Jan 22 Trans Prisoner Day of Action and Solidarity – Info Night & Fundraiser in Bristol

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Trans Prisoners Bristol

trans_new_A3

Background Info:

January 22, 2016 will be the first annual Trans Prisoner Day of Action: an international day of action in solidarity with trans prisoners.

This is a call to action against the system which seeks to erase our very existence. The survival of trans and other sex and gender minority people is not a quaint conversation about awareness, but a struggle for us to live in a world so determined to marginalize, dehumanise, and criminalise us – especially trans women, and especially Black, brown, and indigenous trans people.

We are discriminated against in every area of society including housing, healthcare, employment. Our survival is often precarious and many of us survive by work which is also criminalised – making us even more of a target for police harassment and the crime of “Walking While Trans’’.

Once incarcerated, trans people face humiliation, physical and sexual abuse, denial of medical needs, and legal reprisals. Many transgender people are placed in solitary confinement for months or years, simply for being trans. Trans women are usually placed in men’s prisons, where there is a massive increased risk of experiencing sexual violence.

Just as our lives are violently repressed on the outside, trans people experience extreme suffering and death within the walls of jails, prisons, youth facilities, and immigrant detention centers.

Trans Prisoner Day of Action on January 22nd is a day to acknowledge the experiences of trans and other sex and gender-minority prisoners. It’s about collaboration. It is about forging new relationships and dismantling the isolation of prison. It’s about resistance to state violence. It’s about solidarity between those who experience the violence of the system first hand and those for whom the state hasn’t come yet.

Many prisoner support and prison abolition groups around the world do so much excellent work writing letters to prisoners, educating the public with  letters to editors and articles for the media, holding protests and marches, organising queer communities to phone in and demand that trans prisoners be treated with respect and dignity, calling for an end to incarceration. Trans Prisoner Day of Action aims to make this work accessible to all who are in support – we encourage you to hold vigils for those in our communities who have been taken by State violence, to hold an event, host speakers, screen films, invite presentations, and hold workshops to spread the word on the experience of trans prisoners, share knowledge, and build strategies of resistance. Have dance parties and raise funds for people and groups already doing amazing work. Take action. Let’s join together and show our conviction in supporting each other and ending prisons once and for all.

This project was first imagined by Marius Mason, a trans prisoner in Texas, USA. Since then, through his friends and supporters, an international collective of people both inside and outside of prison walls have come together to make Trans Prisoner Day of Action a reality. We are trans and non-trans folks and friends and supporters. We join a long tradition of trans and queer people resisting state violence.

Join with us in the struggle for freedom.

Jan 22 Trans Prisoner Day of Action and Solidarity – Info Night & Fundraiser in Bristol

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Trans Prisoners Bristol

trans_new_A3

Background Info:

January 22, 2016 will be the first annual Trans Prisoner Day of Action: an international day of action in solidarity with trans prisoners.

This is a call to action against the system which seeks to erase our very existence. The survival of trans and other sex and gender minority people is not a quaint conversation about awareness, but a struggle for us to live in a world so determined to marginalize, dehumanise, and criminalise us – especially trans women, and especially Black, brown, and indigenous trans people.

We are discriminated against in every area of society including housing, healthcare, employment. Our survival is often precarious and many of us survive by work which is also criminalised – making us even more of a target for police harassment and the crime of “Walking While Trans’’.

Once incarcerated, trans people face humiliation, physical and sexual abuse, denial of medical needs, and legal reprisals. Many transgender people are placed in solitary confinement for months or years, simply for being trans. Trans women are usually placed in men’s prisons, where there is a massive increased risk of experiencing sexual violence.

Just as our lives are violently repressed on the outside, trans people experience extreme suffering and death within the walls of jails, prisons, youth facilities, and immigrant detention centers.

Trans Prisoner Day of Action on January 22nd is a day to acknowledge the experiences of trans and other sex and gender-minority prisoners. It’s about collaboration. It is about forging new relationships and dismantling the isolation of prison. It’s about resistance to state violence. It’s about solidarity between those who experience the violence of the system first hand and those for whom the state hasn’t come yet.

