from In Contempt

[This post only contains information relevant to Philadelphia and the surrounding area, to read the entire article follow the above link.]

Introduction

Black August approaches, the living memory of an ongoing, unfinished struggle waged by Black revolutionaries inside, against, and beyond prisons and the world they exist to uphold. The horizon of liberation that all prisons exist to obscure and bury alive will always remain accessible to our dreams and desires—will always remain there to vividly revive—so long as we advance the fight and why we fight against everything that keeps us locked away from a life worth living. The brutal eruption of intensifying state repression cannot capture this desire for freedom. Certainly its raw force can isolate, exclude, capture, crush, but so, too, does everything else in the massive open-air prison we call this world. And yet, despite everything, there’s still a crack in the barbed-wire-covered walls around the future… There’s still the possibility, at any moment, to struggle…

We are well aware that fighting against repression is dangerous, but it’s no more and no less dangerous than everything else the world has in store for us. After all, we weren’t the ones who decided how this world would look. It’s up to us to decide, just like in any struggle, what we want to do with it… Why would we refuse to face repression head on? As long as we consider repression in the wider context of the social war we’re engaged in, it shouldn’t be too difficult or contrived to respond to the blows of repression by connecting them to other forms of oppression and, above all, to other ongoing revolts. Solidarity isn’t based on repression as such but on what we recognize in ourselves that might drive individuals, actions, and struggles forward… Solidarity is much more than providing material support for people facing repression. It’s above all about advancing the fight and why we fight.

— Repression & Its World: Reflections on How to Avoid Isolating Repression from the Struggle

With the still-living light of Black August in our minds, we return with another round-up of updates and calls to action about political prisoners, state repression of revolutionaries, and rebellions behind bars.

As always, we welcome submissions and international contributions––hit up in_contempt @ autistici . org.A zine and a pamphlet of this column will be available in the coming days to print and share with friends, comrades, and loved ones behind bars.

Political Prisoners / POW’s

Mumia Abu-Jamal

Mumia Abu-Jamal has filed a petition with the United Nations working group on Arbitrary Detention. In an interview with The Guardian, Mumia talks about the appeal: “Presenting my claims to the UN will be one of the first times that judges will be hearing them without a vested interest” … “Hope is an element of struggle, is it not? As we used to say in the old days, ‘A luta continua’.”

George Floyd Uprising Prisoners

As far as we are aware, these are the current addresses of the George Floyd Uprising prisoners:

David Elmakayes -066
USP Lee
U.S. Penitentiary
P.O. Box 305
Jonesville, VA 24263

Smart Communications/PADOC
Khalif Miller
SCI Forest
PO Box 33028
St. Petersburg, FL 33733

Roundup

Black Lion Party for International Solidarity chairman Paul Birdsong was arrested on gun charges after Philadelphia’s revoked of Paul and other member’s firearm permits following police harassment of the group’s community self defense patrols. A Gofundme for legal support was set up; Paul has since released on bond.

Fighting Detention Centers

ICE is also seeking private contractors to cage 5500 people at four locations in Denver, Miami, Seattle, and near Philadelphia. Wired reports that new language in the contracts attempt to evade outside oversight, asserting that state and local laws “shall not apply” to the prisons.

DSA Emerge organized a zap for Mumia Abu Jamal demanding medical treatment:

CALL TO ACTION🚨
Mumia Abu-Jamal is facing medical abuse at the hands of the Pennsylvania Deartment of Corrections, and needs our support!

Call SCl Mananoy to demand medical treatment. Basic Script:
“Hello, my name is ____ and I’m calling to request that Mumia Abu-Jamal DIN # 8335 be seen and treated by specialists, who treat diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma, immediately. He also needs to be examined for new glasses, a heart-healthy diet, filtered water and regular exercise, indoors and out.”

• Superintendent’s Office Thomas Sokaloski) – (570) 773-2158
• PA DOC Secretary (Dr. Laurel Harry) – (7177) 728-4109 or (717) 728-2573
• PA DOC Secretary – ra-crpadocsecretary@pa.gov

Show up for him by:
💸 Becoming a Monthly Sustainer for his support committee
📝 Writing him a letter
☎️ Calling the prison to demand medical treatment
💌 Joining us at our upcoming letter writing event on July 25, where we will be writing to Mumia and the Prarieland defendants. (RSVP at 🔗 in bio)

When we fight for our prisoners, we can free them all! ⛓️‍💥⛓️‍💥