Important petition about NY State Prisoner

Herman Bell has been imprisoned for over 40 years in NY State and the parole
board continues to hold him and look at his behavior and time in prison
instead of the original offense.

Sign at: www.thepetitionsite.com/677/086/596/in-…/

To Chairwoman, Board of Parole, New York State, Tina M. Stanford
Grant parole to New York State prisoner Herman Bell

We are asking that Herman Bell be granted release on parole at his February
2016 hearing

Herman Bell has been in state custody since 1973 and has been denied
release on parole 6 times since he first became eligible in 2004.

Every time Herman has been denied, it has been for the same reason-that
releasing him would undermine the law and deprecate the seriousness of the
crime. Herman has taken responsibility and expressed regret for the
shooting of the police officer and has served 4 decades in prison for this
offense. He is by all accounts, a much different person than he was in 1971
and further incarceration serves no purpose other than vengeance. We
believe Herman has done everything he can to make amends for his crime and
we ask that he be granted parole at his 7th parole hearing in 2016.

While incarcerated, Herman has been a model prisoner and a positive
influence on those around him. He has been a mentor and father-figure to
many young men in prison, helping them take advantage of every academic and
vocational program they can to prepare for release and reintegration into
society. In addition to earning a dual Bachelor of Science degree in
psychology and sociology, and a Masters degree in sociology, Herman has
coached football and basketball in order to have a positive influence on
the many young men he has met during his 4 decades in prison. With Herman’s
help, the Victory Gardens project was established in 1995 with two farmers
in Maine. The project brought together people from diverse lifestyles and
remote locations to plant, grow, tend, harvest, and then distribute the
food free to our communities. This life-giving project enjoyed eight
successful seasons distributing food in Maine, Boston, New Jersey,
Brooklyn, Harlem, and the Bronx.

Herman’s continued denials at the parole board are sadly, not a rarity but
the norm. The number of incarcerated people ages 50+ in New York has
increased 81% from 2000 to 2013, even as the total number of people locked
up has fallen by 23% during the same period. Today, 17% of incarcerated men
and 15% of incarcerated women in the New York prison system are over 50
years of age- roughly 9,000 people. Herman is 67 years old.

This is an unnecessary crisis. Many of these elders should be released. New
York routinely denies parole to elders behind bars, even though they pose
no risk to public safety and are fully prepared to successfully re-enter
and contribute to society. The recidivism rate of people who have served
long sentences for serious felonies is 1.3%—lower than any other category
of those released. Many, like Herman, have records of positive achievement
in prison and are praised by prison officials as peacemakers and role models.

Germany: Attack on the RWE open cast mine at Hambacher Forest

From: http://rabble.org.uk/germany-attack-on-the-rwe-open-cast-mine-at-hambacher-forest/

From some anarchists.

On the night of December 31st we carried out 3 acts of arson and sabotage against the open cast lignite mine operated by RWE at Hambacher Forest.

We set up home made stingers on the road used by the mine security forces to harass and distract them whilst we set fire to various bundles of cables and some wiring boxes by the side of the train tracks which are used to transport brown coal from the mine to nearby power stations. Halting the trains for some time.

Then we put the torch to a telecommunications mast on the edge of the mine and watched from a distance as the entire device went up in flames and continued to burn for over an hour.

And finally, just after midnight we attacked again, setting up more stingers on the security road closer to their compound. We then set fire to a burning barricade of car tyres and a large pile of logs by the roadside to lure security into our traps before retreating again into the forest to the sound of fireworks.

By making use of home made stingers (wooden boards with large nails through them) we send a warm and rebellious embrace to imprisoned anarchist comrade Emma Sheppard on the anniversary of her arrest.

We carried out these attacks in solidarity with the ongoing resistance to the mines expansion from within the Hambacher Forest.

Strength and courage to all anarchist fighters, on the inside and outside.

Happy Black December.

-⁠ some anarchists

Support Anarchist Prisoner Peter Simpson

Pete Simpson was remanded on the 17th December 2015. He is awaiting trial for ‘violent disorder’ after being attacked & arrested by police at an anti-cuts mayday demonstration in Cardiff, South Wales. He is on trial with another co-defendant in January 2016. Pete has spent the last several months with an electronic tag, his freedom severely restricted, and a change of bail address led to the court remanding him to prison.

Please write to Pete at: Peter Simpson A6060CF, HMP CARDIFF, Knox Rd, Cardiff, WALES, CF24 0UG

Stamps, envelopes, writing paper & books are also welcome. As well as any donations. Banner pictures, dedicated actions & other forms of solidarity are also invited from comrades across the world.