Many prisoner support and prison abolition groups around the world do so much excellent work writing letters to prisoners, educating the public with  letters to editors and articles for the media, holding protests and marches, organising queer communities to phone in and demand that trans prisoners be treated with respect and dignity, calling for an end to incarceration. Trans Prisoner Day of Action aims to make this work accessible to all who are in support – we encourage you to hold vigils for those in our communities who have been taken by State violence, to hold an event, host speakers, screen films, invite presentations, and hold workshops to spread the word on the experience of trans prisoners, share knowledge, and build strategies of resistance. Have dance parties and raise funds for people and groups already doing amazing work. Take action. Let’s join together and show our conviction in supporting each other and ending prisons once and for all.

This project was first imagined by Marius Mason, a trans prisoner in Texas, USA. Since then, through his friends and supporters, an international collective of people both inside and outside of prison walls have come together to make Trans Prisoner Day of Action a reality. We are trans and non-trans folks and friends and supporters. We join a long tradition of trans and queer people resisting state violence.

Join with us in the struggle for freedom.

Letter from Em Sheppard 26 December 2015

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Please note it is important that this is not reposted after 30 December 2015 as this will be in breach of licencing conditions.

In October my probation officer said I could go back to Bristol. Now it transpires I have been a MAPPA (multi-Agency Protection) for my whole sentence, though no one thought to tell me (I always thought it was strange I wasn’t). The police met in November about me and to draw up my licence conditions, but (as is common practice) have only told me now. The licence is so restrictive that ironically I will have had more freedom in jail in some ways. I’m not sure what’s worse – to refuse to leave prison, or to accept their restrictions! It clearly shows what a farce the much quoted claims of “rehabilitation” and “maintaining family ties” are. I had a place to live and several jobs organised, but instead they make me sign-on and live in a bail hostel in Reading.

Licence conditions are one of many possible examples of how the prison society extends beyond these walls. As Ruth Wilson Gilmore said “Prison is not some building ‘over there’ but a set of relationships that undermine rather than stabilise everyday lives, everywhere”.

Apart from the usual “big 6” licence conditions, I also have: a 7-7 curfew for my entire licence (plus signing several times during the day and ‘group work’ and sessions with probation to address my “attitude”), not using any computers or internet capable devices (and specifically not deleting any browser histories), not going within 100 metres of any police buildings (probation said if I want to report a crime I can but I have to ask permission from them first…?!!?!), not to have more than one mobile phone (possibly not even one at all they are checking on this) and to provide the SIM/IME number, to permanently reside at Elizabeth Fry, not to visit or interact with any prisoners, not to contribute to or publish anything, or attend any meeting/gatherings associated with direct action/activism/campaigning, not to contact directly or indirectly any person whom I know or believe to be involved with “extremist” activities ( I have asked for the legal definition of this), or have been charged with or convicted of an offence. I am also not allowed to work with “vulnerable adults” or “groom” (or have discussions with) anyone for the purposes of radicalisation or extremism.

Once I’m out I’m going to challenge these conditions but my solicitor said it’s hard to do from inside prison. Accepting them goes against everything I believe in but I am going to do so for my family. They are obviously setting me up to fail (most girls at Elizabeth Fry do because drugs are rife there) so we’ll see how long I last. Once I sign the conditions, unless I get recalled, I won’t be able to write again until 2017 :(

They can try to stifle and control me with their restrictions, false sympathies and fake smiles, but “no pueden encarcelar neustras ideas”. My silence is only temporary, and my rage is infinite.

“Did you want to see me broken?

Bowed head and lowered eyes?

Shoulders falling down like teardrops,

Weakened by my soulful cries?

Just like the moons and like the suns,

With the certainty of tides,

Just like hopes springing high,

Still I’ll rise”

  • Still I’ll rise, Maya Angelou

Thanks for all the support this year. Hope you have a fun and mischievous 2016.

