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

A VERY QUICK UPDATE ON CARA AND CELESTE

  • March 27, 2025 1:02 am

from Unoffensive Animal

Cara and Celeste have a court date coming up next month on April 21st. Supporters are invited and wanted. The court hearing is at 1:15pm at the Northumberland Courthouse, 201 Market St, Sunbury, PA, USA.

The defense is presenting a motion that argues that the state has insufficient evidence to continue the case, especially in regard to the serious charges of RICO and ecoterrorism.

For more information please visit their support website:
http://Wesupportcc.WordPress.com I

f you can afford to send them some coins please donate to their fundraiser:
https://phillyabc.org/northumberland-2/

Court and prisoner support is vital to the survival of this movement and those of us in it.

This community is only as strong as our solidarity. Love and Rage

BLOW UP THIS POST! DONATE TO CARA&CELESTE’S FUNDRAISER

  • March 19, 2025 1:44 am

from Unoffensive Animal

Its been a little while since we have written about Cara & Celeste, who were arrested and accused of a mink liberation in the USA. We don’t have updates about the case but would like to remind folks of their legal fundraiser, which is still stuck at 16k when they are needing to raise 75k USD.

Please, if you are reading this, send what you can afford to the fundraiser.

If that is 1 USD, that is better than nothing. If it is 100, that is equally as awesome!

Maybe it’d be cool to organise a fundraising event locally with other anarchist and animal rights folks? A fundraising diner, or a gig, or whatever other event that will help raise awareness and funds! If you are organising anything, we will be very happy to promote it so hit us up!

It is important to remember that c&c havr not been convicted for this crime, but that as a movement we are responsible for the wellbeing of all of us, and that includes ensuring that anyone who is facing the court system knows we have their backs!

If you cant afford donating, and you can’t organise a fundraiser, it would be awesome if you can share this post far and wide so others read it, collective self defence will take us far!

Donate here:
https://phillyabc.org/northumberland-2/

SOLIDARITY ALWAYS!

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]

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

Caught: Stories About Criminalization and Repression

  • February 23, 2025 1:32 am

from Making Worlds Books

This panel event and discussion brings together several anarchists and other individuals who’ve caught charges in Philadelphia and beyond from 2017 to the present. We’ll go over the charges, legal process, and outcomes of each case; discuss how local support for the defendants worked; and reflect on the trauma and hardships incurred by repression and how we can continue to build a broader culture of anti-repression in Philadelphia.

Registration is appreciated.

  • Sunday, March 2, 2025
  • 4:00 PM 6:00 PM
  • Making Worlds Bookstore & Social Center 210 South 45th Street Philadelphia, PA, 19104 United States (map)

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

In Contempt #49: Interview with IWOC Prisoner Organizer Comrade Z

  • February 5, 2025 1:32 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

Long-term Black Liberation prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal recently recorded a special message in support of the “Merrimack 4,” who were convicted for an action against a company supplying weapons to Israel.

General Prison News and Abolitionist Media Updates

The ACLU of Delaware has filed a lawsuit against the Delaware prison system and Vaughn Correctional Center after a brutal raid in late 2024. Vaughn, the prison at the centre of the lawsuit, saw a historic uprising at the start of Trump’s first term in 2017.

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

Upcoming Birthdays

Luis Sierra (Abdul-Haqq El-Qadeer)

A former Vaughn 17 defendant. While the state has now dropped its attempts to criminalize Luis in relation to the uprising, Vaughn defendants continue to face retaliation. Luis is also a contributor to “Live from the Trenches,” the Vaughn 17 zine.

Delaware appears not to have an inmate email system.

Birthday: February 19

Address:

Luis Sierra
Delaware DOC – 1101
PO Box 96777
Las Vegas, NV 89193

 

The Responsibility of Criminals

  • January 13, 2025 1:59 am

Submission

A new short zine (The Responsibility of Criminals) questioning how one acts under political persecution and certain risks of being a political criminal.