We also recommend using emailaprisoner.com if you are writing from abroad.

For any queries please email bristol_abc@riseup.net

For the latest updates visit: https://bristolabc.wordpress.com/support-pete

Call for International Solidarity to the Butzbach Prisoners’ Hunger Strike

In May 2014 the prisoners’ syndicate GG/BO (prisoners’
syndicate/German-wide organisation) was formed in Berlin-Tegel prison.
Ever since, it expanded to more than 70 prisons in Germany and Austria
and over 800 male and female, German and migrant prisoners joined it.
GG/BO is an autonoumous grassroots syndicate for all incarcerated
workers regardless of race and gender. Its main demands are the minimum
wage of 8,50 euros, social insurance and freedom of union to all prisoners.

GG/BO react to the situation of most workers exploited within the German
prison-industrial complex. 45.000 out of 65.000 prisoners work, in 12
out of 16 German federal states they are subject to the compulsion to
work, they are paid one to two euros per hour and strikes as well as
other labour actions are persecuted as mutiny. Beside federal state
administrations, it is local industry and big business that benefit from
the exploitation of cheap prisoners’ labour force in ‘Germany’s China’.

On December 1 two hundred prisoners many of whom are members of GG/BO
went on slowdown and collective hunger strike. Their demands are:

minimum wage of 8,50 euros per hour and unemployment benefits for unemployed prisoners
social insurance
freedom to unionise and recognition of GG/BO as trade union
an end to all repression against GG/BO members and militants
abolition of forced labour
solidarity inside and outside

The days before and after the beginning of the hunger strike, militant
prisoners in Butzbach were subject to severe repression at the hands of
the prison authorities: solitary confinement, cell raids, repeated
transfers, interception and ‘vanishing’ of letters and other material.

Even though GG/BO do not put into question prison in itself and limit
their demands to concrete improvements of living and working conditions
behind bars we support their struggle. For the first time in the history
of anti-prison struggles in Germany, prisoners unite on the basis of
clear class struggle demands. Together with migrants, they belong to the
most devaluated and most precarious part of the working class of
Germany. Butzbach prisoners’ hunger strike is the first open conflict of
GG/BO, the first collective hunger strike of prisoners in Germany in the
last twenty years and an unprecedented escalation of class struggle in
German prisons.

We call on our comrades and all rebellious prisoners abroad to support
the hunger strike of Butzbach prisoners’ by

sending letters to GG/BO spokesperson in Butzbach prison Jürgen

Rößner (Jürgen Rößner / GG/BO-Sprecher JVA Butzbach / Kleeberger Str. 23
/ 35510 Butzbach / Germany)
making known the hunger strike in their cities and prisons
doing actions of solidarity and sending us pictures of those
strengthening your own struggles against exploitation and incarceration

GG/BO solidarity group Jena

gefangenensolijena.noblogs.org/

Petr S. Released from Remand

From: http://antifenix.noblogs.org/post/2015/12/05/petr-s-propusten-z-vazebni-veznice-petr-s-released-from-remand/

Ve středu 2. prosince, v odpoledních hodinách byl z vazební věznice Ruzyně propuštěn Petr S. Petr je obviněný v rámci akce Fénix z trestného činu terorismu – příprava útoku na vlak s vojenským materiálem, který připravili infiltrovaní policejní agenti. Policie Petra vyšetřuje i v dalších případech. O celé kauze už jsme napsali mnoho, mnoho informací je v naší brožuře “Fénix nevstal z popela”, která vyšla v průběhu léta. Více o Petrovi, jeho články a dopisy naleznete v kategorii “Petr S.”

Petr je sice v tuto chvíli mimo zdi vězení, ale jeho případ rozhodně není u konce a stále čeká na soud, který ho může odsoudit na několik dlouhých let. Stejně jako i dalších 7 lidí obviněných při akci Fénix a podobných represích má Petr stále naší plnou podporu.

Petře vítej doma!

---

December 2nd: Petr S., an anarchist who was accused during police operation Fenix for conspiring to prepare a terrorist attack against a train carrying military equipment – attack prepared by two infiltrated police men – was released from custodial jail. Petr has been under investigation for more cases lately. In our pamphlet “Fenix didn’t rise from the ashes” you can read more information about the case. Also more about Petr can be found under the category “Petr S.”

Although Petr is out of prison at the moment, his case isn’t over and he is still awaiting trial. A trial which can send him behind bars for many long years. Like the other 7 people accused during operation Fenix – Petr still has our full support.

