Three Belarusian Anarchists Are Released

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On August 22nd president Lukashenko has signed papers to release all the political prisoners, including our comrades Ihar, Mikalai and Artsiom as well as the nationalist Jauhen Vasâkovich.

This release comes after 5 years that they had to spend in prison. All the time prisoners were subject to psychological and physical torture. Numerous days were spent in solitary confinement as a punishment for struggle aginst the prison oppression.

We are glad to meet our comrades and see them in good spirits! They are now together with their families and friends. They will be under constant police control for next 5 years.

With this happening we would like to thank everyone who was helping ABC-Belarus all these years. We enjoyed incredible support of communities all around the world and through this we manage to create a really encouraging atmosphere of solidarity. Thank you very much!

Though these people are free, there are still several comrades who are in prisons in Belarus. They also need your support.

Till all are free.
ABC-Belarus

Letter from Anarchist Prisoner, Emma Sheppard, in support of the International Week of Solidarity with Anarchist Prisoners

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Letter from Anarchist Prisoner, Emma Sheppard, in support of the International Week of Solidarity with Anarchist Prisoners.

For more info on Emma’s case see: https://bristolabc.wordpress.com/support-emma/

“The caged bird sings
with a fearful trill
of things unknown
but longed for still
and his tune is heard
on the distant hill
for the caged bird
sings for freedom”
– Maya Angelou

Our fearful trill is the combination of frustration, despair, indignation and defiance. The “Incentives and Earned Privileges” scheme that dominates prisons today goes a long way to silencing our songs through its passive coercion and pastoralism, but they always erupt sporadically.

“We count ourselves among those rebels who count storms, who hold that the only truth lies in perpetual seeking”
– Madya Tulokonnivan (Pussy Riot)

Being in prison has made me feel humble. My fixed-term sentence is short, and unlike many, I have a release date. I am humbled by the fire and conviction which fuels long term anarchist prisoners, and the many rebels in prison who are “perpetually seeking” in their own ways, free from (and often unknown to) the anarchist subcultures. Quietly rejecting and challenging authority everyday in a way to keep sane inside. These rebels and actions give me hope.

“Tigers are more beautiful than sheep but we prefer them behind bars”
– Bertrand Russel

I do not consider myself a tiger! But as Michael Gove said in his first speech as ‘Justice Minister’: “Civilisation depends on clear sanctions being imposed by the state on those who challenge the rules”. So they put us behind bars and try to drown us in petty regulations. But being here has just made me stronger and given a depth of my understanding of concepts such as privilege and solidarity. They labelled us ‘criminals’ and try to shame us into compliance, or rely on other prisoners to do their work – policing, pandering and grasping of imagined rewards and “earned privileges”. But knowing I am not alone in my struggle gives me strength and vigilance.

Gove has begin to change the rhetoric surrounding prisoners: we are now potential assets, we are to quote him, “a literally captive population”. He is promising early release for those who ‘show their chained attitude that they wish to contribute to society’.

We are led through our time by those benign dictators, our ‘Offender Managers’, who calmly construct our sentence plans and ‘therapeutic’ programmes (also known as prisons-within-prisons). The Prison “Service” is like an abusive partner: offering calming reassurances whilst deliberately alienating, excluding, and physically and mentally controlling us. This can never be a therapeutic environment.

Martin Luther King said we are all “caught in an inescapable network of mutuality. What affects one directly affects all indirectly”. These networks bear down on us in biased and relentless ways. Prison is often the final step for those who have been excluded and controlled by the wider mechanisms of the state their whole lives. The numbers of deaths (at the hands of the screws, filth and suicides) in custody and on the streets continue to rise, discussed and minimized. Self harm is rife within women’s prisons.

The Ministry of Justice plan to sell off many parts of the prison estate, its so called ‘dark corners’ (many of which happen to be in prime locations). Gove claims that it is this cleansing desire and economic, which is driving the developments. But whether its the Queen or rich landlords who will benefit, or the Ministry, is irrelevant… It’s all capitalist expansion.

