International Day of Solidarity with Eric King (June 28th)

Posted on 2017/05/10 by Bloomington ABC

From Support Eric King

June 28th of this year will mark one year since Eric King was sentenced to 10 years in prison, and one year since he stood up in court in Kansas City, Missouri. EK read the statement he had prepared declaring why he took action on that fateful night and that he still has no regrets. Eric has seen and experienced a lot in the nearly three years of his incarceration, and every step of the way he is unwavering in who he is and with the principles he upholds. From long stints in the S.H.U(Secure Housing Unit), to getting moved from one institution to another, to anxiety filled situations where he doesn’t know where he might be going next, he always maintains a kind of spirit that keeps him afloat no matter what they throw at him. He also understands that while he may be locked up, he is far from forgotten about, as evidenced through the collective efforts of those actively supporting him directly or on the periphery. EK is emboldened by anyone who responds to that fire inside, fights against oppression as a part of the anarchist struggle undeterred, and who remains unrelenting no matter what that state throws at you.

So, with that we’d like to announce the first annual International Day of Solidarity with Eric King on June 28th 2017! Continue reading →

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Marius Mason is being moved to general population!

Posted on 2017/05/06 by Bloomington ABC

From Support Marius Mason

We so are excited to announce that Marius received confirmation yesterday that he will be moving to general population at Carswell.  As many know, this has been a long time coming and a request that Marius, his attorney, his family, and supporters have made repeatedly for him to be moved from the Admin Unit.

In general population Marius will be able to truly go outside for the first time in seven years, without the barriers of razor wire and concrete.  He will also be able to participate in more educational programs and groups.  Carswell’s general population has a large sunny communal visiting room that Marius’ family and friends will be able to see him in, rather than the small enclosed space with its own security detail.  We are also eager to see if Marius will have better control over his own diet.

We are extremely excited for Marius but we will also not forget the 11 other people left on the Admin Unit, who will continue suffer from constant lock downs, social deprivation, and mental health neglect and indifference.  We still strive to see a world without the admin unit, Carswell, and prisons.  Free them all.

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An FYI from Walter Bond

Posted on 2017/05/05 by Bloomington ABC

From Support Walter

For a few years now I have been a devout Muslim. I have learned much on this journey both about myself, others and a little something about human nature as well. But  I cannot, in good faith (no pun intended) continue to represent, practice or even believe in Islam or any other world religion for that matter.

Animal/Earth liberation and Straight Edge have been my struggle for half of my life now and it is who I am and what I care about the most at my core, it’s in my blood and it is my primary concern. Religion, for me, diverts and obscures that message both personally and publically, and I am not alright with that. Continue reading →

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On the 5th Anniversary of the arrest of the Cleveland 4

Posted on 2017/05/01 by Bloomington ABC

From Cleveland 4 Solidarity

April 30, 2017. Tonight marks the fifth anniversary of the arrest of Brandon Baxter, Connor Stevens, Doug Wright, and Josh “Skelly” Stafford—the young men who came to be known as the Cleveland 4. Their arrest was the culmination of an FBI-created plot to place (fake, government-supplied) explosives under the base of a bridge and brand Occupy activists as “terrorists.” On this anniversary, we should pause. Take a moment to think about what was done to the Cleveland 4, the consequences they continue to suffer and the support they need, and how their case is a reflection of the bigger political moment in which we are living—and what that requires of us. Continue reading →

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So What if They Did Rob the Banks?

Posted on 2017/04/30 by Bloomington ABC

From Plain Words

In March of this year, an international call for solidarity during the week of April 17-23 was made[1] for anarchists arrested for allegedly robbing banks in Aachen, Germany back in 2013 and 2014. Continue reading →

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New Blanket Felony Charges Pressed against J20 Arrestees

Posted on 2017/04/30 by Bloomington ABC

An Unprecedented Use of Punitive Charges as a Tactic of Mass Intimidation

From Crimethinc

On January 20, when downtown Washington, DC was crowded with massive protests against Trump’s inauguration, police cordoned off an entire city block and mass arrested over two hundred people, slapping the same charge of felony riot indiscriminately on every one of them.

