Sunkara – , author of “The Socialist Manifesto, and founding member of @reclaimphila was just attacked with yogurt at Calvary Church with yogurt? The guy threw these to the audience. See image.
[Philly Anticap note: The above tweet says Bhaskar Sunkara is a founding member of Reclaim Philadelphia which is incorrect.]
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These have been popping up in North lol
from It’s Going Down
It’s well known that West Philly is rapidly gentrifying. Developers and more moneyed renters and buyers continue to successfully take more space from poor and working-class Black people. In this process, one of the few negative consequences these newcomers might experience is getting robbed in the neighborhood. In January, the number of robberies in the heart of gentrifying West Philly shot up, in the area between 41st and 49th streets (from east to west) and between Ludlow and Cedar avenues (from north to south). At least eight robberies were reported during that month, according to a University City District (UCD) report. Four homes on Hazel and Larchwood avenues between 49th and 51st streets were also burglarized during this time.
In response, a few of the more unapologetic gentrifiers not only reported the incidents to the police, but also attended a “community meeting” hosted by the police. Following the meeting, the Philly police announced that they would have an increased police presence in the area, including foot patrols specifically in the area between 48th-52nd streets. Sure enough, residents have noticed a lot more cop cars as well as cops on foot in the area since.
On Wednesday, March 6, this increased cop presence and paranoia culminated in the cops shooting a young Black man who live near 49th and Hazel — exactly where gentrifiers had been complaining about burglaries and robberies taking place. Claiming that they had been called to the scene in response to a “stabbing incident” (no stabbing victim was found at the scene) and that he was holding a knife outside a house on the street, the cops shot 25 year old graduate student Kaleb Belay six times (three in the chest). As of this writing he is stable condition at Penn Presbyterian Hospital.
It’s never worth it to call the police over some lost property — and we personally won’t call them to deal with any of our problems. The high 40 and low 50 streets are undergoing intense gentrification. Know that the police’s role is to attract more gentrifiers and push people originally from the neighborhood out. That’s what happened when University of Pennsylvania cleared out an entire neighborhood (what was once called the Black Bottom) of West Philly in order to move the school there decades ago — that’s why UCD security roam the neighborhood.
The police are just looking for an excuse to roll in and further the dispossession and extermination of Black people from the neighborhood.
The night after the police shooting, a group of 20-30 people marched down Baltimore Ave with a banner reading “Fuck the Police.” At least two new buildings on the ave between 50th and 48th streets, all with gentrifying new architecture, had windows broken, and one had “Fuck Cops” written on it. The Mariposa Co-Op, which has been a beacon of gentrification in the neighborhood for a long time (known for calling the police on panhandlers), had red paint thrown at one of its surveillance cameras. Anti-police tags and stickers were put up. After the police arrived, things calmed and the march went to the hospital where Kaleb is recovering before dispersing. Throughout the march many passersby and drivers shouted “Yeah, fuck the police!” and other words of encouragement. There were no arrests.
On March 8th, opportunists Refuse Fascism/Revolutionary Communist Party held a candle-lit vigil for Kaleb near the site of the shooting. This event was poorly attended and seen by many as an attempt to use the grief and anger around the shooting to recruit for their organization.
On March 10th, the Philadelphia Ethiopian Community held a debrief and discussion at the Ethiopian Community Center in West Philly. Kaleb’s lawyer and his boss/family friend gave updates on his situation. Next steps to assist Kaleb and his family were planned. Over the weekends of March 16-17th and 23-24th there were fundraiser events for Kaleb at the Ethiopian Community Center.
A march demanding justice for Kaleb went to the district attorney’s office on April 6th. Simon Haileab, Kaleb’s attorney, reports that Kaleb is recovering slowly; he is out of the intensive care unit but remains at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center. Police are charging him with aggravated assault, simple assault, and possessing an instrument of crime. Anyone interested in donating money to Kaleb can do so by visiting his gofundme here or dropping off money at Bookers Restaurant at Baltimore Ave and 50th St.
When some discontents spray-painted and smashed windows after the police shot an immigrant graduate student in Cedar Park, many were quick to condemn the attacks. These criticisms did not target the anti-police and anti-gentrification sentiment behind the attacks, but rather their choice of targets. The thing about anger and revolt is that it strikes out at what is perceived as oppressive.
No uprising has ever surgically delivered anger to the doorstep of only the most oppressive and powerful, while excluding the lesser contributors of a stifling society. Not everyone is going to track down the head honcho of this or that realty company when they see an example of gentrification around the corner.
In relative terms, what happened to the businesses on Baltimore Ave is calm; police violence has sparked much more devastating responses in other contexts – like the burning of entire neighborhoods.
