URGENT ACTION ALERT: Stop the targeting of anarchist prisoner Toby Shone

What has been happening?

All mail and books sent in to Toby Shone at HMP Bristol is being withheld from him under orders of right-wing Senior Officer Steve Sollars. This officer has decided to target anarchist prisoner Toby Shone after googling his case and after Toby refused to continue attending this screw’s workshop (as of February 9) due to the racist, politically motivated and denigrating abuse he and other prisoners were subjected to by said officer.

The Correspondence Department are now claiming that Toby has no mail, including legal correspondence. We know this isn’t true!

We are asking people to bombard the prison with mail for Toby and to complain to HMP Bristol to stop the abuse and targeting of Toby.

Write to Toby

Remember to put a name and address on the back, and if you can afford to, please send it via the Royal Mail Signed For service so that you can see it has been delivered via the tracking number. Toby replies to every letter he is sent IF he receives it.

Toby Shone A7645EP

HMP Bristol

19 Cambridge Road

Bristol

BS7 8PS

Contact HMP Bristol

Express your concerns about the targeting of Toby Shone.
Governor James Lucas

Email: James.Lucas@

hmps.gsi.gov.uk

Tel: 0117 3723100

Tweet: @HMPBristol

Callout for involvement

Looking for something to get stuck into in the new year? We may have just the thing!

Bristol Defendant Solidarity has been working since 2011 to support defendants facing charges from demonstrations and actions in Bristol and beyond. We provide active solidarity and unconditional support to anyone going through the courts as a result of involvement in social movements and struggle.

This support includes help with case and court preparation, finding witnesses, help with travel costs and fines and organising solidarity demos. We organise know your rights sessions and skillshares to prepare for demos and actions as well as providing police station support for arrestees.

We understand that if people feel supported they are more likely to stay involved despite the hassle from the authorities and their punitive processes designed to keep us off the streets. BDS maintains a radical perspective and is opposed to the state “justice” system and its enforcers.

We need more people to be involved and share the vital work of standing together in the face of repression. Antirepression and solidarity work is everyone’s responsibility. There are lots of tasks and roles. Anyone interested can contact us; we’ll arrange to meet and chat about our work in more detail. Get in touch and get involved! bristoldefendantsolidarity at riseup dot net

International call out April 17-23, 2017 for decentralized actions in solidarity with comrades accused of bank-robbery in Aachen (Germany)

In 2015, a comrade from Amsterdam was arrested. She was accused of having participated in a robbery in 2013 against the Aachener bank in Aachen. After a few months spent in preventive and several weeks of trial, she was finally acquitted and released. Nevertheless, it can be assumed that the Aachen Prosecutor’s Office will appeal this verdict and go to the revision court.

In April and June 2016, two other comrades, this time from Barcelona, were arrested and incarcerated by the spanish state, accused by the same prosecution office of having participated in another bank robbery. The two were then extradited to germany in June 2016, where they have since been under the U-Haft regime (investigative preventive prison). The trial against them began in January 2017 in the Aachen Justice complex and it is scheduled to run until May 22, 2017.

It does not come as a surprise to us that those who oppose and fight against the misery of this world forged on domination are attacked, prosecuted and punished. We are not interested in discussing about guilt or innocence, it is the language that belongs to our enemies and we refuse it. Our enemies follow the logic of separation and categorization of individuals, in order to then have the possibility of locking up the undesirables. We share with the accused comrades an aversion to this system, and towards the prison system which perpetuates the distinction between good citizens and those who deserve to be punished.

We hate all the repressive infrastructures of all States, just as all the far-reaching tentacles of the Church, with its long tradition of oppression. The Church is part of the State, linked directly to banks and participating in the maintenance of the control that is imposed on us daily.

Considerable steps have been taken in the development and the role of repression in our daily lives. New technologies and progress in the deciphering of DNA, biometric analysis, surveillance cameras, …. So many instruments used to study, scrutinize and control. They also represent part of the structure, part of our enemy, against which we take a position and which we want to destroy.

The collaboration of the police, judges and investigators from different States is an old strategy that has been updated in Europe to contribute to a faster, clearer and more cruel Capitalist system.