Solidarity, love and lots of rage

Em x :)

Please note it is important that this is not reposted after 30 December 2015 as this will be in breach of licencing conditions.

Support Anarchist Prisoner Peter Simpson

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Support Pete

Pete Simpson was remanded on the 17th December 2015. He is awaiting trial for ‘violent disorder’ after being attacked & arrested by police at an anti-cuts mayday demonstration in Cardiff, South Wales. He is on trial with another co-defendant in January 2016. Pete has spent the last several months with an electronic tag, his freedom severely restricted, and a change of bail address led to the court remanding him to prison.

Please write to Pete at: Peter Simpson A6060CF, HMP CARDIFF, Knox Rd, Cardiff, WALES, CF24 0UG

Stamps, envelopes, writing paper & books are also welcome. As well as any donations. Banner pictures, dedicated actions & other forms of solidarity are also invited from comrades across the world.

We also recommend using emailaprisoner.com if you are writing from abroad.

For any queries please email bristol_abc@riseup.net

For the latest updates visit: https://bristolabc.wordpress.com/support-pete

Call for International Solidarity to the Butzbach Prisoners’ Hunger Strike

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In May 2014 the prisoners’ syndicate GG/BO (prisoners’
syndicate/German-wide organisation) was formed in Berlin-Tegel prison.
Ever since, it expanded to more than 70 prisons in Germany and Austria
and over 800 male and female, German and migrant prisoners joined it.
GG/BO is an autonoumous grassroots syndicate for all incarcerated
workers regardless of race and gender. Its main demands are the minimum
wage of 8,50 euros, social insurance and freedom of union to all prisoners.

GG/BO react to the situation of most workers exploited within the German
prison-industrial complex. 45.000 out of 65.000 prisoners work, in 12
out of 16 German federal states they are subject to the compulsion to
work, they are paid one to two euros per hour and strikes as well as
other labour actions are persecuted as mutiny. Beside federal state
administrations, it is local industry and big business that benefit from
the exploitation of cheap prisoners’ labour force in ‘Germany’s China’.

On December 1 two hundred prisoners many of whom are members of GG/BO
went on slowdown and collective hunger strike. Their demands are:

minimum wage of 8,50 euros per hour and unemployment benefits for unemployed prisoners
social insurance
freedom to unionise and recognition of GG/BO as trade union
an end to all repression against GG/BO members and militants
abolition of forced labour
solidarity inside and outside

The days before and after the beginning of the hunger strike, militant
prisoners in Butzbach were subject to severe repression at the hands of
the prison authorities: solitary confinement, cell raids, repeated
transfers, interception and ‘vanishing’ of letters and other material.

Even though GG/BO do not put into question prison in itself and limit
their demands to concrete improvements of living and working conditions
behind bars we support their struggle. For the first time in the history
of anti-prison struggles in Germany, prisoners unite on the basis of
clear class struggle demands. Together with migrants, they belong to the
most devaluated and most precarious part of the working class of
Germany. Butzbach prisoners’ hunger strike is the first open conflict of
GG/BO, the first collective hunger strike of prisoners in Germany in the
last twenty years and an unprecedented escalation of class struggle in
German prisons.

We call on our comrades and all rebellious prisoners abroad to support
the hunger strike of Butzbach prisoners’ by

sending letters to GG/BO spokesperson in Butzbach prison Jürgen

Rößner (Jürgen Rößner / GG/BO-Sprecher JVA Butzbach / Kleeberger Str. 23
/ 35510 Butzbach / Germany)
making known the hunger strike in their cities and prisons
doing actions of solidarity and sending us pictures of those
strengthening your own struggles against exploitation and incarceration

GG/BO solidarity group Jena

gefangenensolijena.noblogs.org/

Petr S. Released from Remand

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From: http://antifenix.noblogs.org/post/2015/12/05/petr-s-propusten-z-vazebni-veznice-petr-s-released-from-remand/

