Black DNC Resistance March against Police Terrorism and State Repression

  • July 19, 2016 11:50 pm

from Facebook

The Philadelphia Coalition for REAL Justice presents:
Black DNC Resistance March against the Capitalist & Racist Government: We Have Nothing To Lose But Our Chains!!

The Democratic Party has consistently betrayed their promises to the Black community and the 2016 presidential election is not going to be any different. The presidential election is the largest electoral process in the country, and the Black community can no longer watch a few control the lives of many. Black communities have been underfunded for centuries. Black communities are under siege with militarized police terrorism, assault and murder; public schools are underfunded and do not properly educate our children; economic development means black displacement through gentrification; prison privatization and the school to prison pipeline; raising the minimum wage to a living standard; the right to proper access of quality healthcare, food, shelter and the essential means of life; protection and inclusion of the LGBTQ community, as well, the releasing of all political prisoners and the right to self-determination and control of our communities. This can only come from the unification of our voices, understanding the intersectional connections, education and support of one another and not the democratic process.

Philadelphia is a historically Black city, as well as the birth of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Both documents have kept the Black community subjugated. The American political system was organized and created by white men who supported and upheld the enslavement of Black people. These documents continue to function under the order of white supremacy and neo-liberal reformists politics. Black liberation cannot occur in a reformist society. White supremacy must be abolished and Black liberation must become a priority.

[from 2pm July 26 to 6pm July 28 at Broad & Diamond St]

Maroon Sues DOC and Wins! Settlement Reached

  • July 11, 2016 8:49 pm

from Free Russell Maroon Shoatz

Settlement reached in Shoatz v. Wetzel

July 11, 2016: Pittsburgh PA —A settlement has been reached in the case of Shoatz v. Wetzel, which challenged the 22-year solitary confinement of Abolitionist Law Center client and political prisoner Russell Maroon Shoatz. This brings an end to litigation begun in 2013. In February 2014, following an international campaign on behalf of Shoatz, he was released from solitary confinement.

In exchange for Shoatz ending the lawsuit the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections (DOC) has agreed that it will not place Shoatz back in solitary confinement based on his prior disciplinary record or activities; Shoatz will have a single-cell status for life, meaning he will not have to experience the extreme hardship of being forced to share a cell following decades of enforced isolation; a full mental health evaluation will be provided; and the DOC has paid a monetary settlement.

Russell Maroon Shoatz had the following to say about the settlement: “I have nothing but praise for all of those who supported me and my family for all of the years I was in Solitary Confinement, as well as helped to effect my release. Since joining the struggle for Human Rights in the mid 1960s, I have always chosen to fight! Frederick Douglass was right when he said ‘Power concedes nothing without a demand.’ So have no doubt that I see this Settlement as anything but the latest blow struck, and you rest assured that I will continue in the struggle for Human Rights. Straight Ahead!”

Some Posters at Pride

  • June 14, 2016 5:48 pm

Submission



Benefit Feast for Marius Mason

  • June 4, 2016 1:48 am

from Facebook

An all-you-care-to-eat vegan smorgasbord with items from Blackbird Pizzeria, Crust Bakery, Dotties Donuts and Grindcore House for $5-$15 sliding scale. All proceeds benefit long-term anarchist prisoner Marius Mason. More to come, soon…

[June 11 from 5 to 7pm at Grindcore House 1515 South 4th st]


From supportmariusmason.org: Marius Mason is an anarchist, environmental and animal rights activist currently serving nearly 22 years in federal prison for acts of property damage carried out in defense of the planet. After being threatened with a life sentence in 2009 for these acts of sabotage, he pled guilty to arson charges at a Michigan State University lab researching genetically modified organisms for Monsanto, and admitted to 12 other acts of property damage. No one was physically harmed in these actions. At sentencing the judge applied a so-called “terrorism enhancement,” adding almost two years to an already extreme sentence requested by the prosecution. This is the harshest punishment of anyone convicted of environmental sabotage to date…Marius came out to his friends, family and supporters as transgender in 2014. Previously known as “Marie Mason,” he changed his name, uses male pronouns, and embarked on a course to get a medical diagnosis that would allow him to seek gender affirming surgery and hormone therapy.

I’m curious why I don’t see more outright…

  • May 6, 2016 1:31 pm

from Anarchadelphia

I’m curious why I don’t see more outright solidarity from the self-proclaimed “reds” in the city with local striking workers.  I’ve seen them attending every possible kind of demonstration, but never supporting strikes (like some west coast anarchists have done in recent years in the ports), taking actions against scab sites and employers (like some of the union members with some sort of teeth), or reaching out to the frustrated at more reformist rallies (the way the insurrecto-oriented have been doing against prisons and the police, locally).

