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*

Philly letter writing night for Trans Prisoners Day of Action

  • January 15, 2016 5:36 am

from facebook

January 22, 2016 will be the first annual Trans Prisoner Day of Action: an international day of action in solidarity with trans prisoners.
More info @ International Day of Trans Prisoner Solidarity / www.transprisoners.net

In Philly we will be holding space for a letting writing night/event jawn, centered on trans prisoners in PA. Information about specific prisoners, and their struggles inside, will be provided. Art materials and postage will also be provided.
Please come though and:

– Send a letter/art to someone (it is lonely and any letter/art is appreciated)
– Learn about a specific trans person on the inside.
– Start a new pen pal relationship.
– Write another letter to an existing pen pal you have.
– Talk with others about your experience supporting trans people on the inside.
– Eat food (West Philly Food Not Bombs! will be on deck)
– Meet other people and talk about projects we’re involved in.

The Up Against the Law Legal Collective will be doing a know your rights training and providing tips on staying safe(r) in the streets as we move to abolish the institutions that cage our friends.

Email event organizers to get involved or suggest materials/zines to share:
cass: cass.struggle@gmail.com / Brynn Cassidy West
Letha: l.muthkimball@gmail.com / not on fb
(it’s best to email us both)

[January 22 from 4 to 8pm at A-Space 4722 Baltimore Ave]

Upcoming Parole pushes for Herman Bell & 3 of the Move 9: convo with Orie Lumumba

  • December 29, 2015 1:04 pm

from The Final Straw

This week’s show features a conversation with Orie Lumumba. Orie is involved in the Move organization and the International Concerned Fmaily and Friends of Mumia Abu-Jamal. We speak about the upcoming push to parole Debbie Sims Africa, Janet Halloway Africa and Janine Phillips Africa, the three remaining women of the Move 9. The Move 9 were 9 members of the Move organization whose house was raided in Philadelphia in 1978 after escalating conflicts with the Philadelphia police department and then-Mayor Frank Rizzo. The 9 were convicted of the death of Officer James Ramp during the raid, which the supporters and members of the Move 9 argue the 9 had no part in, that the shot was actually fired by the police department mistakenly. This was one of the many instances that the Move organization was repressed in Philadelphia during the 1970’s and 1980’s. The Move organization is a religious, vegan Black Liberation organization focused around social justice issues and bases it’s philosophy on the teachings of John Africa.

In February at the Malcolm X & Bettie Shabazz Educational Center there will be a rally around this parole push in New York City. There is also an online petition to push for the parole of these 3 members of the Move 9. More info on the struggle can be found at http://onamove.org and more on the parole push can be found at http://move9parole.blogspot.com

(f)LAWLESS: POP OFF | NEW YEARS EVE 2015 – NEW YEARS DAY 2016

  • December 24, 2015 9:08 pm

from facebook

◤◢ ◣◥◢ ◣◤◢ ◣ ◥ ◤◢ ◣◥◢ ◣◤◢ ◣ ◥

*airhorn*
(f)LAWLESS: POP OFF
NEW YEARS EVE 2015 – NEW YEARS DAY 2016
*airhorn*

♨ HOSTS ♨
BBY GRL
GEE SISSY

♨ PERFORMERS ♨
SUGUR SHANE soundcloud.com/sugurshane
MOOR MOTHER soundcloud.com/moor-goddess
RONNIE VEGA soundcloud.com/ronnievega

♨ MUSIC BY ♨
FEMMESURRECTION mixcloud.com/femmesurrection/
DJ HARAM b2b MHYSA soundcloud.com/djharam / soundcloud.com/ejanesoundart
COUNTERFEIT soundcloud.com/counterfeitsound
DJ ALEX twitter.com/AlexSmi54827599

YALL BETTER LOOK UGLY ASF OR NICE AS PIE EITHER ONE NO IN BETWEEN I DON’T CARE BULLSHIT! LOOKS OR BUST, 2015 TILL FOREVER ♥

or come for one of all of the other miscellaneous party features:
GIVING/NOT GIVING THE LAST FUCK OF 2015 x MIDNIGHT COUNTDOWN x CASH BAR x DANCE FLOOR x PROJECTIONS x SUBWOOFER x BAD LANGUAGE x EVEN LESS BUTCHES THAN U EXPECTED™ x SEVERAL PPL U CRUSHED ON IN 2015 x SOMEONE U WILL CRUSH ON IN 2016 x OH SHIT WE LIT

SOME MONEY WILL BE GOING TO COSTS RELATED TO FUCK THE LAW (make total destroy) (make total donate)

FUNDRAISER FOR NIARA freeniara.wordpress.com

MARK YOUR CALENDAR, IT IS YOUR LITERAL LAST CHANCE TO PARTY W US IN 2015. MC GEESISSY KNOWS YOU MISS A DECENT HOUSE PARTY♨

xoxo
1-800- (f)LAWLESS ♥

◤◢ ◣◥◢ ◣◤◢ ◣ ◥ ◤◢ ◣◥◢ ◣◤◢ ◣ ◥

[December 31 10pm to 4am at 52nd St and Chester Ave]