It also bears mentioning that at the time of this writing, despite many critics suggesting better targets for vandalism (the police, University of Pennsylvania, money lenders, banks, etc), none of these targets seem to have been vandalized. These critics seem content to suggest how others express their anger and direct their rebellion without doing so themselves. If these people are waiting for the ideal targeting of the proper institutions and yet they do not plan on going after them themselves, they are simply waiting. When people start to condemn all but the most pure and correct actions, they climb the stairs of an ivory tower.
Will arrogance about how others struggle move someone closer to freedom? It seems more likely to lead to further separation from those who are struggling and making concrete their rebellion, to create a roadblock for feelings of solidarity. Throwing paint at the expensive Mariposa Co-Op grocery store and breaking the glass door of a fancy-looking new apartment building along Baltimore Ave, some of the actions during the demo that were later criticized by others, targeted small businesses whose gentrifying impact is felt in this particular neighborhood where police shooting took place.
It is gentrification that led to the increased police presence in this neighborhood, which inevitably led to a black man getting shot. In addition to wanting to push back against gentrification in this area, those who criticize colonialism, or ecological destruction, those who hold nihilist perspectives, and even the less discriminating among the anti-capitalists may see the destructive actions on Baltimore Ave as a step in the right direction. We don’t all imagine liberation in the same way, but it should be understood that a dramatic transformation of society is necessary, so when we see that taking place on a small scale as destruction we can understand it to be part of that liberatory transformation even if you would go about it that way yourself.
“There are many who await the hour of liberation impatiently, but how many work to bring it closer?”
from Go Fund Me
On March 6, 2019, Kaleb Belay was violently gunned down by a Philadelphia Police Officer in front of his West Philadelphia home. As a result of the the six bullets that riddled his body, Kaleb sustained catastrophic injuries to various portions of his body and vital internal organs.
His injuries include damage to his spleen, pancreas, left lung, right hand, his abdomen, and remains bedridden for the unforeseeable future.
Kaleb’s treating medical professionals have indicated that his prognosis and future care path remain grim and the road to recovery will be long and arduous. As Kaleb continues to fight for his life everyday, we are asking all of you to join our fight by donating any amount that will go a long way to save Kaleb and help his family.
Gentle; soft spoken; studious; confident yet very respectful – these are words unanimously used to describe our beloved friend Kaleb Belay.
Born and raised in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Kaleb attended Cathedral High School and Unity College. In the early months of 2018, Kaleb received what most would characterize as an opportunity of a lifetime: a chance to travel to the United States to further his academic career at Temple University.
In August of 2018, Kaleb arrived in Philadelphia to start his studies at Temple University. At the same time Kaleb found an apartment in the diverse neighborhood of West Philly on 4900 block of Hazel Avenue. While in Philadelphia, Kaleb swiftly got acclimated to the diverse and eclectic nature of our city. He quickly forged a small number of interpersonal relationships with individuals within the Cedar Park community.
While in school, Kaleb began working at Booker’s Restaurant as a server. After a short period in this role, Kaleb was promoted to a function wherein he oversaw payroll for employees of the Restaurant. Throughout his time at Booker’s Restaurant, Kaleb was also a full time student at Temple University. He aspired to obtain a degree in the highly competitive field of Finance.
Since Kaleb came with a student Visa, he does not qualify for any government assistance. Thus we need your assistance to provide medical care and treatment as he make the long journey towards recovery.
Thank you and God bless all of you!
Justice for Kaleb Committee
Submission
It’s well known that West Philly is rapidly gentrifying. Developers and more moneyed renters and buyers continue to successfully take more space from poor and working-class Black people. In this process, one of the few negative consequences these newcomers might experience is getting robbed in the neighborhood. In January, the number of robberies in the heart of gentrifying West Philly shot up, in the area between 41st and 49th streets (from east to west) and between Ludlow and Cedar avenues (from north to south). At least eight robberies were reported during that month, according to a University City District (UCD) report. Four homes on Hazel and Larchwood avenues between 49th and 51st streets were also burglarized during this time.
In response, a few of the more unapologetic gentrifiers not only reported the incidents to the police, but also attended a “community meeting” hosted by the police. Following the meeting, the Philly police announced that they would have an increased police presence in the area, including foot patrols specifically in the area between 48th-52nd streets. Sure enough, residents have noticed a lot more cop cars as well as cops on foot in the area since.
On Wednesday, March 6, this increased cop presence and paranoia culminated in the cops shooting a young Black man who live near 49th and Hazel — exactly where gentrifiers had been complaining about burglaries and robberies taking place. Claiming that they had been called to the scene in response to a “stabbing incident” (no stabbing victim was found at the scene) and that he was holding a knife outside a house on the street, the cops shot 25 year old graduate student Kaleb Belay six times (three in the chest). As of this writing he is stable condition at Penn Presbyterian Hospital.
