In Contempt: A Column On Repression and the Rebels Pushing Back

  • January 30, 2021 1:41 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.]

Welcome to In Contempt, a new column based on the existing prison rebels birthday listing, but expanded into a more general look at repression and other relevant news from a prison abolitionist perspective. Here’s a few things that have been going on over the last month or so let’s dive in.

Uprising Defendants

Everyone should support the defendants facing charges related to their alleged participation in the George Floyd uprising – this list of our imprisoned comrades needs to be getting shorter, not longer. The status of pre-trial defendants changes frequently, but to the best of my knowledge they currently include:

Lore-Elisabeth Blumenthal #70002-066
FDC Philadelphia
P.O. Box 562
Philadelphia, PA 19105

David Elmakayes #77782-066
FDC Philadelphia,
PO Box 562,
Philadelphia, PA 19105

Shawn Collins #69989-066
FDC Philadelphia,
PO Box 562,
Philadelphia, PA 19105

Steven Pennycooke #69988-066
FDC Philadelphia,
PO Box 562,
Philadelphia, PA 19105

When writing to pre-trial prisoners, do not write about their cases or say anything that you wouldn’t want to hear read out in court. If you have any updates, either about status changes meaning that people should be removed from this list, or about names that are missing and should be included, please reach out.

Birthdays and Other Days of Note

A few notable upcoming dates: there’s a call for mass clemency on Feb 1st as “national freedom day.” February 6th is observed as the international day of solidarity with Leonard Peltier. Further ahead, there’s a call for a day of actions focused on parole on April 3rd.

Upcoming Birthdays

Deric Forney

A former Vaughn 17 defendant. While Deric was acquitted in court of all charges in relation to the uprising, he is facing continued retaliation, as he has been moved out of state to Pennsylvania, where many Vaughn defendants are being held on lockdown indefinitely (via placement on PA’s Restricted Release List) on vague and questionable grounds. Years after the uprising, these prisoners are still being abused for staying in solidarity with one another against the state.

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 him as a contact by searching his name or “NS2698”.

Birthday: February 6

Address:

Smart Communications / PA DOC
Deric Forney – NS2698
SCI Coal Township
PO Box 33028
St. Petersburg, FL, 33733

Luis Sierra (Abdul-Haqq El-Qadeer)

A former Vaughn 17 defendant. While the state has now dropped its attempts to criminalize Abdul in relation to the uprising, Vaughn defendants continue to face retaliation. Abdul 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
James T. Vaughn Correctional Center
1181 Paddock Rd
Smyrna, DE 19977

 

Who’s Got A Hand In This Sh*t?

  • January 27, 2021 1:29 am

from Dreaming Freedom Practicing Abolition

By Michael “Safear” Ness

(Written January 22, 2021)

The Pennsylvania Department of Corrections refuses to waste money on individual COVID-19 tests for the prisoner population, instead preferring to test each prison’s accumulated sewage for COVID levels.

An official PA DOC memo dated January 21, 2021 from Secretary of Corrections John E. Wetzel states, “Facilities will increase [prisoner cohort sizes] at different times, and in different amounts depending on their local infection rates, and the results of sewage testing.”

Recent sewage testing at SCI Fayette indicated increased COVID-19 levels, delaying an increase in prisoner cohort size until additional testing can be performed.

Prisoner cohorts, assigned groups for movement, are allegedly designed to limit the risk of exposure by reducing prisoner to prisoner contact. The theory is, if one person in the cohort is exposed to COVID-19, or tests positive, the entire cohort is quarantined to prevent spreading the virus.

In application, once a prisoner is exposed to, or tests positive for the virus, no other members of that cohort receive automatic COVID testing unless they register a fever. If a prisoner tests positive for the virus, their cellmate is not automatically tested, despite being forced to continue to live in close proximity to the infected person. Even if a prisoner is coughing or fatigued, they are not automatically tested.

