from Unravel
Jan. 31—A crime was committed almost literally in Central Berks Regional Police Department’s own backyard.
On Monday night, a vandal used a baseball bat to smash the windows of a patrol car and the personal vehicle of an officer in the parking lot behind the police station at 2147 Perkiomen Ave. in Mount Penn.
The vandal got away and was “difficult to identify” in security footage.
found on news media
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Avenge Tortuguita — Avenge the Forest
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The All Out For Gaza demo tonight was a genuine expression of love, solidarity, and rage for Palestinians experiencing genocide at the hands of the occupying forces of the state of Israel. While the spirit of this demo was more inspiring in some ways than most demos in Philly, there was a general vibe that the space was not open to more combative expressions of solidarity. This was due both to the crowd generally not taking part in that, but also the march route being relatively devoid of potential targets. However small though, we take victories where we can get them. During the march I punctured the tires of 2 Septa Transit Police vehicles that the marched passed by. Police are an occupying force in any form and are the enforcers of settler-colonialism. In expressing solidarity with those fighting for their freedom and lives in Palestine, functionaries of a colonial project in support of the state of Israel, such as the U.S, can and should be attacked. Destabilizing individual colonial powers can make the larger project of settler colonialism more and more vulnerable.
Love to and Solidarity with Palestinian people. Fuck the state of Israel and the entirety of the settler-colonial project.
from Instagram
Tuesday 10/10 at 7pm we’re hosting the Weelaunee Worldwide mass action speaking tour! Come learn about ongoing and upcoming actions to block Cop City, despite RICO charge repression!
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On Monday August 14th 2023, Philadelphia police officer Mark Dial shot and killed Eddie Irizarry as he sat in his car. Police initially lied saying that Eddie attacked the cop with a knife, but video footage showed that Eddie was shot in mere seconds while seated in his car with the window up. Following this Dial was suspended for 30 days pending termination. In early September Dial was charged with a number of crimes including murder but the presiding judge would eventually dismiss his charges. The cops who attended the court date in uniform cheered and celebrated when the charges were dropped. On September 26th, that same day Eddie’s family and the Party for Socialism and Liberation (alongside Black leftist groups like Black Alliance for Peace and the W.E.B. DuBois Movement School) organized a peaceful march through Center City protesting the decision. That demonstration dispersed after a couple hours but was followed by looting, initially in Center City before spreading to West, North, and Northeast Philly as the night went on.
The Black liberation movement is alive! Those who say it’s dead are either racist or not in the street and these revolts are the proof. Although the number of people in the streets was smaller than in 2020, there was widespread revolt across Philadelphia. Police killed Eddie Irizarry, a non-Black Puerto Rican, and Black people responded with revolt. Similarly in 2020 in Kenosha, WI when Kyle Rittenhouse killed two white people in the midst of a riot against police and later had his charges dropped, Black people rioted in the Bay Area. These are both examples of a Black consciousness that recognizes anti-Black systems regardless of if they are targeting Black people in a specific instance.
Here in Philly looters and rioters were well prepared. People were overwhelmingly masked, wearing black clothes, and many were brandishing tools. The looting was organized spontaneously over social media the same day as it took place. People used police scanners to monitor police and prepare for their responses. Numerous businesses, car lots, and ATMs were targeted throughout the city, spreading the PPD thin. Many participants used cars to move between businesses, as getaways, and to generally stay mobile.
It is a far too common belief among radicals that the state is omniscient. This night of rebellion proves otherwise, that opportunity is abundant for insurrectionary activity! As Black radicals (and generally for “political” people) we need to understand it’s possible to get away with things if we plan on challenging the state. Many ordinary people already know this and behaved accordingly.
The riots on Tuesday night into Wednesday are an image from the future. Sprawling and scattered rebellions are becoming the norm. Better prepared participants spread across the city, overwhelming police forces that feel they cannot defend everything at once. What moves do we want to make in this new context?
After the run on the Apple store, as people saw that their looted iPhones and iPads were being tracked and bricked by security systems, they smashed them immediately. Poured orange juice on them. Dropped them into the sewers. A beautiful display of how commodities are bullshit. Destroying anti-Blackness necessarily involves attacking property and the relations needed to maintain it, whether commodities or capital. Black consciousness cannot be separated from class consciousness.
It is important to note that this revolt and the George Floyd Uprising (including the Walter Wallace rebellion nestled within it) hold key differences. This recent riot was overwhelmingly Black with minor Latine participation in the Northeast, as opposed to the multiracial character of 2020. This lines up with the reality of Black people being the most advanced in struggle against the so-called United States. September’s revolt also saw a more chill vibe with little focus on fighting police, as looters helped each other attack property and evade capture. They seemed to have a more collaborative and joyous attitude compared to the Walter Wallace rebellion of October 2020, which saw more skepticism and lateral violence amongst participants. Another interesting difference from those events was that September 2023 saw Black people of various ideologies and walks of life moving together in insurrection. As a result the revolt rejected a conventional political character while still maintaining an inherent black consciousness (best exemplified by the occasional Black Trump supporter joining in on the smash-and-grab).
