Monday April 21st: Letter-writing for Peppy Dipippa

  • April 14, 2025 1:56 am

from Philly ABC

peppy-dipippa-letter-writing.jpg

Peppy DiPippa is a Pittsburgh community activist currently serving a 60-month sentence for events revolving around a demonstration against an April 18th 2023 event at the University of Pittsburgh. The invitation of noted transphobes Michael Knowles and Brad Palumbo to the University to debate the question “Should Transgenderism be Regulated by Law?” sparked protests outside, during which one firework and two homemade smoke bombs were discharged. One month later, heavily armed federal agents raided Peppy’s home. He and his wife Crystal were federally indicted, and on June 30th, they surrendered to court. Krystal was charged with conspiracy and obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder, and sentenced to 3 years of supervised release and 80 hours of community service. Peppy was charged with conspiracy, obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder, and use of use of explosive to commit a federal felony. He has been incarcerated since his capture. The couple were jointly sentenced to pay $50,225.03 in restitution.

While the demonstration at the University of Pittsburgh forms the context in which Peppy and his wife Krystal were charged, it is crucial to note that the FBI began stalking the couple well before April 18th, and that their charges intersect with national trends in state repression . In their affidavit for a search warrant, the FBI describe following the DiPippas a week before the demonstration. While searching the couple’s trash, federal agents found a pamphlet from the movement to Stop Copy City , which they described as a “zine… discussing anarchist ideology.” During their trial, the prosecution focused on Peppy’s “strongly held belief system that embraces anarchism” and “sense of community among anarchists.” The judge cited Peppy’s “sentiments supporting anarchism” in his decision to hold Peppy in pre-trial detention with no possibility of bail. This attempt to criminalize the ideas and beliefs of what the state calls “AGAAVE” (anti-government and anti-authority violent extremists) aligns closely with repression of the Stop Cop City movement, in which defendants were charged with racketeering simply for sympathizing with anarchism .

At their sentencing, Peppy and Krystal issued this joint statement :

We hold in our gravity a deep reverence for love beyond the limited words we have. We know the devoted embrace of solidarity – people leaning in to one another against involuntary servitude and for a world of mutual aid. If we are convicted, it is of love for each other, and for our community, to which all brave hearts beat devotion to the impossible task of liberation. We are grateful for those who care take, for without you, freedom would be even more distant.

If you are unable to join us at Wooden Shoe for this event, you can still write to Peppy:

Brian DiPippa -510
FCI Elkton
Federal Correctional Institution
P.O Box 10
Lisbon, OH 44432

When I read your letters, my soul escapes this place to walk alongside you, to commune; and with a big inhale I share our smiles with others experiencing incarceration. Thank you for reaching through these windowless walls. Respect and solidarity to all the bravehearts!

– Peppy

Anarchist Letter Writing

  • April 12, 2025 1:12 am

from O.R.C.A.

Let’s support our incarcerated comrades and fighters! Our movement is only as strong as our support for the rebels behind the walls. We’ll be writing to the three following prisoners Hybachi Lemar, Mujera Benjamin Lunga’ho and Luigi Mangione. Bring food and homies. We’ll provide stamps, envelopes, pens, stamps and paper. Please wear a mask!
5pm
April 19th
ORCA
Information on who we will be writing to:
Hybachi Lemar (Incarcerated Black Anarchist Revolutionary)
Hybachi LeMar
c/o Midwest Books to Prisoners
1321 N Milwaukee Avenue PMB 460
Chicago, IL 60622
Mujera Benjamin Lunga’ho (Prisoner from the 2020 Uprising)
You can send money to support Mujera Benjamin Lunga’ho on CashApp at: https://cash.app/$JohnLungaho
Mujera Benjamin Lunga’ho
08572-509
FCI Forrest City Medium
Federal Correctional Institution
P.O. Box 3000
Forrest City, AR 72336
Luigi Mangione (Alleged Claims Adjuster)
Luigi Mangione (52503-511)
MDC Brooklyn
METROPOLITAN DETENTION CENTER
P.O. BOX 329002
BROOKLYN, NY 11232

In Contempt #51: Thousands Hit the Streets Against Deportations and Authoritarian Crackdown, ‘Imaginary Crimes’ Tour Kicks Off

  • April 8, 2025 1:11 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.]
In this column, we present our monthly roundup of political prisoner, prison rebel, and repression news, happenings, announcements, action and analysis. Packed in as always are updates, fundraisers, and birthdays.

There’s a lot happening, so let’s dive right in!

Political Prisoner News

Mumia Abu-Jamal was recently interviewed by Turkish outlet Evrensel.