Welcome home Petr!

Fundraiser for Eric King raises over £150

A fundraiser for anarchist prisoner Eric King took place in Bristol last night. Over £150 was raised through a vegan dinner, raffle and donated sweets and cider! Thank you so much for everyone’s support. Read more about Eric’s case here.

There was a full stall of anti-prison literature, as well as more information about Eric’s case including some of his moving poems. People wrote cards and took the solidarity picture below.

A message to Eric: You are in our hearts. Solidarity from the west country! We will keep fighting until these prisons are destroyed and until all are free. Thank you for your inspiration and courage. We won’t abandon you.

To get involved in Bristol ABC – like cooking, helping out at events like this – please email bristol_abc@riseup.net

Anarchist Prisoner Eric King Update: Trial Continuance and Mailroom Censorship

From http://SupportEricKing.wordpress.com

We have just received word that Eric’s trial is likely to be continued yet again. Eric’s public defender has entered a motion to continue his trial date until March 8th, so that we can have more time to prepare for trial or otherwise resolve the case. We expect that the judge will grant the motion.

As you may know, it’s been over a year since Eric’s arrest and pre-trial incarceration at CCA Leavenworth (a private prison operated by the Corrections Corporation of America) in Leavenworth, Kansas. Although for Eric and the rest of us it feels like it’s been a very long time, for a trial of this caliber, it’s pretty standard to spend a couple years in prison awaiting trial.

Many warm thank you’s to all those who have been making preparations to come to Kansas City for the trial. We hope to be able to give plenty of notice so that people can make clear plans to attend trial and show their support. We hope that, should Eric’s case go trial, friends and comrades will fill the courtroom.

We are also happy to report that Eric’s mail situation seems to be improving! Thanks to all of the efforts of people across the country to pressure the CCA mailroom to abide by the laws it purport to uphold. Although we dream of a world without “laws” or “rights,” in the meantime we’ll do what we can to keep our friend’s mail out of the trash. Thanks to all those who were willing to join in the effort!

For now, you can help by writing a letter to Eric, hosting a letter-writing night for him, donating money to his legal fund or buying a t-shirt. The road before us is long and expensive and it’s going to take a lot of support to get through it. Again, many thanks to all of you who have continued to show your support throughout this arduous process.

Link to Eric’s Fundraiser
https://fundrazr.com/campaigns/0yo

Eric’s Address:
Eric King
27090045
CCA Leavenworth
100 Highway Terrace
Leavenworth, KS 66048

Italy: Support Silvia, Costa, and Billy, Awaiting New Trial

From contra info

On July 17th 2015, the preliminary hearing against Silvia Guerini, Costantino ‘Costa’ Ragusa and Luca ‘Billy’ Bernasconi took place in Turin, Italy. The three have been previously arrested and jailed for several years in Switzerland, accused of having organised an act of sabotage against a nanotechnology research centre of IBM, under construction at the time. On April 15th 2010, they were stopped and arrested by Swiss police who searched their car and found explosives, as well as leaflets claiming the imminent action under the name ‘Earth Liberation Front Switzerland’.

They have now been indicted according to the article 110 of the Italian penal code, which is used to punish offenses of criminal association. Particularly they’re accused of having conspired together to plan the action in Italy, of having illegally obtained the materials needed to assemble and prepare explosive devices, and of having smuggled such devices between the Italian and Swiss border. All charges include the aggravating circumstance of the ‘purpose of terrorism’, historically used in political trials in Italy to obtain long pretrial detention, and longer prison sentence if found guilty.

[call for support below]

The judge at the preliminary hearing accepted the thesis proposed by the deputy prosecutor Enrico Arnaldi Di Balme and found irrelevant that Billy, Costa and Silvia have already been tried and convicted in the Swiss Confederation.

The trial will commence on January 13th 2016 in Turin. Let’s use it as an occasion to relaunch the struggle against environmental destruction.

In view of the trial, the three comrades are facing a hard time and need to cover several legal expenses, so they’ve shared a call for support. Any help is much appreciated. Donations can be made to: conto corrente postale intestato a (postal current account payable to) Marta Cattaneo, IBAN: IT11A0760111100001022596116, BIC: BPPIITRRXXX. Please specify donation reason: solidarietà a Silvia Billy Costa (solidarity with Silvia Billy Costa).

