Prisoner support letter writing and social evening

Greek democracy in action right now

This Wednesday 9 December sees our last monthly public letter-writing session of the year, and it’ll be a social too – with food and hot drinks, plenty of time to chat, find out more about supporting political prisoners, and we hope to round off with a 30 minute dvd of anarchic comedy.

Fighting back in Athens 6/12/09

If you would like to show your solidarity with political prisoners in a very simple way, by writing a short card or letter of solidarity, then do come along. The event will run from 7pm for a few hours, at Kebele social centre, 14 Robertson Rd, Easton, Bristol BS5 6JY.

This time of year is difficult for political prisoners, indeed all prisoners, locked away miles from family and friends, so we’ll be sending them solidarity greetings for the winter solstice and new year 2010. We have lists of prisoners in the UK and abroad requesting support, along with cards/envelopes and such like, or bring your own. We will be joined by friends from the Bristol anaimal rights coalition, who will be focusing on the large numbers of prisoners locked up for defending animals’ rights.

Urgent updates:

Elijah (James) Smith

One of the Bristol EDO Decommissioners awaiting trial is still on remand after nearly 11 months, and has recently been moved. Write to Elijah (James) Smith, VP 7551, HMP Lewes, 1 Brighton Rd, Lewes, East Sussex, BN7 1EA

Greece – the situation there is critical, with over 800 detained this last weekend amidst very heavy state repression and police violence, and many hundreds injured. At the very least please protest to the Greek Embassy in London (go to contacts page), or in any other way you feel appropriate. We have contact details for a few prisoners in Greece. For upto date reports, photos and videos from Greece see Occupied London Blog and LibCom News.

Solidarity

Prisoner support fundraising event on 5 December

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!

2010 Solidarity calendar available now

Once again Bristol ABC is delighted to be helping distro ‘Certain Days: the 2010 Freedom For All Political Prisoners Calendar’, which this year has a focus on Indigenous Resistance.

Calendar back cover showing 12 months artwork

This beautiful 44-page calendar is packed with superb full colour artwork, alongside extensive writings on the prisoners, campaigns and communities represented. It includes artwork by Martin Mantxo, the former Bristol street artivist and co-founder of Kebele social centre, who has now returned to his native Basque country (where he remains extremely active and artistic!). If you are looking for the perfect politically conscious gift supporting some vital causes this solstice/new year, then this is it!

Remember Ian Tomlinson dead for 8 months

and still no cops charged over his death

Lots of waffle in the media over the last week about the G20 policing, and various reports and reviews into their misbehaviour have been announced. But a stunning lack of comment or news relating to Ian Tomlinson, the newspaper vendor who died at about 7.25pm on 1 April 2009, just a couple of minutes after being viciously assauled from behind by a member of the Territorial Support Group (TSG – hardcore riot cops).

Ian Tomlinson was dead about 5 minutes later

The Tomlinson Family Campaign have called a candlelit vigil for Tuesday 1 December, from 6pm, at Royal Exchange, by Threadneedle St, London EC3V. This will be exactly 8 months since Ian Tomlinson died.

Prisoner support cafe and film night on 22 November

Bristol ABC prisoner support group takes it turn hosting the weekly Sunday vegan cafe at Kebele social centre, and lobs in a couple of provocative films to wash down the meal.

Recover from Kebele’s birthday bash with us at 14 Robertson Rd, Easton BS5 6JY on Sunday 22 November.

From about 6pm set vegan meal, for a requested donation of 2 quid. All proceeds to cover costs of meal and pay the bills at kebele social centre.

From 7.30pm a couple of cracking films!

Bristol EDO Decommissioner 10 months on remand

10 months ago yesterday, on 18 January 2009, Elijah (James) Smith and 5 other anti-militarists from Bristol were arrested in Brighton. They had spent the previous night decommissioning the EDO/MBM/ITT factory in Brighton, in an attempt to stop it providing parts for weapons being used by the Israeli army to bomb civilians in Gaza. Nobody was injured or harassed during their action, which was one of property damage/sabotage. They did not resist arrest.

Exactly 10 months on and Elijah Smith is still on remand. Yes thats right – 10 months in prison without trial. And it looks as if he is likely to remain in prison until the trial actually starts, probably on 17 May 2010, by which time he’ll have spent 16 months on remand. British justice?

Elijah is currently at Bristol prison, please write to him in solidarity: Elijah Smith VP7551, HMP Bristol, 19 Cambridge Rd, Horfield, Bristol, BS7 8PS

Charges dropped against Swedish activists and anti-fascists

But 2 remain on remand

We got the following news from Stockholm ABC on 13 November: Yesterday, eight of Fittja 10 were released and met with a spontaneous party. We’re glad they’re out again, while continuing to organize the solidarity work for the two who remain incarcerated.

During the preliminary statutory hearing held today, the restrictions for the two were lifted and one of the charges (preparing an arson) dropped for one of them.

4STRUGGLE issue 14 available now on-line

http://bristolabc.files.wordpress.com/2009/11/4sm14collated.pdf

Toronto ABCF is proud to announce that Issue 14 of 4strugglemag is now online!
Check it out at www.4strugglemag.org.

Help keep this project going! Paper copies of each issue are sent to over 200 prisoners, at no cost to them. Get a “solidarity subscription” – one full year of issues for yourself AND for a prisoner for only $30. Or, make a one-time donation to subsidize the costs of photocopying and postage. Donate online or contact us at torontoabcf@gmail.com.

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:

Why prisoner support is important

Prisoner support should be an essential facet of any anarchist’s political activities; yet our prisoner support groups attract so little actual support from our fellow anarchists. Why is this?

The following article has been written by comrades from Brighton ABC, with input from other anarchists including us here in Bristol. The article is due to appear in the special issue of Freedom newspaper to be given out at the London Anarchist Bookfair on 24 October 2009. We think its well worth circulating far more widely….

Why Prisoner Support?
Prisoner support should be an essential facet of any anarchist’s political activities; yet our prisoner support groups attract so little support from our fellow anarchists. Why is this?

Of course, it is natural for us to support someone we are close to, friends and family or even a comrade from ones affinity group, when they are banged up. Yet why do so few anarchists support comrades from within the wider movement, let alone prisoners in general? Mutual aid and solidarity are surely a central tenet of the anarchist ‘belief system’, one brick that any anarchist society should be built upon, yet it is something that often doesn’t extend beyond one’s immediate environment (family/friends/affinity group).