George Floyd Uprising Defendants, Stop Cop City and Other Ongoing Cases


Cara and Celeste, who are facing charges connected to an alleged mink liberation action, have a court date scheduled for April 21st in Sunbury, Pennsylvania, where the defense will present a motion arguing for their charges to be dismissed. Donations to their legal funds can be made via Philly ABC here.

The Final Straw Radio also recently broadcast an interview with one of the RICO defendants alongside one of the organizers of the upcoming Stop Cop City: Imaginary Crimes tour, which will be visiting over 60 cities.

Pennsylvania uprising defendant Khalif Miller has now completed his federal sentence and been moved to a state prison to serve a state sentence for violating parole. His new address is:

Khalif Miller

Camp Hill
PO Box 33028
St. Petersburg, FL 33733

Uprising Defendants

See Uprising Support for more info, and check out the Antirepression PDX site for updates from Portland cases. You can also check With Whatever Weapons for regularly-updated zines listing current prisoners. To the best of our knowledge they currently include:

David Elmakayes 77782-066
FCI McKean
Federal Correctional Institution
P.O. Box 8000
Bradford, PA 16701

Khalif Miller #QQ9287
Camp Hill
PO Box 33028
St. Petersburg, FL 33733

Upcoming Birthdays

Mumia Abu-Jamal

Mumia is an award winning journalist and was one of the founders of the Black Panther Party chapter in Philadelphia, PA. He has struggled for justice and human rights for people of color since he was at least 14 years old; the age when he joined the Party. In December of 1982, Mumia, who moonlighted by driving a taxi, happened upon police who were beating his brother. During the melee, a police officer was shot and killed. Despite the fact that many people saw someone else shoot and then run away from the scene, Mumia, in what could only be called a kangaroo court, was convicted and sentenced to death. During the summer of 1995, a death warrant was signed by Governor Tom Ridge, which sparked one of the most effective organizing efforts in defense of a political prisoner ever. Since that time, Mumia has had his death sentence overturned, but still has a life sentence with no opportunity for parole.

Pennsylvania uses Connect Network/GTL, so you can contact him online by going to connectnetwork.com, selecting “Add a facility”, choosing “State: Pennsylvania, Facility: Pennsylvania Department of Corrections”, going into the “messaging” service, and then adding Mumia as a contact by searching his name or “AM8335.”

Birthday: April 24

Address:

Smart Communications/PA DOC
Mumia Abu-Jamal
SCI Mahanoy
Post Office Box 33028
St Petersburg, Florida 33733

Janiis Mathis

A former Vaughn 17 defendant.

Delaware uses Pigeonly for digital mail services.

Birthday: April 24

Address:

Janiis Mathis
SBI# 00492275
Delaware DOC – 1101
PO Box 96777
Las Vegas, NV 89193

film screening: The Gentleman Bank Robber

  • March 28, 2025 1:40 am

from O.R.C.A.

6:30 PM
April 3
O.R.C.A.

The Gentleman Bank Robber delves into the life of bo brown, an ex-political prisoner, a white working class butch, and a former member of the George Jackson Brigade. Journey through recollections of bank robberies and life underground, alongside the day to day life of an unrepentant former guerrilla. Queer, witty, and serious all at once.

We’ll have copies of Queer Fire, a zine of writings and interviews with bo brown and other George Jackson Brigade members, available to $0-$99 sliding scale to raise money for the space.

46 mins
Directed by Julie Perini
English with subtitles

Skyscraper Jails: The Abolitionist Fight Against Jail Expansion in New York City

  • March 18, 2025 1:14 am

from Making Worlds Books

In Skyscraper Jails, scholars and organizers Jarrod Shanahan and Zhandarka Kurti detail how progressive forces in New York City appropriated the rhetoric of social movements and social justice to promise “downsized” and “humane” jails. The principal advocates of these new jails were not right-wing politicians, but prominent city activists and progressive non-profit organizations. Join the authors for a discussion of this unique moment for anti-jail activism and what it means for moving forward.

Zhandarka Kurti is an Assistant Professor of Criminal Justice and Criminology at Loyola University, Chicago. She researches and writes about race, class, policing, incarceration, and mass supervision. She is the co-author of States of Incarceration: Rebellion, Reform and the Future of America’s Punishment System and editor of Treason to Whiteness is Loyalty to Humanity. She lives in Chicago.

Jarrod Shanahan is the author of Captives: How Rikers Island Took New York City Hostage, co-author of States of Incarceration: Rebellion, Reform, and America’s Punishment System, and City Time: On Being Sentence to Rikers Island, forthcoming from NYU Press, and editor of Treason to Whiteness Is Loyalty to Humanity. He lives in Chicago and works as an assistant professor of Criminal Justice at Governors State University in University Park, IL.