By not testing these prisoners, the prison administration is allowed to keep the appearance of a low COVID-19 infection rate, choosing instead to test everyone’s feces collectively to see how many prisoners are actually sick.

Virtual Letter Writing Party For Marius Mason

  • January 26, 2021 1:26 am

from Instagram

Photo shared by Philly GAF on January 24, 2021 tagging @supportmariusmason. Image may contain: text that says 'SUPPORT TRANS X PRISONERS GAF VIRTUAL LETTER WRITING PARTY FOR MARIUS MASON TO CELEBRATE HIS BIRTHDAY January 26th, 2021 6:00 PM EST DM @PhillyGAF FOR MORE INFORMATION'.

Letter-writing party!

January 26th, 2021
6:00PM EST

Marie (Marius) Mason #04672-061
FCI Danbury
Route 37
Danbury, CT 06811

[DM @PhillyGAF FOR MORE INFORMATION]

Photo by Philly GAF on January 24, 2021.

Photo by Philly GAF on January 24, 2021. Image may contain: 1 person.

FROM PHILLY TO MINSK – FUCK THE POLICE!

  • January 25, 2021 1:10 am

from Instagram

Photo by North Philly Food Not Bombs on January 24, 2021. Image may contain: tree, sky and outdoor.

FROM PHILLY TO MINSK – FUCK THE POLICE! Love to #foodnotbombsminsk ! They were arrested while serving, two days after they gave an interview where they spoke on anarchism and animal rights. Free them! Ay @fnb_minsk all love and solidarity ❤️????In other news-We made a good hot meal for our friends living outside, stirfry, pasta + sauce, apple bake, fruit salad and green salad. We also had a tent to give away and two sleeping bags ⛺️

Photo by North Philly Food Not Bombs on January 24, 2021. Image may contain: food.

No More Presidents Graffiti

  • January 22, 2021 1:31 am

from Twitter

#NoMorePresidents seen in #Philadelphia
https://nitter.net/pic/media%2FEsL5DC4VoAE-ark.jpg%3Fname%3Dorig

Monday January 25th: Letter-writing for Kamau Sadiki

  • January 21, 2021 1:35 am

from Philly ABC

kamau-sadiki.jpgThis month we are asking that folks write letters of support to former Black Panther, Kamau Sadiki. Kamau has been held in the Augusta State Medical Prison for years and suffered medical neglect. Right now, Kamau is in danger of needing his left foot amputated and needs to see a wound specialist. Before you join us next Monday to write a letter, please take a minute to tweet at @GovKemp & call the Augusta State Medical Prison at (706) 855-4700 to demand he be taken to the wound care clinic ASAP. At the letter-writing event, we will have an update about the medical campaign and send words of solidarity directly to Kamau so that he knows, and the prison knows, this situation is getting wider public attention.

At age 17, Kamau dedicated his life to the service of his people working out of the Jamaica office of the Black Panther Party. Kamau worked in the Free Breakfast Program each morning and then went out into the community to sell the BPP newspaper later in the day. At nineteen, Kamau was a member of the Black Liberation Army (BLA). Several members of the BLA, including Kamau, left New York City and lived in the Atlanta area for a short period of time. On the night of November 3rd 1971, witnesses observed three black males run from a van where a police officer was murdered at a gas station in downtown Atlanta. The witnesses failed to identify Kamau from a photographic line-up and there was no physical evidence that implicated him. In 1971, the Atlanta police department closed the case as unsolved.

In 1999, the FBI in pursuit of collaboration in their attempts to recapture Assata Shakur (the mother of one of Kamau’s daughters), a political exile in Cuba, threatened him with life in prison if he did not assist them. When he did not comply, the FBI convinced Atlanta police to re-open the case and charge Kamau. He was arrested in 2002 in Brooklyn, New York some thirty-one years later after the murder. In 2003, he was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder and ten years to run consecutively for armed robbery. Much of his sentence has been spent in a medical prison because he suffers from Hepatitis C, Cirrhosis of the Liver, and Sarcoidosis. February 19th will be his 68th birthday so send him some birthday love as well!