Ve středu 2. prosince, v odpoledních hodinách byl z vazební věznice Ruzyně propuštěn Petr S. Petr je obviněný v rámci akce Fénix z trestného činu terorismu – příprava útoku na vlak s vojenským materiálem, který připravili infiltrovaní policejní agenti. Policie Petra vyšetřuje i v dalších případech. O celé kauze už jsme napsali mnoho, mnoho informací je v naší brožuře “Fénix nevstal z popela”, která vyšla v průběhu léta. Více o Petrovi, jeho články a dopisy naleznete v kategorii “Petr S.”

Petr je sice v tuto chvíli mimo zdi vězení, ale jeho případ rozhodně není u konce a stále čeká na soud, který ho může odsoudit na několik dlouhých let. Stejně jako i dalších 7 lidí obviněných při akci Fénix a podobných represích má Petr stále naší plnou podporu.

Petře vítej doma!

December 2nd: Petr S., an anarchist who was accused during police operation Fenix for conspiring to prepare a terrorist attack against a train carrying military equipment – attack prepared by two infiltrated police men – was released from custodial jail. Petr has been under investigation for more cases lately. In our pamphlet “Fenix didn’t rise from the ashes” you can read more information about the case. Also more about Petr can be found under the category “Petr S.”

Although Petr is out of prison at the moment, his case isn’t over and he is still awaiting trial. A trial which can send him behind bars for many long years. Like the other 7 people accused during operation Fenix – Petr still has our full support.

Welcome home Petr!

International Day of Solidarity with Trans Prisoners – January 22nd 2016

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All around the world this day will be a chance to stand in solidarity with trans people in prison. Join us for letter writing nights, film screenings, workshops, forums, vigils, actions, fundraisers and parties. Check the EVENTS page to see what’s happening near you. Or we can support you to host your own event.

This grassroots project, lead by trans prisoners and their supporters around the world, is an annual event to give solidarity and support for those behind bars, amplify the voices of trans prisoners and to organise with others both inside and outside.

See more about the day below. If you’d like support in organising anything in the UK please contact: info@prisonabolition.org

Trans Prisoners Day

More About the Day

This grassroots project was initiated by Marius Mason, a trans prisoner in Texas, US. This annual event is being lead by trans prisoners and their supporters from around the world. It is a chance for those on the outside to remember those behind bars, give real solidarity and support and raise awareness about issues facing trans prisoners. It is a chance for those on the inside to have a voice and organise together.

As queers we know the terror of scrutiny, disgust and isolation; we have all be denied the ability to live our lives. For trans people in prison, those problems are doubled by the physical and emotional restraints of a literal cage. For decades, early queer activists showed active solidarity and support for their imprisoned brothers and sisters – they wrote letters, had marches, and demanded not just that they be treated with respect and dignity, but their total and unconditional release. Queer and trans prisoners organized with each other and the outside world. Join us in reviving that tradition.

We hope that events will happen in as many locations as possible around the globe. They will include: letter writing, film screenings, presentations, workshops, queer-friendly shows or parties, fundraisers, vigils and actions. A key feature will be the opportunity for those on the outside to write letters of solidarity to those on the inside. Check out a full list of events HERE.

We will be producing a zine (small DIY publication) featuring writing and artwork from trans prisoners and former prisoners from around the world and the grass roots organisations and groups who support them and who advocate for an end to oppressive prison systems. This will be distributed to those inside as well as be available at events. We will also be producing a postcard series featuring artwork by prisoners.

If you have contacts in prison, you might be able to help us reach out to trans people to invite them to organise with us, contribute to the zine and postcard projects, or go on the list to receive letters from the events. We welcome contact from trans prisoners regarding other ideas for support they would like to see from this project.