Please register for the event here.

  • Sunday, March 23, 2025
  • 4:00 PM 5:30 PM
  • Making Worlds Bookstore & Social Center 210 South 45th Street Philadelphia, PA, 19104 United States (map)

Philly All Out To Free Mahmoud Khalil

  • March 14, 2025 1:28 am

from Instagram

Send from trusted comrades. FREE MAHMOUD KHALIL!! ❤️‍🔥🇵🇸❤️‍🔥🇵🇸❤️‍🔥 See ya’ll tomorrow!!!
Send from trusted comrades. FREE MAHMOUD KHALIL!! ❤️‍🔥🇵🇸❤️‍🔥🇵🇸❤️‍🔥 See ya’ll tomorrow!!!
[EMERGENCY RALLYFriday March 14
5pm
City Hall

Bring signs and posters and remember to mask up!

Rallly coordinate by autonomous individuals not affiliate with any organization
FREE MAHMOUD, FREE ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS]

Book Release and Film Screening

  • March 9, 2025 1:52 am

from O.R.C.A.

  • Date: 2025/03/16 18:15

`The Unexpected Guest and a Section of Palestine, Mon Amour’ brings together a new, rough translation of L’Ospite Inatteso, written by Sicilian insurrectionary anarchist Alfredo Bonanno, with mostly previously untranslated sections from his book Palestina, Mon Amour. Diary-like, it’s a remembrance of his deadly armed struggle during the 60s and 70s, along Palestinians in the Levant (where he was tortured by Mossad in 1972), in Greece, Ireland, and Africa. Written during later-life prison stints, these poetic, intimate stanzas grapple with suffering, monstrosity, normality, death, killing, the quantitative and qualitative. Messy, flawed, but occasionally critical, clandestine warfare is considered along memory, knowledge, and the word. An accompanying pamphlet, “A Mano Armata (Excerpts)” collects topical sections from that book of his.
¡G.A.R.I! (2013, 1h 23 min., French with English subtitles), by Nicolas Réglat, is a documentary about `70s French and Spanish anarchists (the `Revolutionary Internationalist Action Groups’) in solidarity with Spanish anti-authoritarians threatened with execution. Kidnapping a banker among many other actions, GARI embraced armed struggle, situationism, and the autonomous movements, resisting vanguardism, fetishization, and campism. Réglat aims to save these stories, which include his family’s, from `the dustbin of history’. Through archival footage, present-day conversations, and expired statute of limitations, it’s a refreshingly human look into complex experiences which still ripple strongly today.

For more info and copies/free pdfs after event, visit reekingthicketspress.noblogs.org

In Contempt #50: National Guard Sent in to New York Prisons, Leonard Peltier Comes Home

  • March 8, 2025 1:03 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.]

In this column, we present our monthly roundup of political prisoner, prison rebel, and repression news, happenings, announcements, action and analysis. Packed in as always are updates, fundraisers, and birthdays.

There’s a lot happening, so let’s dive right in!

Vaughn 17

An event was held in February at the Black Workers Center in DC, celebrating the anniversary of the Vaughn prison uprising. The event also served as a soft release for Jarreau “RUK” Ayers’ upcoming book.

Vaughn 17 prisoner Alejandro “Ajay” Rodriguez-Ortiz recently suffered the loss of his mother, and was unable to attend a wake for her due to being attacked by the CERT team and moved to isolation as revenge for giving an interview to a journalist. You can donate to help support the Ortiz family through this time here.

Uprising Defendants

See Uprising Support for more info, and check out the Antirepression PDX site for updates from Portland cases. You can also check With Whatever Weapons for regularly-updated zines listing current prisoners. To the best of our knowledge they currently include:

David Elmakayes 77782-066
FCI McKean
Federal Correctional Institution
P.O. Box 8000
Bradford, PA 16701

Khalif Miller #70042-066
USP Big Sandy
U.S. Penitentiary
P.O. Box 2068
Inez, KY 41224

Retaliation for dreaming freedom and striving to actualize it

  • February 19, 2025 1:05 am

from Dreaming Freedom, Practicing Abolition

On 2-7-25, I sat before the PA Parole Board. Correction: I sat before one member of the Board and a hearing examiner. In PA, imprisoned people don’t see the entire Board which consists of nine members. We see only one member. From the start, the interview was contentious. I didn’t expect it to be. I had done everything the Board asked me to do: successfully completed all programs, remain misconduct free, and obtain the PA DOC’s recommendation for parole. I wasn’t asked about any of these matters.***