This event will be held on Jitsi – we’ll post the meet link on social media the day of. You can also message us to get the link beforehand.

If you can’t join us on Monday, send him a message of hope and healing at:

Freddie Hilton #0001150688
Augusta State Medical Prison
3001 Gordon Highway
Grovetown, GA 30813

We also encourage sending birthday cards to political prisoners with February birthdays: Veronza Bowers (the 4th) and Oso Blanco (the 26th).

Anathema Volume 7 Issue 1

  • January 19, 2021 1:12 am

from Anathema

Volume 7 Issue 1 (PDF for reading 8.5 x 11)

Volume 7 Issue 1 (PDF for printing 11 x 17)

In this issue:

  • Year In Review
  • What Went Down
  • Words Mean Things: Mutual Aid
  • Autonomous Delivery Robots
  • The Group Chat: Our New Social Hub
  • Comic
  • Philly Encampments: What We Lost When “We Won”
  • The Only News I Need Is On The Weather Report
  • Repression Updates
  • Poem

A second antifascist was visited by the FBI

  • January 17, 2021 1:54 am

from Instagram

A second antifascist was visited by the FBI in Philadelphia yesterday. Well, sort of. The weird thing is the FBI wasn’t even looking in the right ‘state’ as the person they were seeking out lives in New Jersey. That’s some real Grade A police work! Anyway. The state is up to something – possibly in collaboration with far right conspiracy theories that ‘antifa’ had something to do with the right wing violence on January 6th. News flash: ‘antifa’ had nothing to do with that whole shitshow, that scene was a wholly white supremacist riot. Be safe friends, MAKE SECURITY CULTURE YOUR #1 PRIORITY. They are only trying to intimidate us – don’t let them – be brave!

Up Against The Law On FBI Visits

  • January 17, 2021 1:43 am

from Twitter

If the FBI visits your home asking to identify far right perps in DC, remember you don’t have to answer any questions. Our networks say this is a pattern all over the country. You do not know what they’re actually looking for. Ask for their business card and contact us

Not in Philly? Contact your local anti repression network or a lawyer familiar with federal cases. Your lawyer will be able to contact them safely. Do not answer any questions without a lawyer present.

[Up Against The Law contact information:
(484) 758-0388
upagainsthelawlc@gmail.com
upagainstthelaw.org]

Anti-Fascist Comrade Visited By FBI

  • January 16, 2021 1:14 am

from Twitter

[This afternoon, January 15 2021, an anti-fascist comrade was visited by two FBI agents at their home in Philadelphia.

The agents said they had questions about the recent events at the Capitol. The comrade refused to answer questions & immediately got in touch with legal & anti-repression support. We don’t rely on the state to address fascist threats. The FBI has roots in repressing anarchist and Black liberation movements. We do not trust that they are only investigating the events at the Capitol. We challenge their attempts at repression with our collective refusal to speak to law enforcement.

If you are contacted by the FBI or other law enforcement, contact Up Against The Law or Philly Anti-Repression.

Up Against The Law: 484-758-0388
Philly Anti-Repression: 267-460-1886]

Why Is Philly Proud Boys Prez Zach Rehl Lying About Being in DC on January 6th?

  • January 16, 2021 1:08 am

from Philly Justice

Zach Rehl (camo hat with orange letters), Joe Biggs (standing next to Rehl) and other Proud Boys in Washington, DC on 1/6/21 at the Washington monument. The Library of Congress, which is behind the Capitol) is visible in the background.

Apparently, Philly Proud Boys chapter president Zach Rehl (last known residing on Almond st.) is feeling regretful (and nervous) about his participation in the Capitol rally. Subsequently, his friends in the new Lehigh Valley chapter (which includes former Philly PB’s) are attempting to “retcon” the day and claiming that Rehl attended their uneventful rally in Harrisburg at the same time.