[Screen Reading PDF]
[Printing PDF]

Safety Under Surveillance: A Discussion For Organizers

  • January 13, 2025 1:39 am

from Instagram

Join us next Thursday, January 16, at @thewoodenshoebooks for a discussion on security culture, or how to protect yourself and your organization under a surveillance state! There will be a brief presentation followed by an open discussion. Hosted by Food Not Bombs South Philly and The Wooden Shoe. All are welcome & masks required.

Safety Under Surveillance: A discussion for organizers
January 16, 2025 | 6 pm
The Wooden Shoe
704 South St

LAST FEW DAYS TO ORDER A TSHIRT OR ARTWORK FOR CARA&CELESTE’S FUNDRAISER!!!!

  • December 9, 2024 1:53 am

from Unoffensive Animal

Hey folks just a quick shout out to our fundraiser. We are selling t-shirts and art prints designed by super radical artists from across the globe to raise funds for Cara and Celeste. The pre-order only fundraiser will close down in 72 hours, so it is now or never!

Cara and Celeste were arrested in the vicinity of a fur farm that had been raided, where over 600 mink were released to freedom. They spent a few weeks until they managed to post bail and now they are preparing for a legal battle in court contesting many charges including felony eco terrorism.

Philly ABC has a fundraiser going and we would like to send as much money as we possible can to it, so if you can afford it please grab a tee or some prints to contribute! If you grab a print collection and a t-shirt in the same order we will add a few stickers for free as a thank you. 

Please note that this is a preorder item only, which means they will only be sent once they are printed (likely next week), so if you’re ordering other bits from the website which are not marked as pre-order items they will ship together once the tees are ready!

Grab the tees and prints here:
https://unoffensiveanimal.is/product-category/mink-trial-solidarity/

Please donate generously if you can, and even if you can’t afford it please just share this far and wide so others see it before we close the preorders!

SOLIDARITY ALWAYS!

TEN DAYS LEFT TO PRE-ORDER THE TSHIRTS AND PRINTS FUNDRAISING FOR THE MINK LIBERATION TRIAL!

  • December 3, 2024 1:23 am

from Unoffensive Animal

Last month we released a pre-order only fundraiser, selling t-shirts and art prints to raise funds for Cara and Celeste, who are facing trial accused of being involved in a mink liberation in the USA.

We have received a few orders and reached the minimum to print t-shirts, but it would be great if we could raise extra funds, so please have a look and grab yourself a print, or a collection of prints, or a t-shirt or three! If you order both a t-shirt and a print collection, we will send some free stickers designed by Praxis with your order!

We’ve priced minimum payment for t-shirts at 20GBP, for the print collection 15GBP and for single prints 7GBP, but we are not a shop and simply collect donations, so if you can afford paying more for them please consider adding a few coins towards the fundraiser, you can name your price in the shop! 

Remember that if you order pre-order items alongside other bits from the shop, we will send them all mid December when the pre-orders are ready, so they will take a little while!

Grab a tee or a print here: https://unoffensiveanimal.is/product-category/mink-trial-solidarity/

If you want to donate but don’t want to grab any tees you’re also welcome to just send your donation to the Philly ABC fundraiser for Cara and Celeste. Find it on www.unoffensiveanimal.is/nu2

Remember that Cara and Celeste have not been found guilty of the mink releases and you should not imply they are guilty of anything! Just support them because the state bites hard on anyone they fancy and we should protect everybody as that is the very best self defence.

SOLIDARITY ALWAYS!

How to defend yourself during a police interrogation

  • November 22, 2024 1:41 am

from Projet Evasions

PDF
“An interrogation is not a harmonious exchange between two individuals. It’s a conflict.
And in this conflict, our ignorance is our strength. Ignorance of the meaning of police work, ignorance of the manipulative techniques used, ignorance of the legal framework and, last but not least, ignorance of our means of defence.
In response to this observation, this book is intended as a tool for self-defense against police interrogation practices of interrogation.”