Instead, the interviewer began by stated that I am part of a security threat group. When I asked what gang I belong to, he said: “The Abolitionists.” Seriously. I had never heard this before. I was baffled. How are abolitionists a gang? He asked me to explain my gang affiliation. I continued to tell him abolition is not and has never been a gang. I asked if he wanted me to explain why I am anti-racist, anticapitalist, and anti-imperialist. This went over his head. We continued in this fashioned for almost five minutes. I knew my chances of parole were doomed.***

The remainder of the interview went the same way: his insisting upon some falsehood and my refuting his notion. A few days later, I was called to the parole department for the inevitable: parole denied. That was the last time I will ever sit before the Board. I max out on 2-9-26. My sentence will be completed. Sixteen years. They cannot deny or delay my release on that date. I never thought I would max this sentence out. I was required to do half of it incarcerated. I have been parole eligible for eight years. Being a prison (dis)organizer, I know full well the oppressive and retaliatory actions of the DOC and the Board. My organizing and educational work stymies the goals of the PIC: isolating and alienating imprisoned people to render them powerless in the face of oppression. I have no regrets. I work and continue to work to dismantle oppressive systems everywhere. I work and continue to work to build life-affirming and life-enhancing relationships and institutions. Like Martin Sostre, I am being maxed out in retaliation for dreaming freedom and striving to actualize it. And like him, I remain undaunted.***

I am so grateful for the unstinting support I have received over the years. Without you, I could not have made it. I couldn’t have done the work. Thank you. There are so many people, organizations and collectives that have supported the work, in whatever prison I was caged in, and I want to thank you all. But the list would be many emails long. I do want to especially thank some folx who have stood in solidarity with me for numerous years. Your love and friendship have sustained me, helped me grow and kept my head up. I cannot wait until 2-9-26 when I can be out there and return the love in person: Mom, Lois, Sarah, Ian, Casey, Eli, Danielle, Molly, Minali, Jacqueline, Safear, Mariame, Ruthie, Kelly, Eliza, Dylan R, Dana, Tyler, Rehana, Dylan B, Joy James, Roberto, Eric Stanley, Miriam, Moira, Katy, Tricka, Nora, A Ram, eae, Andrea, Ann Russo, Maya, Brian S, Rinaldo Walcott, Alex, Caren, Dan B, Amanda, Woods, Mari, Critical Resistance, Haymarket, Love & Protect, Survived and Punished, Hearts On A Wire, Massive Bookstore, Black Agenda Report, Inquest, Verso, the Pinko Collective, Empowerment Avenue, and imprisoned folx at every prison I have been caged during this bid. The list could go on and on. But I wanted to especially thank certain folx. As this year winds down, I am preparing to transition the work to other imprisoned people and look forward to working from the other side of the walls. I hope to continue to be blessed with your support and love during this time.***

Always,

Stevie

p.s. Please held me raise funds to continue the study groups and mutual aid for the remainder of my time in here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-9971s-work-behind-the-walls

How can one live freely in the shadow of a prison?

  • December 19, 2024 1:15 am

Submission

flyer .png: https://upload.disroot.org/r/hUBqVExC#PhuSmVKBegubTa6qLs72At5lyIHGsK3aX6at31YXjIU=

flyer PDF: https://upload.disroot.org/r/DfteY0Wu#BVshmlG7jvVnbolWTfoSUAylk+Dm7KAf4m97jB1/HEg=

How can one live freely in the shadow of a prison?

There are moments, like today in Syria, when we can only rejoice. See the statues of Bashar and his relatives looted, the crowds in the streets, the open prison doors. These moments that remind us that all regimes, including the most authoritarian ones, can fall.

If there is a constant in the revolutions, it is that of freeing prisoners. Symbol of power, of who can decide the freedom of its subjects, prison is one of the nodes on which rests submission to the State and acceptance of social norms.

One of the worst prisons in the world, Sednaya, has apparently been completely emptied of its prisoners, allowing people to see their relatives whom they had not heard from for many years or even meet them for the first time. But let’s not be mistaken, while the «rebels» are emptying the prisons of the fallen regime, those under their control are already filled with opponents.

Revolutionaries have already fallen in the trap of supporting pro-State organisations, by third-worldism, against imperialism, seduced by kurdish communalism or the romanticism of the guerrilla. Unfortunately it is more a religious alliance, wishing to give direction to “the will of the people” than the insurgents in Syria who managed to overthrow the regime. Such structures using military practices will never be desirable. We want to carry an anti-authoritarian and without borders solidarity with the revolted in Syria, because our hopes in the Syrian revolution go beyond the perpetuation of a society held by arms, subjected to a celestial power as earthly, which requires prisons to exist.