On April 27, the prosecution filed a superseding indictment adding several more felony charges to each of these defendants: inciting to riot, rioting, conspiracy to riot, and destruction of property. About half of the defendants are also charged with the same count of assault on a police officer. This is punitive charging: the intention is clearly to terrorize the defendants into taking plea deals so that these inflated charges will never come to trial. Continue reading →

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Help Marius get vegan milk!

Posted on 2017/04/29 by Bloomington ABC

From Support Marius Mason

Marius reported last week that Carswell has removed soy milk from the commissary. Fortified soy milk is one of the few ways Marius is able to get the nutrients he needs while staying vegan in prison. Soy milk is not only important to Marius but also for other prisoners who need access to dairy alternatives for their various individual dietary needs. We ask that friends and supporters call into Carswell at 817-782-4000 and ask that they make soy milk accessible again.  Thank you for your call!

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June 11, 2017: Communication is a Weapon

Posted on 2017/04/26 by Bloomington ABC

From June11.org

By now it is a platitude to speak of the isolation and silence that prisons strive to impose. Every week another one of our imprisoned friends tells us that their mail is getting fucked with, the phones on their unit are “broken,” or that our publications are being rejected with no recourse.

For us, one of the most exciting elements of June 11, 2016 was the proliferation of words and ideas shared between and from anarchist prisoners.  Along with spreading material solidarity internationally and keeping the names of our comrades on our lips, our contribution to facilitating that communication is one of our most important tasks. While the starting point of our project was support for Marius Mason and Eric McDavid (the first of whom remains imprisoned in an extremely restrictive unit, while the latter has been freed!), it has been through a spreading web of communications that we have expanded the scope of our project to solidarity with long-term anarchist prisoners around the world.  This year, we are seeking to emphasize this communication.

Continue reading →

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Help get Marius out of Carswell!

Posted on 2017/04/14 by Bloomington ABC

From Support Marius Mason

Greetings,

The campaign to Fight Toxic Prisons will be hosting its second annual national convergence this Summer! Last year’s convergence gathered activists and revolutionaries from across the country to explore the intersections of the environmental movement and the struggle to end mass incarceration. We also took our voices to the streets of DC, together with former prisoners and banners declaring support for those yet to win their freedom, we blocked the entrance to the Bureau of Prisons as well as the major intersection between the FBI and the Department of Justice!

This year’s convergence is taking place from June 2nd through 5th in the Denton/Ft. Worth region of North Texas. Registration is now open, sign up today by clicking here! It’s free to register, we ask only for a sliding scale donation. 

One reason we are excited to bring the 2017 FTP convergence to North Texas is the launch of the Close Carswell Campaign.  Those who focus attention on support for political prisoners may know of the infamous Carswell federal prison, located in Ft. Worth, Texas. The facility houses over 1,500 prisoners who allegedly have special health-related needs. Carswell is surrounded by toxic military Superfund sites from the Air Force base where it is co-located.

Carswell has housed many prominent voices from the inside, from current residents Marius Mason and Aafia Siddiqui to former political prisoners Lynne Stewart and Helen Woodson. The goal of the Close Carswell Campaign is to immediately shut down the overly-restrictive Administrative Unit, which BOP states only contains 24 beds, and call attention to the general conditions of the facility. For years, prisoners and their loved ones have been documenting abuses with little to no response from the Bureau of Prisons.

Join us June 2nd – 5th to learn more about the Close Carswell Campaign and to take action directed at this toxic prison! Click here for convergence registration.

Environmentalists have long recognized Texas as the financial headquarters and political stronghold of the global oil and gas empire, and prison abolitionists know Texas as home to one of the most brutal and corrupt state prison systems in the country. It’s hard to imagine a more appropriate setting to discuss the intersections of ecological resistance and mass incarceration. We look forward to seeing you in June as we continue to build our movement to Fight Toxic Prisons!

With love and solidarity,

xxxxx

Keep up to date at FightToxicPrisons.org

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April Cage Flight: Letter writing to international prisoners

Posted on 2017/04/12 by Bloomington ABC

APRIL 24
7pm
Boxcar Books
408 E. 6th St

In honor of May Day and the spirit of solidarity that knows no borders we’ll be discussing the situations of and writing letters to international prisoners.

We’ll be writing to Nikos Romanos, Jock Palfreeman, Debbie Vincent, Kara Wild, and Fernando Barcenas.

Cage Flight is a monthly prisoner info and letter writing night. We meet the last Monday of every month at Boxcar Books.

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