The second day, looting continued in a smaller capacity although the larger crowds that gathered were noticeably absent. Instead, people mostly used their cars to do smash and grabs. The police were also more prepared and mobilized on the second day. Understandly, this probably meant a lot more people stayed home because the police presence was far more intense on the street.
The Left was either too afraid of or uninterested in participating in the Black revolt, sidestepped and left behind by young people who organized themselves via social media. These socialist groups constantly talk about the need for organziation. But young Black people on the 26th were ready to go. They didn’t need any self appointed community organizers then and they don’t now. The looting on September 26th is just a form of self organization that the Left refuses to take seriously. At best we saw boilerplate analyses that looting pales in comparison to corporate wage theft. The WEB DuBois School of Abolition went so far as to make a statement saying “it isn’t our task to either celebrate or condemn the actions” of the looters. The inability (and cowardice) of leftist groups to even consider publicly celebrating attacks on capital by young Black people speaks to a real division between what Black people are doing versus what the Left is doing. The issue of how to include more activist and leftist organizations is as irrelevant as ever, the question now is how do we continue to sidestep the left and add to the growth of ever more terrible revolts?
Anarchists made an effort to add to the situation. Anarchists were not only present during the riots (albeit to a limited degree), some also carried out attacks. Although anarchists were largely late to the game in terms of intentionally participating, a good amount of anarchists showed up. Segregation and being in different social networks may have played a part in why our response as anarchists was delayed. A proposal of dispersed attacks was made and followed through on. That said, an opportunity to raise morale was missed by prioritizing atomized attack over group action. The anarchist space in Philadelphia is growing right now, and tempering cautious attitudes with encouragement and support can further encourage that growth. Black clothes are cool again, anarchists need not worry about alienating others with monochrome outfits, though some sportswear brands (Nike, Adidas, and Champion were common) might go a long way.
This moment felt like an opening salvo of mass revolts to come. Let’s stay ready for next time.
– Some black anarchists in Philly
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On Tuesday, September 26, during the widespread looting, a small group attacked Clarkville. It’s another business that’s gentrifying West Philly and exploits its workers. After hearing about the looting we decided it was an easy way to contribute to the chaos. We read a cool zine called Toward Insurrection, in that zine they talk about anarchists interfacing with the riot. One way to do that is targeting our enemies just outside of where the riots are happening to overextend the police. Hopefully actions like these will grow the general disorder. We encourage other like-minded individuals to take action similar to this one next time.
Death to small businesses
Love to the looters
-some anarchists
from Mainstream Media
The unrest stretched across the city, including Center City, the Northeast, and West Philadelphia.
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Large groups of young people broke into numerous stores across Philadelphia Tuesday night, stealing merchandise and vandalizing property, Acting Police Commissioner John Stanford said.
By midnight, police had arrested more than 20 people, a few of them juveniles, Stanford said, and at least two guns were recovered. The unrest stretched across the city, including Center City, the Northeast, and West Philadelphia, with business corridors along Aramingo Avenue and Walnut Street targeted through the night.
On Wednesday morning, a spokesperson for the District Attorney’s Office said at least 30 people, including three juveniles, were being charged so far, most with burglary and theft. One person has been charged with illegal gun possession, she said. Fine Wine & Good Spirits said all of its stores would close until further notice after 18 locations were burglarized overnight.
Initial reports of break-ins near Rittenhouse Square began just after 8 p.m., shortly after protesters had dispersed from a peaceful gathering at City Hall, where marchers called for justice for Eddie Irizarry, who was shot and killed by a Philadelphia Police officer last month. Earlier Tuesday, a judge dismissed all charges against the officer who killed him, setting off a wave of outrage in the community.
Stanford was quick to make clear that Irizarry’s supporters had nothing to do with Tuesday night’s unrest. He called the young people who looted “criminal opportunists” who were not affiliated with the earlier gathering.
“This had nothing to do with the protests,” Stanford said. “What we had tonight was a bunch of criminal opportunists take advantage of a situation and try to destroy our city.”
“It’s disgusting,” he said. “Our city can’t afford this nonsense.”
Irizarry’s family echoed calls for peace Wednesday morning. Irizarry’s aunt, Zoraida Garcia, said vandalism and looting “is not going to bring justice to my family or bring my nephew back.” Her family, she said, “does not condone this type of behavior.”
Garcia asked those who were angry with Judge Wendy Pew’s decision to dismiss the charges against the officer who shot and killed her nephew to “come to the court instead of tearing down our city.” Bring posters and stand in front of the courthouse, she said, “and let’s do this the right way. Fight together for justice.”
The young people involved, Stanford said, appeared to have organized their efforts on social media, and once one group started, others followed suit. He said police believe there was a caravan of cars moving between locations across the city and breaking into stores and pharmacies. Some of the people involved in that group were arrested, he said.
No injuries were reported, Stanford said.
Much of the night was chronicled on social media.