I don’t find any promise in the possibility of the (ever-dwindling) working class uniting and rising up to overthrow anyone, let alone even pursuing a non-hierarchal society —and even if I did, I don’t believe unions would be the medium to achieve this.  But, red anarchists purport to believe just that, suggesting it would be in their interest to participate in such a way.  Yet, they seem more likely to be organizing with college kids and liberals at a $15 & a union rally — or so it seems to me.

This crosses my mind with the passing of May Day, as I remember picketing workers infiltrating a car show and trashing it at the convention center, as I watch the CWA striking against verizon again, and further reports of sabotage unsanctioned by said union against Verizon’s fiber optic infrastructure circulate.  Whether the CWA does not, in fact, condone the sabotage or is trying to keep its hands clean begins to illustrate its limitations, and the complete absence of radical unions like the IWW from anything substantial since the first red scare illustrates theirs.  The last local news of note we’ve had from the IWW, in fact, includes an absolute failure around organizing a South Street Workers’ Strike (was that in the ’90’s?), to scandals resulting in the booting of certain “esteemed” local anarchists over financial discrepancies, to an article in support of striking Santander Bank employees in Spain.  This is hardly the stuff of a restless, growing, anticapitalist mass.

The Prison General Strike this September, as called for by some Texan prisoner wobblies, could bring about the first functional endeavor of the IWW in almost a century, however, and I’m excited to see it happen.  Maybe this is the long overdue tactical transition the reds have been searching for in response to the recuperation of workers as increasingly comfortable consumers?

I would love to be proven wrong in such a way.  I don’t agree with many red anarchist goals or tactics, but please make a go of it and prove me wrong; show me why these things are a good idea.  Don’t tell me, I cut my anarchist teeth on Berkman and Goldman and abandoned a union that proved useless to my needs, but try to make these things happen if that’s what you actually believe in.

And sometimes I wonder what it would look like for such ideas to come to fruition.  For red anarchists acting in kind with striking workers against fiber optics developing a temporary, tangible, action-oriented affinity with green anarchists, for instance.  What other avenues might we find intersections on?

Autonomous March in Solidarity with Prisoners in Philly

  • May 3, 2016 6:05 pm

from It’s Going Down

Across the country, prisoners have been pushing back against the indignities of prison. In Texas, prisoners have been on strike against slave labor for almost one month. Bubbling tensions in Holman, Alabama have erupted into prison riots at least twice and are now taking the form of a work stoppage. Three facilities around Michigan have seen mass protests, with inmates refusing meals and skipping meetings with the prison staff in protest against food quality. Louisiana has also seen hunger strikes recently. All of these actions lead toward a nation-wide prison strike on September 9th, the anniversary of the Attica uprising.

On May Day, between 15 and 20 people gathered for a short autonomous march through West Philly in solidarity with prisoners’ struggles and against prison society. The demonstration moved east behind two banners, “Prisoners to the Streets” and “REVENGE”. Music from a sound system kept the atmosphere playful.

Pamphlets expressing solidarity with struggles in prison were given to people in cars and in the street who were curious about what was happening. Stickers and tags against police and prison were put up along the way. A police substation received a few splashes of paint as the march passed it. People generally seemed enthusiastic about the demonstration and expressed their support from the sidewalks and cars.

The march ended and dispersed without incident at a nearby park. It had been promoted in a way to decrease the possibility of police presence at the meetup and no police were around for the entirety of the brief march.

Some takeaways:
-Avoiding reliance on Facebook and building networks of friends and comrades in less mediated ways makes repression harder.
-More dialogue between participants — especially during the demonstration — can make events like these less confusing in the future.
-As long as an escalation is not too drastic, sharing tools (like paint, stickers, flyers, etc) can welcome and encourage people to take action in a friendly setting.
-Bad weather is not the end of the world.

Some Photos of the aftermath of the May Day March in Solidarity with Prisoners

  • May 2, 2016 6:30 pm

Submission
Here’s a few pictures taken after the May Day March in Solidarity with Prisoners took place.



