Prisoner support film and letter-writing night

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FILM & LETTER WRITING NIGHT

Wednesday 13 July, 7 to 9pm
The Factory social space, Cave St/Portland Sq, St Pauls, Bristol BS2 8RU
All welcome, free entry, donations welcome. Cake & drinks available.

FILMS
Ashanti Alston
The former political prisoner & anarchist black panther spoke at Monkeywrench books in Feb 2010 (Texas, USA). He talks about his politicisation, the black panther movement, black liberation army, solidarity & anarchism (50mins)

Submedia punk shit up!
Submedia bring us their classic brand of humorous political updates from around the world. In this episode they talk about the Vancouver ice hockey riots, Chilean urban ecodefense & updates on those facing charges following the G20. (15mins)Read More

Political prisoner list June 2011

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Bristol ABC’s monthly prisoner list is now back on track and today we are publishing the list for June 2011. Download your copy here:
open office version – Prisoner list_June2011
PDF version – Prisoner list_June2011
We make an effort to keep this info a correct as possible. However if you have any verifiable additions or corrections please contact us by email at bristol_abc[AT]riseup.net
With an increase in political prisoners internationally it is becoming difficult to keep up with changes and moves. We are therefore slowly moving towards a list that provides good links to further information in countries, whilst still highlighting some cases. Here are some cases worth highlighting:Read More

Bristol Defendant Solidarity

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Bristol ABC has agreed to host a page for Bristol Defendant Solidarity. Here’s the intro to the page:

Bristol Defendant Solidarity
Bristol arrestee support first made an appearance in late 2010 providing support and advice by phone & email during/after the student protests. Now following the Stokes Croft resistance of April 2011 the Bristol Defendant Solidarity (BDS) has been formed, incorporating and building upon the work of arrestee support. BDS involves a number of activists with experience of arrests, police station and court processes, suing the cops, and legal, defendant & prisoner support. Read More

Whilst we were away Bristol rebelled

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The Bristol ABC blog has been quiet the last 8 weeks, whilst Bristol has been very rebellious and making national headlines. We’ve not exactly been away, but lack of people to do the work has meant the blog hasn’t been maintained as we’d like it to be. In fact those of us who have been around and about and healthy have been very busy locally, including helping out with legal and prisoner support. We’ll be trying to keep the blog upto date from now on, and we have a pile of info and news to pass your way.

Stokes Croft
Whilst Stokes Croft is actually just a fairly short street to the north of the city centre, it has become known as an ‘area’ that extends north, west and east into surrounding streets and neighbourhoods. On April 21/22 and 28/29 it was the scene of some fairly serious resistance to a police invasion and attempts at repression, events that have been heavily reported on Bristol Indymedia, and the local corporate press, and nationally. Whilst some saw it as just opposition to Tescos locally, in fact it was much more than that. Such high profile resistance does come inevitably with a state and media crackdown afterwards, with at least 50 arrests so far, and the need for some serious defendant solidarity.Read More

Bent Bars – film and info night

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Bent Bars and Bristol ABC present a film screening and information night
Thursday May 12th from 7.30pm
‘Under the Stars’ , Narrow Quay, Harbourside, Bristol BS1 4QA
(the boat – in the water opposite the Watershed)
Free entry

Kiss of the Spider Womanfilm screening followed by short readings of selected writings from prisoners involved in the Bent Bars letter writing project,  plus information on LGBTQ prisoner solidarity and how to become involved with the Bent Bars prisoner penpal program.Read More

Legal support and defence fundraiser

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Benefit for Canadian G20 legal defence and Bristol bust fund

Kebele Sound Collective and friends brings you a punk and ska fundraiser supporting direct action defendants, with:
Cartouche – melodic punk from the barricades of Paris
No Choice – legendary anarcho punk from South Wales
Na No and the Nachos – skanking new ska pink band from Bristol

Saturday April 9th from 8pm
The White Hart, Whitehall Road, Easton. BS5 9BJ.
£4/£3 conc

Here’s where the money goes:Read More

26 March legal & arrest update

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The following info was published on the Freedom Press website today, having been sourced from the Met Police. Legal support from GBC and LDMG have been at courts and on the phone getting hold of defendants. There are likely to be more arrests and more people charged. Equally, many charges may be dropped, and even when they aren’t and the case goes to court, many people will be found not guilty. If you are arrested, and charged, don’t panic and don’t be scared. The police want you to be frightened and afraid, they want you to stop protesting and fighting. Don’t let them win – there is plenty of support available, make use of it.

Summary of arrests from March 26th

147 people charged with offences:
138 people charged with aggravated trespass in connection with the incident at Fortnum & Mason. Due to appear on various dates at City of Westminster Magistrates’ Court  (first being 9th May)
3 people charged with criminal damage
2 people charged with assaulting a police officer
1 person charged with S4 Public Order Act (threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour)
1 person charged with being drunk and disorderlyRead More

26 March legal & arrest update

admin Uncategorized

The following info was published on the Freedom Press website today, having been sourced from the Met Police. Legal support from GBC and LDMG have been at courts and on the phone getting hold of defendants. There are likely to be more arrests and more people charged. Equally, many charges may be dropped, and even when they aren’t and the case goes to court, many people will be found not guilty. If you are arrested, and charged, don’t panic and don’t be scared. The police want you to be frightened and afraid, they want you to stop protesting and fighting. Don’t let them win – there is plenty of support available, make use of it.

Summary of arrests from March 26th

147 people charged with offences:
138 people charged with aggravated trespass in connection with the incident at Fortnum & Mason. Due to appear on various dates at City of Westminster Magistrates’ Court  (first being 9th May)
3 people charged with criminal damage
2 people charged with assaulting a police officer
1 person charged with S4 Public Order Act (threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour)
1 person charged with being drunk and disorderlyRead More

No Comment: The Defendants Guide to Arrest

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The 4th edition of No Comment: The Defendants Guide to Arrest was updated and republished by LDMG last week.

Funded by damages paid out by the Met Police for wrongful arrest and similar illegal acts, it is very useful reading for anyone at risk of arrest, which means anyone involved in protests.

20,000 copies have been printed up, many were handed out in London on Saturday. A few hundred have made it back to Bristol. Some have already been left at the Kebele and Factory social centres. Or you can download a copy of “No Comment” here (as a pdf).
Get reading.

Solidarity needed with defendants from London anti-cuts protests

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The magnificent protests that rocked London on Saturday 26 March will have at least one major downside – mass arrests, with more to follow. Those arrested deserve and need our support.

So far it seems just over 200 people have been arrested, mainly, but not all, at either the Fortnum & Mason shop occupation, or later at night in Trafalgar Square when the cops kettled a party crowd of protesters. Most, but not all, are now out on either police or court bail. A few have taken a caution, a few released without charge, a few remain in custody. No doubt as cops trawl cctv and photo footage in the next days & weeks there will be more arrests.

27 March picket of Charing X cop shop

If you or someone you know has been arrested and you haven’t had legal advice yet, then get it fast. Ring the legal & arrest support helpline on 07946 541 511, or if you got indpendent legal advice elsewhere contact them anyway so they have your details – they may be able to help you anyway.Read More