Richard Schwetz, President of Lehigh Valley Proud Boys, lying on Parler (rip lol) about Zach Rehl and other PB’s attending their Harrisburg rally on January 6th. Not only is Rehl not in this picture, but NONE of the PB’s pictured and filmed with Rehl that day are present.

 

Unfortunately for Zach, he and other Philly PB’s were spotted by several live streamers during the day, and were filmed by the Daily Show as they departed from the Washington monument (around 1:50, it’s brief but Rehl, Biggs, and Ethan “Rufio Panman” Nordean are visible leading the formation). In the video embedded below, Rehl becomes visible around the 24 second mark.

Rehl and Biggs leading a large contingent of Proud Boys. Note that the organized PBs were not wearing colors at all. Was the plan always “blame Antifa?”

Biggs issuing orders.

Rehl, Biggs and the organized Proud Boy contingent is also seen in this video posted by NowThisNews in which Journalist Sandi Bachom observed the PB’s as they left the Washington Monument chanting “Fuck Antifa.” Rehl is visible around the 53 second mark. He pulls up a mask when he sees that he’s being filmed. Biggs is nearby in the shot as well.

In the video above, Rehl and Biggs are visible as the Proud Boys contingent arrives at the Capitol.

That doesn’t look like Harrisburg, Zach.

Rehl himself posted a (now deleted) video from DC. Here he is announcing being in DC on his Parler:

Frankly, it’s such a transparent lie it’s surprising. It’s unknown whether Zach is trying to protect himself and his boys from prosecution, or protect the Proud Boys’ brand, or is just ashamed that, after all his “back the blue” bullshit, he participated in an attack that killed a Trump-supporting cop, pretty much the only group of people Zach ever extends basic respect or humanity.

Probably feels like a long time ago to Zach Rehl, Sonny Sullivan and Aaron Wolkind of the Philly Proud Boys

Fascist Jovi Val Spotted In Philadelphia

  • January 15, 2021 1:22 am

from Twitter

Jovi Val, a fascist troll from NYC with Proud Boy affiliations, was spotted in Philly with the “New Jersey European Heritage Association” putting up Nazi shit outside of Independence Hall in Philadelphia. He’s the Nazi on the left with the beige scarf around his face.

[Twitter Link With Photos]
Here’s just one of many times where New Yorkers weren’t having any of Jovi’s shit:
Jovi Val seems to be in Philly a lot lately. He is pictured here in the skull mask right after the election, along with NYC Proud Boy James Zgorzelski (in the red MAGA hat).

January online anarchist reading discussion: Greed is good!

  • January 9, 2021 1:07 am

from Viscera

Join us for our first anarchist reading discussion of the year! January’s reading for discussion is The Right to be Greedy: Theses on the Practical Necessity of Demanding Everything by the collective For Ourselves.

Greed in its fullest sense is the only possible basis of communist society. The present forms of greed lose out, in the end, because they turn out to be not greedy enough.

Reading can be found here (footnotes optional but encouraged!)

Discussion will be held on Saturday, January 16th from 1-3 pm EST.

As last time, this one’ll be online on jitsi in the room viscerapvd. Email us for the password at viscerapvd@gmail.com!

Ben Fletcher: The Life and Times of a Black Wobbly Philadelphia virtual book launch

  • January 6, 2021 1:47 am

from Google Calendar

Join us for the Philadelphia virtual book launch of Peter Cole’s Ben Fletcher: The Life and Times of a Black Wobbly on Wednesday, January 13th at 7pm EST hosted by Wooden Shoe Books and co-sponsored by the Independence Seaport Museum and Philadelphia IWW. Peter will be joined by labor journalist Kim Kelly and Royce Adams, a Philadelphia native and longshoreman in ILA Local 1291. Details and free registration link to be announced.