It’s never worth it to call the police over some lost property — and we personally won’t call them to deal with any of our problems. The high 40 and low 50 streets are undergoing intense gentrification. Know that the police’s role is to attract more gentrifiers and push people originally from the neighborhood out. That’s what happened when University of Pennsylvania cleared out an entire neighborhood (what was once called the Black Bottom) of West Philly in order to move the school there decades ago — that’s why UCD security roam the neighborhood.
The police are just looking for an excuse to roll in and further the dispossession and extermination of Black people from the neighborhood. Don’t give them one!
The night after the police shooting, a group of 20-30 people marched down Baltimore Ave with a banner reading “Fuck the Police.” At least two new buildings on the ave between 50th and 48th streets, all with gentrifying new architecture, had windows broken, and one had “Fuck Cops” written on it. The Mariposa Co-Op, which has been a beacon of gentrification in the neighborhood for a long time (known for calling the police on panhandlers), had red paint thrown at one of its surveillance cameras. Anti-police tags and stickers were put up. After the police arrived, things calmed and the march went to the hospital where Kaleb is recovering before dispersing. Throughout the march many passersby and drivers shouted “Yeah, fuck the police!” and other words of encouragement. There were no arrests.
As is usual, the police and media are trying to confuse and bury the story. Initially police reported responding to a call of a man with a weapon, then they said it was a stabbing, although no stabbing victim was found. News media have not been prioritizing the story, instead continuing to publish other stories that justify the further policing of West Philly.
The Eritrean and Ethiopian networks in Philadelphia have come together to support Kaleb. Fundraising efforts have begun to help with costs associated with surviving being shot by the police. A vigil has been organized, and other support meetings have already taken place.
The police and gentrification work together to displace, imprison, and eliminate black and brown people. Each reinforces the other. Gentrifiers encourage the police to do their job, and the police create a welcoming environment for gentrifiers. It’s not surprising that gentrifiers are inviting the police into the neighborhood through the rhetoric of crime and safety (being racist is passe). Despite what either group says, their goals align. It should come as no surprise that Kaleb was shot by the police after neighbors reached out to the police to be more present in the area.
It makes sense to us that people are attacking construction and new buildings in the wake of a gentrification-enabled shooting. Fuck the police! Fuck gentrification!
from Philly IWW
Much of our work goes beyond the one-on-one bonds across the workplace, the streets, and the city. This training hosted by the IWW is designed to give you the skills necessary to find and build leverage agains bosses, corporations, the police state, and more. Participants are highly encouraged to bring laptops as the training will cover many online public databases.
Topics covered will include:
-Forming a research strategy to win
-Corporation and land records searches
-Company financials and labor violations
-Public contracting of prison profiteers
-Public data on police
-Social media and network research
April 6th, 2019
12pm-2pm
at CityCoHo
2401 Walnut St. Philadelphia
Snacks will be provided!
Accessibility: 2401 Walnut street’s rear entrance has a ramp entering the building and elevators to the floor where our room is on. Please note that the entrance for CityCoHo is on the northern side of the building adjacent to the parking lot.
from Facebook
We will be screening the new episode of Trouble during Anarchy Afternoons. Anarchy Afternoons have been happening for several weeks offering coffee, tea, snacks, and discussion. It basically serves as open hours for A-space.
This week we will watch this short video put out by Submedia to help direct our discussion. The video is 30 minutes and is also available freely on the internet if you are interested.
Anarchy Afternoons runs from 1-6. The video will be shown around 3pm.
Here is description of this episode:
Cops are the front-line of the state, tasked with defending and reinforcing all illegitimate hierarchies of power. They are the armed enforcers of white supremacy who catch paid vacations for murdering Black children in the streets. They are the knock on the door to evict you from your home. They are the no-knock SWAT Team raid that shoots your dog. They are the corrupt overseers of the ghetto, the barrio, the favela. They are the unmarked cruiser that slows down to harass a sex worker. They are the vicious interrogators of rape survivors. They are the protectors of bulldozers and pipelines. They are the batons, flash bangs and rubber bullets used to break up our demonstrations, and put down our riots. They are the guardians of capital. They are the oppressor. And without exception… they’re all bastards.
As the overlapping and reinforcing internal crises of capitalism continue to pose an existential threat to the very foundations of state power, governments around the world are doubling-down on their internal security. In many cases, this has come in the form of intense militarization and counterinsurgency training… a process that blurs the traditional between domestic policing and military forces. But further equipping the police does nothing to address the root causes of oppression, exploitation and ecological destruction fuelling social revolt… if anything, it just ups the stakes.
trailer: https://sub.media/video/trouble-18-acab-trailer/
[March 1 A-Space Anarchist Community Center 4722 Baltimore Ave]