Updates and Reports of Local Prisoners

  • October 21, 2015 11:16 pm

from It’s Going Down

Mumia Abu Jamal’s support folks held a press conference to further pressure the prison to provide appropriate HEP C treatment to Mumia. Hepatitis C has an incredibly high rate of infection in the U.S. prison system. Recently there have been significant improvements in treatment of the disease with 95% rate of fully eradicating the virus. Prison officials (otherwise known as horrendous pieces of shit) are denying not only Mumia the right to such medical care, but all prisoners. This is beyond bullshit. You can find out more about the call to action for Mumia as well as the full press release over here. You can also watch the stream of the press conference over here.

untitled

If you haven’t already checked out NYC ABC’s dope bi-monthly Political Prisoner & Prisoner of War Update newsletter, do it already. These updates are sent out to pp/pow’s across the U.S. and are, for many of them, the only means they have of regular news with comrades. This last update from 10/13/15 has some great writing from Russell Maroon Shoates. Check out the description and then hop on over and read the full essay at NYC ABC’s site:

Maroon recently penned a brief essay reflection on some of the latest literature he’s had an opportunity to read. He explores the current political realities in the Rojava region of Syria, celebrating the civil and political organizations that have led to an anti-state and anti-capitalist experiment valuing feminism, direct democracy, ecological stewardship, and ethnic, linguistic, and religious pluralism in the midst of ongoing military threat, as explored in the book A Small Key Can Open A Large Door, published by the Strangers In A Tangled Wilderness collective. He then touches on the dystopia of Octavia Butler’s Parable Of The Sower, assessing the extent to which the current crises of climate change, late capitalism, and “sci-fi biotech” have made the landscape of Butler’s novel far more factual than fictitious.

You can learn more about Maroon at his site and send him a letter to:

Russell Shoats #AF-3855

SCI-Graterford

P.O. Box 246 Route 29

Graterford, PA 19426 – 0246

Updates on Mumia, Eddie Africa

  • September 21, 2015 8:05 pm

from Final Straw Radio

In more prisoner news:

Mumia Abu-Jamal is contuing to be denied the medical care that he needs to survive his stay in prison at SCI-Mahone in Frackville, PA.

Hepatitis C is a dangerous liver disease which is growing among poor people and especially rampant in prisons. Mumia found himself diagnosed with Hep-C, as well as type-II diabetes and other medical circumstances, in August of this year. Drugs released within the last 18 months show remarkable cure-rates of 90-95%, but based on costs of $60-85K for a 12 week course, jail and prison authorities here (and in jails and prisons across the U.S.) are denied the incarcerated access to them.

Anarchist Prisoner Posters Downtown

  • August 29, 2015 9:05 pm

from instagram


Nice use of free posters spotted downtown. #anarchistprisoners

Anarchist Prisoner Information and Letter Writing Event

  • August 20, 2015 11:53 am

from Wooden Shoe Books & Records
When: Sun, August 23, 7pm – 8pm
Description: As part of the international week of solidarity with anarchist prisoners, we will have a multimedia presentation, discussion, and letter writing night for anarchist prisoners the world over. Letter writing materials for domestic prisoners will be provided, handouts/posters concerning some international struggles will be available, and snacks will be shared.

This week of action was coordinated by several international Anarchist Black Cross groups beginning with the anniversary of the murder of Sacco and Vanzetti by the United States on August 23rd.

[Wooden Shoe Books 704 South St]

Crashing the Party: Revisiting the RNC 2000 with activist and author Kris Hermes

  • August 13, 2015 5:16 pm

from facebook

This August marks the 15-year anniversary of direct action against the prison-industrial complex and arrest of hundreds of activists during the 2000 Republican National Convention in Philadelphia. In response, dissidents confronted new forms of political repression by pushing legal boundaries and establishing new models of collective resistance.

Join activist and author Kris Hermes for a discussion on his new book, Crashing the Party: Legacies and Lessons from the RNC 2000, an engrossing combination of social history and courtroom drama that explains the origins of contemporary protest policing and the creative political resistance used to overcome it. Hermes will discuss his experiences on the ground in Philadelphia and how they relate to the movement today. Books will be available for purchase and signing following the discussion!
[August 20 at 7pm at Wooden Shoe Books 704 South St]

New Pamphlet on Justice

  • August 11, 2015 3:46 pm

received via email

Political Prisoner Letter Writing Night/Potluck

  • July 22, 2015 3:00 pm

from facebook

Join at The Wooden Shoe for a night of solidarity with the people in our movements who have had their freedom taken from them. We’ll provide all the materials, a list of prisoners from various radical movements with short bios, and a quick “how to” for anyone who would like some guidance.

This event will be a vegan potluck, so please bring a drink or dish to share. Email me if you have any questions.
*please know what is in your dish to share and keep in mind of people with food allergies*


[July 29 7-10pm at Wooden Shoe Books 704 South St]

Letter Writing Day for Antifascist Prisoners

  • July 19, 2015 3:28 pm

from facebook

In observance of the July 25th International Day of Solidarity with Antifascist Prisoners, Antifa Philadelphia will be hosting a letter writing event for several Antifascist POW’s currently incarcerated all over the world.

The full call (originally posted by NYC Antifa) with more information on the prisoners is below.

We will provide all the materials and, if you want, we will send the letter(s) for you as well. For more information on how to help or if your group would like to endorse the call or host an event, contact NYC Antifa at nycantifascistaction@gmail.com

Liberty, Solidarity, Equality,

Antifa Philadelphia (phillyantifa.org)

[July 26 from 7 to 8:30pm at A-Space 4722 Baltimore Ave]