More info on the case and updates (in Italian):
silviabillycostaliberi.noblogs.org

Bloc Party: Report back from ABC Conference (North America)

From: http://anarchistnews.org/content/bloc-party-report-back-abc-conference

From It’s Going Down

We here at Bloc Party have busy lives. Between the kids, bills, and our escapades as outside agitators, sometimes priorities must shift temporarily to accommodate busy work weeks. Being oh so career-oriented, our lives had to be taken up by our work over the last couple weeks. So we decided to just focus on a humble reportback from this year’s North American Anarchist Black Cross Conference this time around. Don’t worry, we will be back in full capacity in two weeks!

Happening annually for five years, the North American Anarchist Black Cross Conference started off as it traditionally has, with a public panel and discussion from former political prisoners. There was a sizable crowd in attendance to hear the stories and share in discussion with five formerly imprisoned comrades from different struggles in the US. Immediately following the panel around 50 organizers and former political prisoners from across North America headed out to spend three solid days discussing their work, building existing networks of solidarity and creating new connections to further that work.

This year there was a notable and increased presence of collectives and groups working on broader issues of community defense and prison abolition, with many debates and conversations on how to further connections and working relationships between more general anti-prison struggles and political prisoner work. Shout outs to folks from the Free Alabama Movement, the Lucasville Uprising, Support Prisoner Resistance, WEBS of Support, and IWOC for the solid work and perspectives they bring to the table. While there have been victories in the fight to free political prisoners this year in the US, there have also been loses, as moments of silence and acknowledgement of the loss of Yogi Bear and Phil Africa, among others, were consistently on people’s minds throughout the conference.

General legal and movement strategies were discussed around how to get political prisoners free, what legal methods have worked recently, and what ones haven’t. There were also several positive workshops and discussions on the way internal dynamics can play out and effect the work that people do. Whether that is political disagreements and oppressive behaviors between prisoners and their supporters, or more internal to folks on the outside attempting to work together to support people on the inside. The discussions generally maintained a respectful and humble tone, with acknowledgement that for many, there are no easy answers to these questions. There seemed to be deepening analysis of State strategies to divide and weaken communities in resistance. Our enemies exploiting contradictions and conflicts internally to groups in struggle is something that more and more folks seem to have direct experience with, and this is a sign to your humble authors that these discussions need to be had more often, with more thoughtfulness and care for our comrades. Behind bars or not.

The work of prisoner support and prison abolition is a massive undertaking. All hands on deck are truly needed. Starting up some prisoner support in your town with your crew can be as simple as getting together a few times a month to write letters over coffee or food. But, if you’re interested in connecting with ongoing organizing, check out some of the above mentioned projects, organizations or collectives.

Also, it is certainly worth mentioning that the Crimethinc To Change Everything tour is headed out West as we write this. Check out the upcoming dates and be sure to wrangle some comrades to roll with. The tour includes anarchists from across Europe, the US and South America speaking about their own contexts at home. Having been around the anarchy bloc a few times, we can say we’re a little jaded. But, this tour even has us inspired as fuck.

Now for what has been going down on the inside over the last two weeks:

NYC ABC just published their newest version of the “Illustrated Guide to Political Prisoners and Prisoners of War” and it’s available for viewing and download! This update includes updated mini-bios, photos, and address changes for several prisoners. This list is a fantastic resource to get your own letter writing going on your own or with your friends.

Sean Swain forwarded this letter from his former neighbor at SOCF in hopes of rounding up some support for his friend:

Swain- Thanks man- I received lots of love and support- I can’t even respond to all of these letters- so I wrote 12 people back and ask them to send my appreciation to everyone else that wrote.

Listen- these people are out of control up here. Sunday the 13th they actually put the dude that broke my jaw like 5 cells down from me on the same medical range! Man this was not supposed to happen for sure- he was talking all kinds of crazy shit over the range- he was on suicide watch- then some CO was working- said “Hey! That guy can’t be up here- he assaulted Mahone!” so they quickly moved him Monday morning…

They know we got a separation man- but somebody wanted to let him rub it in and fuck with me.

I want somebody in trouble for that shit! Plus- I just had a blood test and it came back that I have some kind of staph infection from either here or OSU but- as I complained about the pain over two weeks ago- the DOC kept saying it’s on the Tylenol 3. Now I’m fucked up more- having trouble pissing and I’m always sweating hard and headaches. They put me on anti-biotics today 9-14-2015.

I need for you to push for me a website we talked about before- I did it once and only raised a few bucks, like $34.00. I need for you to help me raise enough $ for a lawyer- I need to really sue these people man. So I need a go fund me page and see if I can get something done about this.

Thanks Man!

PS tell people to send envelopes- I don’t have anymore to respond.

