Anarchist black cross at the London anarchist bookfair

The Brighton and Bristol Anarchist Black Cross prisoner support groups will both have stalls at the London anarchist bookfair, this Saturday 24 October. We’ll be alongside the comrades from the Campaign against prison slavery, and Haven Distribution books to prisoners. Come along and have a chat with us, find out more and pick up some interesting info and prisoner’s details.

Brighton and Bristol are also hosting the following workshops:

1pm @ room EB2: Too Many Prisons, Not Enough Justice
1st workshop – explore the factors that increasingly contribute simultaneously to the criminalisation and victimisation of our communities, and our activists.

2pm @ Skeel lecture hall: Greece – after the December 2008 insurrection
Greek speaker – after the highs of last December, struggles in Greece continue at a level unheard of in the UK. They do so in the face of a massive counter-offensive by the allied forces of the Greek state, capital and the fascists. Up date of the situation on the streets, and how the movements are responding.

4pm @ EB4a: Anarchists for Prison Abolition
2nd workshop – discuss ways of preventing the criminalisation and over-policing of our communities and ways of opposing the growing “prison society”.
Please arrive on time each time!

Also 31 October & 1 November in Brighton at The Cowley Club – Gathering Against The Prison Society
On the evening of the 31 October there’ll be a fundraising social at the Cowley Club featuring Bristol legends Spanner and Jesus Bruiser, plus Crowzone, and DJ’s from Terra Audio.

EDO Decommissioners update and correction

The 2 Bristol EDO Decommissioners arrested near Manchester on Saturday have been released today, Monday 19 October!

Along with the woman from Brighton who was also arrested for alleged breach of bail, they were in court today in Oldham (apologies, it was not Brighton as we expected). However it seems the prosecution offered no evidence and/or ran out of time, so the case was dismissed. So we can only presume it was some straight up harassment of the 3 defendants by the state, because lets face it if they really wanted to nail them they would have tried a bit harder. But thats good news for now, all 3 should be safely tucked up in their homes by now, getting some well earned rest. Lets be a bit more careful out there next time folks…

Remanded Bristol EDO Decommissioner in court frenzy

The last remaining Bristol EDO Decommissioner on remand, Elijah (James) Smith, is in the midst of a frenzy of court activity these current few weeks. Indeed the court appearances for a variety of cases is hard to keep up with. In fact, we think it’d make far more sense to just let the guy out and write-off all the cases, doesn’t our injustice system have better things to waste their money on? Like corrupt politicians, or murdering arms corporations? Obviously not in this class society!

Repression and Resistance in Socialist Greece

The election of PASOK (Greek socialist party, think NewLabour, but controlled by a family dynasty) in the recent snap general election has, so far, changed absolutely nothing in Greece. The pattern of state repression, and resistance by workers and other social movements, continues.

On a turnout of 71% on 4 October, PASOK got 44%, which means about 160 seats in parliament out of 300. The commies got 21 seats, and a radical left coalition 13 seats. Papandreou, the PASOK leader, took power on 8 October, announcing his government were ‘antiauthoritarians in power’! On the 9 October the police and security forces launched a 3 day invasion of the radical Athens area known as Exarcheia. This saw thousands stopped, searched, humiliated and brutalised on the streets and in bars, clubs and cafes, with well over 100 detained. The 10th saw a protest march in the area. The 8th had seen a smallscale sabotage attack against banks and a fascist bookshop. At the final rally before the election of the soon to be outgoing right-wing Prime Minster, a bomb went off near to him, allegedly planted by radicals. On the 9th October a Pakistani immigrant ‘without papers’ died of wounds inflicted on him by police after being tortured in a police station between 26 to 28 September. He had been wrongfully arrested…but without papers he had no rights, and no right to healthcare. He is one of many migrants to die in the last year. This is life on the streets of Athens, and all major towns in Greece, day after day after day. Resistance, repression, resistance, repression.

Prisoner support letter-writing night and social

with a focus on anti-fascist prisoners this month

Bristol ABC’s regular monthly letter-writing night at Kebele social centre, 14 Robertson Rd, Easton BS5 6JY, from 7 to 9pm. On Wednesday 14 October.

The ongoing struggle against prisons and the prison society

Prisons are in the news this week, and not just because of the shocking statistic that the prison population has increased by 66% since 1995, to  just over 84000 locked up human beings. The main furore has been the call by the Prison Governors to abolish prison sentences of less than 1 year, which is a start…but their call is not driven by a sudden awakening to the concept of freedom. No its down to fear, fear that their overcrowded, corrupt and inhumane institutions are close to exploding, despite the introduction of countless measures since the Strangeways riot in 1990 to ever more control and isolate prisoners.

A gathering against the prison society

On 31st Oct/1st Nov 2009, at the Cowley Club, 12 London Road, Brighton, UK.
2 Days of discussions & presentations about the struggle for liberation, inside and outside of the prison walls. Organised by random anarchists and the Anarchist Black Cross, and in attendance comrades from across Europe. Topics/Themes include:

Prisoner support at the bookfair and comutiny

bookfair mural in the city centre

Bristol ABC prisoner support group will have a stall at this Saturday’s Bristol anarchist bookfair. We’ll have lots of info/advice about supporting prisoners and writing to them, along with lists of prisoners requesting to support. If you are nervous about writing to a prisoner, fear not – we’ll have postcards on the day you can use.

EDO Decommissioners update & benefit bash

As the legal case around the 6 Bristol EDO Decommissioners grows ever more complicated, there’s timely news of another benefit for their support campaign this Friday, 4 September, from 8.30pm at The Plough – see image! These benefits help pay for publicity and research in defence of the six, along with some travel costs and of course prisoner support – Elija (James) Smith is still on remand remember, nearly 8 months in jail without a trial.

Books to Prisoners benefit gig 1st August

Ratface, Mr Van, Puppy Bucket and more!

Benefit for Haven Books to Prisoners

Saturday 1st August
8pm
Bath Buildings, Bristol
£3.50 on the door
more details: http://www.myspace.com/ratfacemuzak