To get involved contact us: transprisonersolidarity@riseup.net

Join us on January 22nd in shining a light on the plight of trans prisoners. On this day, and every day, get involved in projects that support other trans and queer prisoners, and look into the other struggles which Marius participates in – it’s one fight against the society that is killing us, one way or the other. Live your life with pride, joy and freedom, and extend those feelings to others; don’t let the walls of prison or society act as a limit.

Solidarity dinner and talk with antifascists from Greece

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Hosted by Bristol antifascists.

When: Thursday 3rd December.
Where: Kebele Social Centre, 14 Robertson Road, Easton. Bristol BS56JY.
What: Dinner at 7pm. Presentation and discussion from 7.30pm.

AFN / KAVALA,GREECE ANTIFA SOLIDARITY TOUR – DECEMBER 2015

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Comrades from Kavala, Greece will be speaking about the situation there to raise awareness and solidarity for their struggle
against fascists and state repression.

One of the comrades from Kavala is facing serious charges at an upcoming court case on December 9th and is in desperate need for solidarity and financial support.

Anti-fascists in Kavala have been some of the most active in all of Greece, organising demonstrations and actions against neo-nazi groups over the past years.

On Sunday 26th January 2014, a few hours before a scheduled anti-fascist rally, neo-nazis from the “Patriotic Movement” smashed up a shop owned by one well know anti-fascist and attempted to set fire to it, endangering the lives of those inside the building. After the intervention of local residents, as well as people from the surrounding nightclubs, the worst was avoided.

Our comrade, once notified of the attack on his store, went down there to see what had happened. A few moments later some plain-clothes police officers arrived, having been notified by the local residents. At that moment our comrade is informed that before the smashing and arson of his store, a clash had taken place between a group of antifascists and a group of members of the Patriotic Movement. The “Patriotic Movement” were guarding the public space of the Municipal Park to prevent any
anti-fascists from attending.

Though refusing to have anything to do with the police, our comrade for the purpose of insurance had to go to the police station. Whilst waiting for 3 hours he was informed that he was arrested for public disturbance. Apparently members of the Patriotic Movement in collusion with the police attempted to put the blame for a previous confrontation on him.

Not only were the Patriotic Movement attempting to control the streets and public spaces, they had after the incident violently attack two youths in a park and then proceeded to work with the police in making this claim against our comrade.

A few hours later the antifascist rally, organised by the Autonomous Collective of Kavala, Vironos 3 squat and individual antifascists, took place in Faliro Park. From the very first moment of the rally, the Park was surrounded by several riot squads (around 8 to 10) and many plain-clothes cops. As soon as the antifascists (150 to 170 people from Kavala and other towns) blocked the road in front of the park, police vans shut off the road, in order to prevent the antifascists to approach the Municipal Park, where at the same time the fascist gathering was
being held. Not only neo-nazi Golden Dawn members took part in the
fascist gathering, but also other neo-nazi groups, such as the National Socialist Army of Macedonia and other known and unknown fascists from Northern Greece.

After the events of that weekend, two comrades were held in custody for several days and face charges of “disturbance of public order with facial features covered”.

The trial is set for December 9th 2015.

We hope that this tour can further make links between anti-fascists in the UK Anti Fascist Network and anti-fascists across Greece.

Please pass this on to your friends, comrades and networks. Let’s show our comrades they are not alone and we share the same struggle!

Prison Abolition Debate in Bristol

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See the facebook event here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1527787087537835

University of Bristol, Queens Building, Room 1.8

at 6:00pm – 7:30pm in UTC

A joint event hosted by Bristol Think, the Howard League for Penal Reform and Bristol Left will be bringing together a panel of four to debate whether we should be fighting for prison reform or prison abolition. Speakers will include those involved in prison abolition and prison reform activism. It will take place Thursday 3rd December in Queens Building at the University of Bristol.