If you would like to write to Mahone, his address is:

Robert Mahone

255225

SOCF

P. O. Box 45699

1724 St. Rt. 728

Lucasville, Ohio 45699

You can include up to three embossed envelopes so he can reply.

While there have been some major wins coming out of Pelican Bay in the last month, there has also been retaliation coming from the prison and State. Fuck that. The prison is using supposed “suicide checks,” as a form of torture. Let this bullshit ass warden know to cut the shit and end this practice immediately:

Demand that the noisy, aggressive checks stop.
Contact Warden Clark E. Ducart, Pelican Bay State Prison,
P.O. Box 7000, Crescent City, CA 95531-7000
CDucart@cdcr.ca.gov (707) 465–1000 ext. 9040
Please bcc your message to phssreachingout@gmail.com or email us stating, “I called Ducart.”

If you are on Facebook, “like” the page, Prisoner Hunger Strike Solidarity and check out the event page, Statewide Coordinated Actions To End Solitary Confinement

In awesome news:

After a year of false imprisonment, Yaqui water rights defender Mario Luna was released from prison. Earlier a judge ordered the release of Mario, tribal secretary of Vicam Yaqui, and Mexico refused.

During the Vicam Yaqui highway barricade in the community, Mario was spokesman for Vicam Yaqui Pueblo. Yaqui Spokesmen Mario Luna and Fernando Jimenez Guiterrez were abducted and imprisoned. Jimenez was released in August.

You can learn more about Learn more about the Yaqui’s fight for water and territory.

Back on September 23rd folks gathered outside the Menard Correctional Center in Chester, Illinois for a noise demo in solidarity with the initiation of a hunger strike on the inside. Folks on the inside are asking for support from those of us on the outside. Send a letter or make a call in support of these prison rebels! Also, while some folks might feel like a noise demo is a wasted effort this part of the report back is worth noting:

The separation between prison and the outside must blur more and more, especially if there are some of us who might someday find ourselves inside such cages. The noise demonstration—a tactic that is employed by anarchists and radicals all across the world—is a direct form of communication that helps to slightly break the physical barriers of prison down in the way that allows us to actually hear and sometimes see each other. For anyone who has ever been locked up in prison or jail and all the confusion it entails, just to see a face or a hear a friendly voice to break through the isolation is enough to boost spirits.

Having done noise demos ourselves at the prisons and jails near us, we can tell you how much it means to folks inside. It doesn’t take too many people, just loud ones. Don’t know of a prison uprising happening near you? Maybe, just maybe, some loud and rowdy solidarity creeping through the prison walls inspires one.

Until next time keep your heads up and your fists pounding the prison walls,

– Your friendly career bad kids

 

Originally posted to It’s Going Down

Germany: Hambach Forest Defender Jus Has Been Released!

From Earth First! Newswire

After 2 and a half month pre-trial detention Hambacher forest defender and Info-shop Library person Jus has been released on Friday Oct 2, following a guilty verdict with probation for  allegedly breaking a bulldozer windshield and causing bodily harm which occurred when the driver claimed he strained his neck trying to avoid an object which according to court documents has never as much as touched him.  Yet for over 70 days, 23 of which Jus was on a hunger strike, he has been under constant observation, with mail delayed for up to a month and being heavily monitored, and now he is facing a 3 year probation with suspension of 7 month sentence this with no prior criminal record in Germany.   This treatment shows the reality of extreme energy protectionism, with green scare oppression tactics being well established and that instead of addressing pressing ecological, climate and social issues the local regime is content with progressing the militarization of law enforcement, criminalization of more and more forms of protest and maximum detention and sentencing of activists due to dubious testimonies by the employees of  the very same corporation that is wiping out regional wildlife habitats while also destabilizing the climate.

At the trial over 60 supporters were present with the trial having to be moved to a larger courtroom.  During the trial Jus spoke about the ecological destruction and climate chaos caused by RWE lignite company that goes unpunished as their employees testify in the courtroom against environmental activists who confront those issues.

After the trial Jus joined the Hambacher Forest activists in front of the courthouse for food and snacks and came back to the Hambach Forest.
Here is a statement from Jus following his release:

On the first morning of my freedom I woke up and before I even opened my eyes I was full of dread of this being another day of my confinement, intimidation and isolation, only to open my eyes and out a window of a tree house, see a panorama of trees and sky surrounding me.  During my imprisonment it was the mail that many of you have sent me, with poems, art, stickers and articles that was like these trees and birds that now surround me again.  You were a reminder of life, energy and high spirits and helped me incredibly to continue my struggle.  Thank You All!!!