Preface to the English version

In summer 2022, 2000 copies of this book were printed in French and 2000 in German. The french version is now sold out, and the Publisher «Éditions du Commun» had now reissued the book.

The book was written with the intention of serving as a tool of self-defense against the manipulative interrogation strategies employed by the police. As stated in the introduction, “It addresses readers in various countries in which legislation may differ“. And indeed, we soon received feedback that the content conveyed by the book is equally applicable to countries such as Turkey, Morocco, Serbia, Italy, Denmark, and many more. And soon a number of supportive people were offering to translate the book into other languages. This is what happened with the English version, and we’d like to take this opportunity to warmly thank our translator and proofreader for their fine work.

As a consequence of imperialism and colonization, English is spoken today in contexts as diverse as Kenya, Australia and, of course UK and the USA. So many different places from which you may be reading these words, and where the contexts of repression are very different. Most of what is conveyed in the book applies to all these contexts, but, in case of doubts, it makes sense to keep an eye out for certain elements that differ and check them with your local legal team.

Our network lacks relays in the English-speaking world, so let us take this opportunity to pass on the message that we are looking for a publishing house or a collective that would be interested in printing and distributing the book in its geographical regions.

With these words, we wish you a pleasant reading.

Project-evasions – network of anarchist friendships

CARA AND CELESTE’S LEGAL FUNDRAISER IS UP, GRAB A TEE OR SOME PRINTS!

  • November 20, 2024 1:59 am

from Unoffensive Animal

Cara and Celeste were arrested back in October after a mink farm was raided in Pensylvania. They spent a few weeks in jail until the judge agreed to a reduction to 10% on their bail as well as dropping a few other bail conditions, and they were able to come out a few days ago. Whilst a reduction from 150k USD to 15k each for bail is an amazing drop in costs, Cara and Celeste are now facing such massive legal costs that they need all the help they can get.

They are facing multiple charges including felony eco-terrorism, accused of the release of 600+ mink from a fur farm. Their support team is fundraising 75k USD to help cover sots of legal, transportation and other outgoings for the long road ahead.

We have launched our own fundraiser, supported by artists @praxis_vgz, @daisy.lotta, @zerofoursixeight and @steveortiz_art.

Grab yourself a tshirt, a print (or a full collection if you fancy!). If you grab both a collection and a tshirt, we will add some free stickers to your order which have been specially designed for this fundraiser!

This is a pre-order item only. The preorder starts today and it stops 12th December, we will not print any more t-shirts than the ones you order, so please go grab one now, support the initiative. Every single penny in profits will be sent to Philly ABC’s run Cara&Celeste fundraiser.

As always, our site is not a shop, it is a pay as you feel style donation where we send you cool itemz when you drop some coins, so please if you can afford it donate more than the minimum for tshirts and prints! We’ve set the minimum price at 20 GBP for tshirts, 15GBP for the full print collection and 7GBP for individual prints. If you can donate more, please do!

Prints are A4 size, on thick, recycled luxury paper. The tshirts are printed on NoSweat garments, who run a campaign against sweatshops and produce garments that are organic, eco friendly and only made in cooperative factories.

Grab them here: https://unoffensiveanimal.is/product-category/mink-trial-solidarity/

If you grab other items on the same order, please understand they will all be sent together with the pre-order items, so you might now receive them for a little while.

Please, grab a tee and a print, share it around and spread the word. let’s support folks when they face the system, prisoner support is our biggest weapon!

If you don’t want to buy shit to clutter your wardrobe, please just donate some coins to the legal fundraiser: www.unoffensiveanimal.is/nu2

PS: Please use your head. Cara and Celeste HAVE NOT been found guilty of any crimes. Don’t thank them for crimes, don’t tell them they are heros, being charged does not equate guilt. Do not treat them like they are guilty of a crime they have not been sentenced for. Just support them throguh the fucked up road that is navigating the judiciary system.