While we welcome the liberation of syrians from the shackles of Assad’s clan, we can only hope that what was in seed during the 2011 insurrections can go even further, towards a self-organisation of all spheres of daily life, attack and the total questioning of power and property.

Here as there, so much remains to be destroyed. Prisons, Religions, States.

Happiness to the reunion of the freed, force to the ones locked up all over the world!

Anarchists, confident as wary,
France, December 9th 2024

Sunday December 8th: Letter-writing for the Merrimack Four

  • December 8, 2024 1:32 am

from Philly ABC

merrimack-4-letter-writing.jpg

Join us on Sunday, December 8th at 6:30pm at Wooden Shoe Books for the next session of our letter-writing series illuminating facets of resistance movements for a free Palestine. This month, we’ll be writing to the Merrimack Four, a group of young women currently serving a 60-day sentence for a direct action that temporarily halted operations at an Elbit Systems facility in Merrimack NH. Elbit is Israel’s largest arms manufacturer, targeted with direct action for several years now by Palestine Action . We’ll also sign cards for political prisoners with birthdays in December: Fred “Muhammad” Burton (December 15th) and Casey Brezik (December 30th).

On November 20 2023, activists working under the banner of Palestine Action US blocked the driveway to Merrimack NH’s Elbit Systems facility, spraypainted the front of the building, smashed its windows, locked its front doors with bicycle locks, doused its logo with fake blood, scaled its roofed, smashed its skylights and HVAC equipment, and released smoke flares in green, white, and red: Palestine’s national colors. Prosecutors originally charged the arrested activists with five trumped up felonies that could have amounted to sentences of 37 years. Unsurprisingly, none of these felony charges held up in court, and the Merrimack Four were eventually sentenced to 60 days in jail and a 24-month suspended sentence.

Elbit Systems develops and builds the infrastructure of apartheid and genocide in Palestine, including military electronics, training simulators, surveillance systems, drones, and security systems. It then markets this “field-tested” equipment to repress people all over the world. Calculating the scale of suffering caused by these systems in Palestine is difficult due to Israel’s blockade of journalists, but researchers estimate that in the first year of the genocide (October 2023-October 2024), 53,887 people were directly murdered by Israeli munitions, and another 67,413 died of starvation caused by Israeli destruction of civilian infrastructure and blockade of food aid. In May, Elbit CEO Bezhalel Machlis told Reuters that the company’s sales goal of $7 billion by 2026 would be reached “much earlier” because of intensified demand.

Snacks and letter-writing supplies will be provided. We’ll tune in to a related podcast while we’re writing. If you are unable to join us, you can write to the Merrimack Four at:

Bridget Shergalis , 445 Willow St, Manchester, NH 03103
Calla Walsh , 445 Willow St, Manchester, NH 03103
Paige Belanger , 445 Willow St, Manchester, NH 03103
Sophie Ross , 445 Willow St, Manchester, NH 03103

Include a name and return address on both the envelope and the letter because the envelopes will not be given to them. For general prisoner letter-writing suggestions, see this how to.

Deny Defend Depose

  • December 8, 2024 1:14 am

Submission

Simple flier for solemn remembrance

[Poster Link]

In Contempt #46: Heritage Foundation Pushes for Repression of Anti-War Movement, Arrests Follow Raids on Fur Farm

  • November 5, 2024 1:47 am

from It’s Going Down

graffiti and wheatpastes

  • October 29, 2024 1:16 am

from Mastodon

Some excellent graffiti and wheatpastes I ran into

Grafitti saying burn the prisons
Poster saying anti-fascist anti-zionist stop cop city everywhere
Poster saying your taxes are funding genocide and you choose to look away?

Monday October 28th: Letter-writing for Pre-Oslo Palestinian Prisoners

  • October 27, 2024 1:34 am

from Philly ABC

pre-oslo-letter-writing.jpg

Join us on Monday October 28th at 6:30pm at Wooden Shoe Books for the next session of our letter-writing series illuminating facets of Palestinian resistance movements. This month we’ll be discussing and writing to one of the pre-Oslo Palestinian political prisoners. There are approximately a dozen men, most of whom are serving life sentences for resisting the occupation forces, who have been imprisoned since before the Oslo Accords were signed in 1993. These men have been intentionally excluded by occupation forces from release deals. Many of them remain active from behind bars through writing essays and founding the Palestinian Prisoners Society.

Snacks and letter-writing supplies will be provided. We’ll tune in to some related podcasts while we’re writing. If you are unable to join us, you can write to Palestinian prisoners via Samidoun’s website.