“Whoever has passed by the front of a court house or prison and his look didn’t darken at the thought that he could be there as a culprit, then he did not live his life with integrity and dignity”

– Quote from Greece, unsure of author

I hope that I can serve the rest of my time and license with integrity. I mourn the loss of my anonymity every day. Writing can be terrifying, especially with limited resources, but I will finish with a quote from Audre Lorde:

“When we speak we are afraid
our words will not be heard
or welcomed
but when we are silent
we are still afraid
So it’s better to speak
remembering
we were never meant to survive”

Solidarity to all anarchist prisoners and everyone harmed by the prison system.

With love and rage,

Em

Wildfire: An Anarchist Prison Newsletter #2

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From Wildfire:

[Download Issue #2] (Prints 8.5×11)

The past months have seen a continuation of prison struggle in its many forms, as well as a blanket of repression from state forces against anarchist insurgency. As international attacks multiplied and the comrades remained steadfast, the Greek hunger strikers won many of their demands. At the same time, the Czech Republic unleashed Operation Phoenix in an effort to repress the struggle there, and the Spanish state continued its attacks against anarchists by initiating raids and arrests in Operation Piñata. Chilean comrades Nataly, Juan, and Guillermo won many of their hunger strike demands; while elsewhere in Chile, the state continued its attacks on Tato and Javier, accused of burning a Transantiago bus. Sean Swain was held incommunicado for months and Marius Mason was thrown in solitary for a month. And just days ago, anarchist comrade Ignacio Muñoz Delgado was arrested in Chile by plainclothes cops, who say they found Ignacio with an explosive device and pamphlets expressing solidarity with comrades arrested for an arson attack on the Homicide Investigation Brigade. Hunger strikes from Greece to Chile to Alabama, widespread counter-attacks against repression, the ceaseless cadence of the anarchist war against power. We are disgusted by the state’s attempts to grind our comrades into dust, but we are strengthened by the beautiful flames of anarchy that cannot be contained by recuperation or prison walls.

We are excited to share the writings in this second issue of Wildfire, for their diversity and their incisiveness. We print texts from comrades previously unknown to us and from those we have struggled alongside for years. We print introductions, poetry, updates, and the first steps in a debate on prison strikes and reformism. Since we refuse any ideology that flattens the polymorphous nature of anarchist thought and practice, we print these very different texts with joy at each of their particularities.

We send our love to all anarchist combatants caught in the enemy’s dungeons!

CONTENTS
– “All Prisoners are Political” by Sean Swain
– “Remember the Dead, Solidarity for the Living” by Brandon Baxter
– A letter from Manuel Salas
– Call for support from Anarchist Black Cross – Florida Prison Chapter
– A letter from Todd Shepard
– Introduction by Christopher L. Young
– “From an Alabama Prison” by Fahamivu Amon
– An update from Gender Anarky
– A letter from Julia Wheelwright
– “Silent Scream” by Francisca Orellana Polanko
– “Buckin in the BOP” by anonymous
– “Federal Sentencing Reforms” by anonymous
– A letter from Michael Kimble
– “Chaotic Confinement” by Charles Chatman
– A Letter from Blacc Lion
– A chronology of the last four months of revolt, repression, and attack.
– “For Spyros Dravilas: Awaiting the Hour of Vengeance”

———————

Some updates

We have added some new info pages for anarchist and anti-authoritarian prisoners to our website:
– Christopher L. Young, a queer anarchist imprisoned in Kentucky
– Terrence Adderly, part of the Anarchist Black Cross – Florida Prison Chapter
– Julia Wheelwright, an individualist anarchist imprisoned in Utah
– Todd Shepard, anti-authoritarian combatant doing time for the murder of a Missouri cop
– Manuel Salas, vegan anarchist of the National Animal Rights and Anarchist Network