Ben Fletcher, an African American who helped lead the IWW’s most militant and effective interracial branch, epitomized the union’s brand of anti-capitalism and anti-racism. Fletcher (1890−1949) was a tremendously important and well-loved member of the IWW during its heyday, the first quarter of the 20th century. A brilliant union organizer and a humorous orator, Fletcher helped found and lead Local 8 of the IWW’s Marine Transport Workers Industrial Union. When founded in 1913, this union was a third African American, a third Irish and Irish American, and a third other European immigrants. Despite being hated by the bosses and redbaited by the government, Local 8 controlled the waterfront for almost a decade.

Peter Cole, a Professor of History at Western Illinois University and Research Associate in the Society, Work and Development Program at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa. He is the author of Wobblies on the Waterfront: Interracial Unionism in Progressive Era Philadelphia and the award-winning Dockworker Power: Race and Activism in Durban and the San Francisco Bay Area. He also is the founder and co-director of the Chicago Race Riot of 1919 Commemoration Project (CRR19). He tweets from @ProfPeterCole.

 

Political Prisoners and Prison Rebel Birthdays for January

  • January 6, 2021 1:33 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.]

Inspired by the spirit of the Political Prisoners Birthday crew, here’s a short listing of some rebel prisoners who have upcoming birthdays in January.

For an an introduction on how to write to prisoners and some things to do and not to do, go here. If you have the time, please also check IWOC’s listing of prisoners facing retaliation for prison strike-related organizing.

Wishing a very happy birthday to Jeremy Hammond, who will be celebrating in freedom this month! Please keep sending mail and books to Eric King, who’s off his mail ban for now but may end up being hit with another one soon. Chicano anarchist political prisoner Xinachtli is coming up for parole in the new year, you can find details on how to support his application at the end of this recent article he wrote. There are a number of ongoing clemency campaigns that could use some support, including ones for the aging political prisoners Russell Maroon Shoatz, Ed Poindexter, and David Gilbert. Two of the Kings Bay Plowshares 7 have just begun prison sentences, with others expecting sentencing soon. Mumia Abu Jamal has won a victory in court against an attempt to replace his prosecutor with an even harsher and more vicious one, although his road to freedom remains long and difficult.

In international news, 22 anarchist groups from around the world have issued a joint statement in solidarity with the prisoners from the 2019 revolt in Chile. January 22nd is the Trans Prisoner Day of Action and Solidarity, so you may want to think about doing something for that.

Everyone should support the defendants facing charges related to their alleged participation in the George Floyd uprising – this list of our imprisoned comrades needs to be getting shorter, not longer. The status of pre-trial defendants changes frequently, but to the best of my knowledge they currently include:

Lore-Elisabeth Blumenthal #70002-066
FDC Philadelphia
P.O. Box 562
Philadelphia, PA 19105

David Elmakayes #77782-066
FDC Philadelphia,
PO Box 562,
Philadelphia, PA 19105

Shawn Collins #69989-066
FDC Philadelphia,
PO Box 562,
Philadelphia, PA 19105

Steven Pennycooke #69988-066
FDC Philadelphia,
PO Box 562,
Philadelphia, PA 19105

Finally, much as I hate to see even more of our lives and communications being enclosed by tech companies, it seems inescapable at the moment, so for anyone who doesn’t want to leave their house to buy stamps/cards/envelopes or to send mail, a reminder that many prisoners can be contacted electronically, via Jpay or similar services.

Joseph “Joe-Joe” Bowen

Black Liberation Army (BLA) Prisoner of War, serving two life sentences for the assassination of a prison warden and deputy warden, as well as an attempted prison break which resulted in a five-day standoff.

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 him as a contact by searching his name or “AM-4272”.

Birthday: January 15

Address:

In 2018, the PA Dept of Corrections instituted a restrictive mail policy where all mail to prisoners must be sent through a mail processing facility in Florida where all correspondence is scanned, copied and then the copy is mailed to the prisoner. There is an active campaign to get Gov. Wolf to repeal the restrictive policy so that friends and family members can send mail such as greeting cards again.

Smart Communications/PADOC
Joseph Bowen #AM-4272
SCI Fayette
P.O. Box 33028
St. Petersburg, FL 33733
United States