benefit gig flyer
(Update 6/12/09 – Saturday’s fundraiser was a hectic one, and after costs over £250 was raised for our projects. Many thanks to the organisers, the bands, and all who came.)
This Saturday we have a fundraising gig at The White Hart, 181 Whitehall Rd, Easton, Bristol BS5 9BJ. The fundraiser has been organised for us by our friends the Bastard Squad Collective, with Kebele Sound doing the PA. For bands see the flyer, there should also be projections and info/book stalls. It starts at 8pm and its a fiver on the door. Late bar. Do come along, it’ll be a cracking night out, and you can find out more about what we do and why – come and chat to us between the bands!
Why we need to fundraise: presently we are a small public group of active anarchists whose prisoner solidarity work is constrained by our small numbers and lack of money. Our main activities involve writing to prisoners and occassionally sending in items or small amounts of money; publicising prisoner’s cases, and the conditions in prison; highlighting resistance when it happens; helping put on benefit events for prisoners and defendants; and small low level actions such as prison pickets and banner drops. Some of that costs money, and with more we could do more, and help more prisoners. ideally we’d like to be able to regularly send in amounts of money to specific prisoners we have agreed to support – but we dont have the funds to do that yet. If you are able to put your hand in your pocket and come to the gig thats great! If you are able to make one-off or regular donations to us thats great too – get in touch!
Why prisoner support: a short while ago we published a short article explaning why we engage in prisoner support – read it here. Essentially it means solidarity with those anarchist, class struggle and other radical prisoners inside by providing practical support (see above) to ensure they do not feel abandoned and keep their spirits up/help with their cases. It really is a case of ‘they are inside for us, we’re outside for them’. Prison could happen to anyone who is politically conscious and active (or not), at any time. We need to build a culture of solidarity with prisoners. We are also opposed to capital, the state, and of course prisons (as the ultimate weapon used to keep us all quiet and inline, apart from death). That means that over the long term the ultimate solidarity with prisoners is revolutionary social change, that smashes capital and the state and frees all political prisoners, and quite possibly all prisoners. Have a think about it – then get in touch if you want to know more or have questions to ask.
Solidarity – until all are free!