Invited speakers include:
– An organiser in Bristol Anarchist Cross
– An organiser in the Empty Cages Collective
– Michael Naughton – Senior lecturer in Sociology and Law at the University of Bristol addressing issues in crime, justice and specifically the wrongful conviction of the innocent (https://twitter.com/DrMNaughton)
– Final speaker tbc…

On the panel we will be looking at questions:
What is wrong with the prison system?
What is wrong with the criminal justice system?
Is the prison system actually tackling harmful behaviour in our society? And if not, why not?
Does prison work help to “rehabilitate” prisoners or is it a form of forced labour?
Should we abolish prisons or should we reform them?
What alternatives are there to prisons?
What do we do about the really dagerous people?
And we will be taking questions and points from those in the audience, in what will hopefully lead into a more open discussion.

For anyone wishing to inform themselves a bit more about the UK prison system and about prison abolition and reform here are some things to get you started:
http://www.howardleague.org/weekly-prison-watch/
http://www.prisonabolition.org/new-article-prison-industrial-complex-occupied-times/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qtoy0uHsn9Y (Juliet Lyons on the need for prison reform)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4WSHvZetkw (Reina Gossett on prison abolition and what about the really dangerous people)

ALL ARE WELCOME TO COME!!!

Turkey: vegan anarchist prisoner Osman Evcan on hunger strike again

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Who is Osman Evcan?

Osman Evcan who was born on 1959 in Samsun is an anarchist prisoner who spent his last 23 years in prison. İn 1992 he was sentenced to 30 years in prison with the charges of being a member of a leftist terrorist group and robbery. He was also imprisoned for 9 years between 1980-1989. Since Osman adopted anarchist ideas in 2003, he also became vegan and supports animal liberation struggles.

Osman Evcan was imprisoned in many different prisons all over the country during his conviction, he built his life fighting against authoritarian violence and especially the violence and oppression which is a systemic part of the prison’s hierarchical structure, and he still continues his fight against prison’s oppressive mentality, without giving an inch, aspiring to the right standards for anarchist, vegan, libertarian individuals.

Osman’s first barnburner act was his hunger strike in 2011 for vegan food to be available in prison which lasted 42 days. During his hunger strike the anarchists, animal liberationists from all over the World and in Turkey supported Osman’s fight to access vegan food in prison. After 42 days of hunger strike the government gave in and made regulations for the vegan and vegetarian prisoners: “Vegan or vegetarian prisoners demands will be accepted as long as its limited by subsistence
allowance”. After this victory of all anarchists, animal liberationists and political prisoners, Osman continued to be in the anarchist struggle during his time in prison. He has supported the LGBT, Animal Liberation, women rights, anti imperialism struggles outside prison and he made hunger strikes to protest the animal massacre during each ‘feast of sacrifice’ every year for 3 days, he wrote articles to support nature, ethnic and different identities against government’s and comprador bourgeoisie’s raids and he still continues his political fight as much as he can from prison.

Osman Evcan was convicted of being a member of a leftist terrorist group, he self-criticized himself by saying that both capitalist and socialist system forms for being are statist and colonist formations. To quote his own words: “Veganism is not only a capitalism contrast it also includes socialism contrast. Veganism is civilization contrast. Veganism has an all out attitude against technological destruction, violence, human species alienation to nature and to itself, ecological pillage, pollution, colonialism, global warming. Act of civilization has a common history with statist forms of organizations. The idea of a state grown up process starting from primitive-simple history ongoing modernization continuum for thousands of years and transforming to nation state is a result of civilization. We cant separate This ongoing, mutually reinforcing facts that produce each other, from each other. Veganism is a radical attitude against all…”

Osman Evcan is still in Kocaeli no 1 high security prison. The pressure against him continues to increase. After his hunger strike for 33 days on June 2015 he took vegan food supplies one step further and he gained the right to get vegan food from outside the prisons. The prison administration usurped this gain due to arbitrarily reasons. Osman Evcan continues his indefinite hunger strike since 10 November 2015.

ABC İSTANBUL

Write to the comrade:

Osman Evcan:
Kocaeli 1 Nolu F Tipi Cezaevi
A-7-21
Kandıra / KOCAELİ
TURKEY