We also want to draw attention to recent writings by the trans woman anarchist-nihilist prison collective Gender Anarky, who continue to inspire us with their words and deeds: http://genderanarkycollective.noblogs.org

Virginia Anarchist Arrested, Support Funds Needed

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From: http://anarchistnews.org/content/virginia-anarchist-arrested-support-funds-needed

Richmond, Virginia:

On Monday, July 27th, our friend and comrade, Stephen Loughman, was arrested and charged with “breach of peace” for his support the week before at an anti-KKK rally in Columbia, SC on July 18th, 2015. Local activists had called on folks from across the southern region to help South Carolina’s communities stand against the Klan and other hate groups, who like many groups were trying to use the Confederate flag debate as a recruitment tool.

We would like to bring attention to the many mistakes the media made while covering this story. Even though the chapters of the Ku Klux Klan and National Socialist Movement (a neo-Nazi group) were also from out of state, the media and the local sheriff’s office would have you believe that Stephen makes “a career” out of traveling around and causing trouble. This is blatantly untrue and is a tactic that has been historically used to undermine people’s movements struggling for liberation, particularly in the South. In addition, the skewed coverage by WISTV10 also fails to mention Stephen as an explicitly anti-racist protester, potentially putting his reputation and safety on the line. Stephen was also never contacted for his part of the story. While we understand that white power hate groups have a history of seeking retaliation against people who oppose them, including harassment, intimidation, and physical violence, we want to take this opportunity to clarify why Stephen was there because the media did not do so. This irresponsible coverage has the potential to put our friend in real danger in a multitude of ways.

The smear campaign that has begun against Stephen is an obvious attempt to distance South Carolina residents from any image of discontent and anger against both popular and institutional white supremacy. The KKK and the NSM are trying to defend and proliferate white supremacy at all costs. In the wake of righteous sadness and anger, fueled by Dylann Roof’s acts in Charleston, the state and the police still stand to protect these and other hate groups that inspired him. His political violence in the murder of 9 black people was a spark that lit the fire against institutions set up in South Carolina centuries ago. From the clandestine attacks on a dozen black churches, to the every day brutality of police departments and prisons across the country, we can be sure that white supremacy is alive and well in the U.S.

Although Stephen was in direct contact with the arresting officer the day of the protests, he was never arrested or told he had a warrant until he went back to South Carolina to retrieve his confiscated phone a week later. He was then taken to the deplorable Alvin S. Glenn Detention Center, where he was held in unclean facilities. Steve has since had to see a doctor for a Staph infection he received in custody.

Don’t let the authorities and the media paint the events of July 18th as the work of a lone white anarchist. The communities that stood against white supremacists, the true “outside agitators,” that day did so on their terms, to defend their city. If that means calling friends for help, so be it.

Towards a world without white supremacy,
The Defend Steve Support Committee

to donate to Steve’s support efforts:

http://www.gofundme.com/e6b3tukuc

A sample of the ludicrous coverage:

http://www.thestate.com/news/local/crime/article29632162.html

Upcoming Czech Film Night, Prisoner Solidarity & Discussion! (with food!)

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Tuesday 18 August 2015, 7 – 9pm

Hydra Bookshop, 34 Old Market Street, BS2 0EZ Bristol, United Kingdom

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Czech anarchists have faced a wave of repression and intimidation due to the recent ‘operation fenix(phoenix)’.

Houses were raided, squats evicted, organising spaces attacked, dozens arrested & injured, draconian ‘anti terror’ legislation used, and websites taken down (including that of our Czech & Slovakian sister organisation Anarchistická Federace).

What led to this repression? What have activists been doing on the ground in the Czech Republic? Most importantly, how can we offer our solidarity?

Czech activists, and friends of those arrested, will be discussing the repression and activism in the Czech Republic. From forcing a resurgent neo nazi movement off the streets, to campaigning for animal rights and combating a rise in Islamaphobia and anti-Roma rhetoric.

We will also be showing the award winning documentry Dust Games (86minutes), which tells the story of the battle against the IMF and World Bank in Prague – perhaps the largest mobilisation since the formation of the Republic.