MOVE 9 Solidarity Week, May 2nd – 6th

  • May 2, 2016 6:04 pm

from Anarchadelphia

Starting  Monday May 2nd Through Friday May 6th we focus our attention toward The Pa Parole Board as The May 2016 Parole Hearings For Janet , Janine , and Debbie  Africa Approaches . We are asking people to call or email The Pa Parole Board This Monday May 2nd Through Friday May 6th and  Demand Parole For Debbie (Sims) Africa 006307  Janet (Holloway) Africa 006308 And Janine (Phillips) Africa 006309 .
People can call The Parole Board at (717) 772-4343 or they can email the parole board at Ra-pbppopc@pa.gov

Chris Hedges Finally Comes Around at the May Day March In Solidarity with Prisoners

  • May 1, 2016 7:03 pm

Submission

Chris Hedges decided to skip his scheduled keynote speech at the boring official May Day demonstration that wanted better wages, opting to participate in the May Day march in solidarity with prisoners instead. There weren’t that many of us and the sight of this despicable fool somewhat reduced morale at first. He really brought the party though.

With a t-shirt tied securely to his head, Chris led the charge through Squirrel Hill behind a banner reading “Prisoners to the Streets.” Not wanting to be seen with Mr. Hedges, we covered our faces too and hoped no one would recognize the “cancer of occupy” marching side by side with the very person who had diagnosed us as such.

We put up lot of anti-prison and anti-repression stickers while passing prisoner strike flyers to the passersby strolling in the rain. A few strangers expressed that they were “about revenge” (in reference to a banner we were carrying that said revenge) and understood because they had family members who had been sent upstate.

In a completely unprecedented act, Chris Hedges also put up a few “fuck the police” stickers and did something mean-spirited as we passed a police substation. Good for him! He also brought some anti-everything music that brought the mood up despite the bad weather. Didn’t know Mr. Hedges had it in him but at the end of the day we’re glad he came out and got down.

No arrests 🙂
Fuck work and prisons 🙂

#Shutdown Berks — Mother’s Day Rally

  • May 1, 2016 6:15 pm

from Anarchadelphia

[#Shutdown Berks — Mother’s Day Rally
Stand up for families – End family Detention in Pennsylvania
May 8, 2016 at 3:00pm
Location: Berks Family Detention Center
1040 Berks Road, Leesport, PA 19533]

Posters in solidarity with Holman prison rebels

  • March 23, 2016 12:07 am

Submission


We put up posters in various neighbors of South Philly. The posters express solidarity with the struggle of the prisoners in Holman prison in Alabama. Some Bernie-bro got real mad but he didn’t run fast enough to catch us 😉
Poster text reads:
Solidarity with the Rebels in Holman Prison!
Fire to the Prisons!
Twice in four days inmates locked away in Holman prison in Alabama have lashed out against their captors and the cages that separating them from their freedom. Rebels set fire to the control tower, stabbed guards, built barricades, and took over sections of the prison. We want to spread their struggle & let them know they have friends outside the prison who support their fight.
Prisons are an atrocity that separate friends and loved ones. The notion that prisons are around to help people and rehabilitate criminals is a sorry joke we’re tired of hearing. Prisons aren’t “corrupt” or in need of reform, they’re an integral part of the white supremacist social order.
atlblackcross.nfshost.com/
supportprisonerresistance.noblogs.org/

Eddie Africa Denied Parole

  • March 11, 2016 11:27 pm

from Free the MOVE 9!

When The Move 9 became eligible for parole in 2008 The Pennsylvania Parole Board took on the responsibility of officials of this system in keeping innocent Move Members in prison for the rest of their lives . From 2008 up until as recent as this past week all of The Move 9 have been denied parole.  . We received a call last night from our brother Eddie Africa who was calling to let us know he was denied yet again by The Pa Parole Board and was given a two year hit where he would not go before the board again until 2018 .
The Parole Board has cited the issue of Eddie being a risk to the safety of the community.At Eddie’s parole hearing the parole board was presented with a petition of 300 signatures of members of the community who would welcome him on parole into the community and who in fact felt no threat to their safety with Eddie in the community . It’s obvious that this community that the parole board is talking about is none other than the law enforcement community across the country who have mobilized against parole for Move Members .
This clearly shows that The Parole Board has no regards to the community and their input on anything as they only value the input of law enforcement officials who they are obviously  working in conjunction with to keep our family in prison . Eddie sounded strong as always and he has not been deterred by this and neither are we . The fight continues to win parole for our family as we prepare for our sisters may 2016 parole hearings . There will be more information to follow in the next couple of days on the next steps we are taking .
In the meantime we urge people to sign The Petition we aimed at US Attorney General Loretta Lynch as we demand that The Justice Department investigate the wrongful and ongoing imprisonment of The Move 9 . People can go to https://www.causes.com/campaigns/92454-free-the-move-9.

we r fans of anarchy, but not prisons: a report back on the jan 22 noise demo for transes in prison

  • January 26, 2016 11:24 pm

Submission

we r fans of anarchy, but not prisons: a report back on the jan 22 noise demo for transes in prison

～(￣△￣～)