Around 8:15 p.m., videos showed groups of young people gather around the Apple Store near 16th and Walnut Streets and pry the front doors from the security guards’ hands. Shortly after, as the group ran down Walnut Street, the devices were locked and disabled by security technology and a loud alarm started sounding. Some people smashed the devices on the ground and police recovered a “pile of iPads” abandoned nearby.
The groups also broke into Foot Locker and Lululemon, and videos showed numerous teens fleeing the store with clothing. Officers attempted to apprehend some of them, and tackled a few to the ground.
Police had cleared and secured the Rittenhouse area by 9:10 p.m., and locked down a four-block stretch.
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Police later reported stores being vandalized along Aramingo Avenue in Port Richmond and other locations in North Philadelphia.
One woman livestreamed dozens of people breaking into a Fine Wine & Good Spirits store. Her video stream ended when, as she drove away, police appeared to pull her car over.
Just before midnight Tuesday, Stanford said the unrest had been contained “for the most part.”
Officers, he said, were still responding to some emergency calls, and have been instructed to arrest all those involved at the scenes.
“We will continue to make arrests until we have all the individuals … that have been responsible for what we see tonight in custody.”
Tumar Alexander, the city’s managing director, called the unrest “disrespectful to the Irizarry family,” who have repeatedly called for peace amid their cries for justice.
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The business corridors affected Tuesday night were similar to those targeted in the summer of 2020, after tensions between police and communities rose after the police murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Philadelphia was one of dozens of cities across the country to experience mass unrest; some stores through Center City were burned down, and parts of West and North Philadelphia were heavily looted and vandalized.
Community outrage rose anew just a few months later, in October 2020, when Philadelphia police shot and killed Walter Wallace Jr., who was wielding a knife while experiencing what his family said was a mental health crisis. Protests again broke out across West Philadelphia, and some businesses were vandalized.
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Not sure if you all heard about this already but figured I’d pass it along. They seem open to people tabling fyi
from Instagram
A TENANT WAS SHOT BY A MERCENARY DURING AN EVICTION (AGAIN)
On Tuesday, July 18th, a “deputy landlord-tenant officer” shot a 33-year-old woman in the leg during an eviction. On Wednesday, June 28th, a “deputy landlord-tenant officer” shot a dog during an eviction. On Wednesday, March 29th, a “deputy landlord-tenant officer” shot a woman in the head during an eviction. THEY CAN’T KEEP GETTING AWAY WITH IT! Marisa Shuter needs to be held accountable for the violence enacted by her deputies !Stay tuned for further calls to action
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Amidst the huge crowds at Pride our affinity group had a lot of fun dancing and spitting on cops yelling at them to get the fuck out of pride. Several of their cop cars were spray painted “FTP” and “ACAB” and “Pride is a Riot!” There was some anti-gay hecklers that were attacked by various queer people throwing drinks and heavy objects at them. We also burned American some flags in the street. Goods were redistributed from various stores.
Some homophobic bigots were chased out of the Gayborhood and we are sure that many more Queer Revolutionary actions and general mischief happened as the night continued. Let’s keep the fight against the corporations, cops, bigots, and capitalism strong all year. Fuck Assimilation! Liberation Now! Bash Back!
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May Day graffiti was done on a settler colonial monument on Lenape Land. It says “May Day means Land Back!” – “Solidarity Means Attack” – “Smash colonialism!” – “Kill cops!” “ACAB” and more!
from Unoffensive Animal
[This post only contains information relevant to Philadelphia and the surrounding area, to read the entire article follow the above link.]On January 18th police murdered a forest defender, Tortuguita. Immediately, a call was put out for a “night of rage”. The rage was instead was not limited to one night, nor only retaliation.These actions have been claimed in honor, memory, vengeance, revenge, for, or in solidarity with Tortuguita.
From January 18th onward across the USA people held vigils, built barricades, attacked a realty office, attacked banks, smashed the windows of the skyscraper housing the Atlanta Police Foundation, torched a police cruiser, vandalized cars in a Porsche dealership, attacked UPS shipping center, set construction equipment on fire, and attacked the offices of those responsible for cop city. Across turtle island we felt it from California, Illinois, North Carolina, Minnesota, Colorado, Michigan, Atlanta, Georgia, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Oregon, Michigan, New York, Colorado, Indiana, and Minnesota.
In February across the USA, banks were attacked, excavators in Weelaunee forest were set on fire, Amazon delivery vehicles vandalized, Atlas offices targeted, a Norfolk Southern rail line sabotaged, the home addresses of employees of Atlas were published, in France a transmission pylon was set on fire. Rage was had from California, Brooklyn, New York, Georgia, South Carolina, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, to Bure France and back.
In March during the week of action in Atlanta, GA USA, a demonstration of 300 people stormed and destroyed a construction site and police staging area, and later that week machinery in Weelaunee was destroyed. More construction equipment was sabotaged and, offices vandalized. In late March the home addresses were published of several Judges, a Police Investigator, an Assistant Chief of police, and a GBI Special Agent.
By carrying our friends in our hearts and actions they live on in spirit and in memory. With Love and Rage, we carry on those who have been taken from us.