There are important lessons to be learnt for us in the UK, as well as an oppurtunity to put our ideals of international solidarity into practice!

We’ll be asking for donations to send to Czech comrades to help with legal defence and prisoner support, and will be offering food prepared by a chef at a popular local Indian restraunt aswell as Hydra’s usual selection of drinks and snacks!

For more info about the repression visit: http://antifenix.noblogs.org

Upcoming Czech Film Night, Prisoner Solidarity & Discussion! (with food!)

admin events

Tuesday 18 August 2015, 7 – 9pm

Hydra Bookshop, 34 Old Market Street, BS2 0EZ Bristol, United Kingdom

fena

Czech anarchists have faced a wave of repression and intimidation due to the recent ‘operation fenix(phoenix)’.

Houses were raided, squats evicted, organising spaces attacked, dozens arrested & injured, draconian ‘anti terror’ legislation used, and websites taken down (including that of our Czech & Slovakian sister organisation Anarchistická Federace).

What led to this repression? What have activists been doing on the ground in the Czech Republic? Most importantly, how can we offer our solidarity?

Czech activists, and friends of those arrested, will be discussing the repression and activism in the Czech Republic. From forcing a resurgent neo nazi movement off the streets, to campaigning for animal rights and combating a rise in Islamaphobia and anti-Roma rhetoric.

We will also be showing the award winning documentry Dust Games (86minutes), which tells the story of the battle against the IMF and World Bank in Prague – perhaps the largest mobilisation since the formation of the Republic.

There are important lessons to be learnt for us in the UK, as well as an oppurtunity to put our ideals of international solidarity into practice!

We’ll be asking for donations to send to Czech comrades to help with legal defence and prisoner support, and will be offering food prepared by a chef at a popular local Indian restraunt aswell as Hydra’s usual selection of drinks and snacks!

For more info about the repression visit: http://antifenix.noblogs.org

New Zine: The struggle against the maxi-prison in Brussels

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The struggle against the maxi-prison in Brussels – A chronology of attack & antagonism

PDF links (high res, low res and imposed): http://personsunknown.noblogs.org/post/2015/07/12/the-struggle-against-the-maxi-prison-in-brussels-a-chronology-of-attack-antagonism/

The Belgian State has been announcing it for some time: building 13 new modern and efficient prisons.

As part of this new master-plan the State wants to build a maxi-prison in Haren, northern Brussels. It is intended as the largest prison in the country, a genuine prison town that would include five different prisons on the same terrain. It would then lock up at least 1,200 men, women and children.

With the fight against the construction of this monstrosity raging on, this 48-page publication features analysis and a chronology of attack from the past two and a half years of struggle against this project.

Contents

– No new prisons, no maxi-prison in Brussels!
– The struggle against building a maxi-prison and the offensive of power
– No maxi-prison, not here, nor anywhere!
– Let’s rebel against the construction of a maxi-prison
– On your marks, get set, go!
– To the undesirables
– Break the ranks
– For the insurrection
– Sabotage
– To the uncontrollables
– Chronology of attack & antagonism

Anti-Austerity Court Solidarity 27th July 2015

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Time: 12.00pm
Date: Monday 27th July 2015
Location: Cardiff Crown Court
Address: Cathays Park, Cardiff, CF10 3PG

Demonstration to show solidarity with two facing serious charges after being violently attcked and arrested by police at an anti-cuts demonstration at a HSBC branch in Cardiff in May this year.

There will be a short solidarity demonstration outside the court from 12.00 pm on Monday the 27th of July 2015. Anti-repression and anti-austerity banners and well-wishers welcome.

URGENT WITNESS APPEAL:
***********************
Were you present at the Mayday demonstration and march in May 2015? Even if you think you didn’t see anything you may be able to provide useful defence evidence as to the nature of the day.
If you think you may be able to help please email: bristoldefendantsolidarity@riseup.net