“Bandana on yea
I’m bout to thug it out
if a hater talking shit
go head and stomp em out
if you got a problem we can settle it tonight
meet me outside you ain’t bout that life”
-TT the Artist

♪(┌・。・)┌

In lieu of a solemn march we got turnt to club music outside the Federal Detention Center in downtown Philly. A bunch of freaky looking transes & queers danced around, some femmes without hats had their hair freeze to their head because there was no hat and it was snowing hard as shit. The confused COs got their feels hurt because we commented on their appearance; for example one mean bitch yelled “i shaved my dogs butt and taught him to walk backwards and he literally looks better than you”. Other COs milled in an out as we chanted shit like “QUIT YOUR JOB/SLIP AND FALL” and “U-G-L-Y YOU AINT GOT NO ALIBI YOU UGLY YEAH YEAH YOU UGLY”, their feelings visibly hurt and we assume most of them quit that night, and by milled in and out we mean they hurried off all quick cause we clearly made them nervous. The music was really good by the way, a couple cheap-ass speakers in plastic bags kept the morale up and totally stayed dry too! Someone said the prisoners were jamming cause they flicked lights and slammed windows to the beat, TURN UP! We were out there for mad long, like hours, and probably the prisoners hands were way tired from flicking so much lights & wailing on the windows the whole time

(╯°□°)╯︵ ┻━┻

here’s an itemized list of choice “rowdy” moments:
*a giant banner that features a unicorn stabbing a police thru the heart (they got hearts?) reminding us that “ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE”
*some people spray painted anti-prison slogans in bright purple on the snow face the prison
*parking lot signs and black flags turned into drums and drumsticks respectively
*the prison got a snowball makeover
*some cruisers had their detailing updated with new slogans including such favorites as “ACAB” “quit your job” & “you suck”
*when a cop finally pulled up and rolled down their window one person shouted “NO YOU CAN’T HAVE MY NUMBER’ while others behind drowned him out loudly yelling EWWWWWWWWWW until he finally gave up and drove away.
*later another cruiser pulled up to ask “what are you protesting?” which was answered: “Your bad breath” by one tall girl, then when the officer tried to intimidate her she turned away and laughed

ヽ(⌐■_■)ノ♪♬

This is the second year in a row that there’s been a noise demo at the Federal Detention Center in January, last year’s was for New Years Eve. The demo was almost entirely un-policed cause the cops were too cold to come out and be annoying, probably due to the fact that it was a TOTAL FUCKING BLIZZARD and we got that fire in our hearts (lol jk). Also a snowplow crashed into the front of the prison and everyone busted out, in solidarity. We hope we looked cute wilding out and having fun out front for the people inside because what is solidarity really?

♡*(•‧̫•⑅)♡⋆*ೃ:.✧

Any chant is the right chant if you’re sassy and mean enough,
until every CO gets “sick” and dies
until the last cop is deafened by an airhorn
weaponize your hormones, mood swing some oppressors to death?

(ﾒ｀ﾛ´)/ some absurdist tall girls with t-shirts on their heads and malice up their butts ψ(*｀ー´)ψ

PS: The other banners said “REVENGE” and “DESTROY CIS-IETY” because that’s how we feel too.

From #BlackLivesMatter to Black Liberation

  • January 21, 2016 3:24 pm

from facebook

For most of US history, the police have used violence against African Americans with impunity—but after the murder of unarmed teenager Mike Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, mass protests erupted to challenge that impunity. In the process, a new generation of Black activists has come to question the old methods of struggle, puncture the Obama-era illusion of a “postracial” United States, and declare without apology that #BlackLivesMatter.

In this stirring and insightful analysis, activist and scholar Keeanga-Yamahtta Taylor surveys the history and current realities of US racism. Taylor examines how institutional racism has created and shaped the structural problems that affect Black people, such as mass incarceration and unemployment, even as more Black people hold political office than ever before. She paints a vivid picture of the context for this new struggle against police violence—and shows the potential of the Black Lives Matter movement to reignite and broaden the struggle for liberation.

[January 28 at 7pm at Friends Center 1501 Cherry St]

Make Noise Till Every Cage Is Empty

  • January 15, 2016 5:40 am

from Instagram

Make Noise Till Every Cage Is Empty

On Jan 22nd stand is solidarity with trans prisoners everywhere, with all prisoners here. Let them hear. They are not forgotten.

no racism, classism, sexism, homophobia, transphobie, peace police, or other bullshit.

come to support criminals and queers to destroy the society that criminalizes them
… and the prison system it maintains.

January 22nd, 9pm
Gather at Franklin Sq.
March to 7th and Arch
*bring noisemakers*