With our veins filled with rage, strength and courage, we set off to the streets. Reinforced with every repressive blow, we stand by our comrades. We show them through the continuation of our struggles and through our solidarity the desire for the destruction of a system we do not want or need.

This is a call to solidarity with the anarchists accused of robbery in Aachen. It is a call to maintain the links between the rebels and the oppressed wherever possible throughout the world.

We use our instruments to sabotage and attack, destroying the structure of power. We use our imagination to express our solidarity in all its variations while our passion inspires us to continue our struggles.

We therefore call to express solidarity with the comrades in the week between April 17th to 23rd.

Nothing is finished, our struggles continue! Until all are free!
Solidarity with comrades on trial in Aachen.

Freedom for them! Freedom for all!
For revolt! For anarchy!

February 2017

Monthly letter writing is back!

On the 1st Sunday of the month, starting this Sunday 5th of February, Bristol ABC will be at Kebele during dinner with prisoner lists, writing materials and advice. Come and join us in writing to established friends and making new ones!

Letter writing is an often undervalued way of building links with those struggling inside the prison walls. Let them know we haven’t forgotten them and are fighting for them outside!

Prison strike organiser Kinetik Justice is in danger for his life

On October 21, 2016 Robert Earl Council (aka Kinetik Justice Amun) went
on a Hunger Strike based on threats against his life from the Alabama
Department of Corrections (ADOC) administration and staff. He was
transferred to a supermax facility, and water was shut off in his cell
in an effort to force him out of his hunger strike. His transfers
happened after the media exposed the ADOC during a nationwide prison
strike to demand changes to prison conditions and unpaid labor.

As of November 8, 2016, Kinetik Justice is in danger for his life, and
organisers are calling for action.

Kinetik has been inside for over 22 years and is a co-founder of the
Free Alabama Movement which has organized successful work stoppages to
demand basic human rights and has provided education and legal support
to hundreds of incarcerated people.

CALL WITH DEMANDS TODAY: Call the Alabama Department of Corrections and
Alabama Governor Robert Bentley’s office demanding 1) that Kinetik
Justice be transferred from Limestone Correctional Facility; and 2) that
Pastor Kenneth Glasgow of The Ordinary People’s Society be allowed to
visit him and assess his condition immediately.

Alabama Department of Corrections
Montgomery, Alabama
(334) 353-3883 [1]
webmaster@doc.alabama.gov

Governor Robert Bentley
600 Dexter Avenue
Montgomery, AL 36130
(334) 242-7100 [2]

FOR MORE INFORMATION SEE:

https://freealabamamovement.wordpress.com/

http://theordinarypeoplesociety.org/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZuuFZDq9Yk

http://youtu.be/7L_h2nVceJc

Week of Actions in Solidarity with the Prison Strike and Beyond

So the week of action in solidarity with US struggles against prison slavery has just ended, and on a morning walk around Troopers Hill Park one of our collective spotted this banner, which had been hung on the old mine tower!

In case you can’t see the picture very well, it says “solidarity with incarcerated workers and all prisoners in struggle” This tower overlooks much of southeast Bristol, bringing the ongoing strike and prison struggles to the attention of 1000s of residents (as well as the many dog walkers that pass through the park every day).

 

 

Originally published to It’s Going Down

On September 9th, people all over the world answered the call for a strike against prison slavery. Prisoners all over the U.S. began hunger and work strikes, while on the outside supporters took action to express their solidarity. However, despite outside support quieting down significantly after the first weekend, prisoners continue to struggle fiercely against their conditions.

Three weeks into the strike, a call was published for renewed actions in solidarity with the prison strike. While it emphasized the arbitrary nature of any particular day or week of action, for simplicity’s sake the authors suggested October 15th-22nd as the week to concentrate actions.

This page will collect actions in solidarity with the prison strike that took place around this time frame, regardless of whether they were inspired by this particular call or not. You can view a list of events planned for the week here, and remember you can submit communiques anonymously to It’s Going Down here.

October 8th

Lucasville, OH: Graffiti painted. Communique with photo here.

October 13th

Lansing, MI: Rally in solidarity with queer & trans prisoners. Report with photos here.

Lansing, MI

October 15th

Berlin, Germany: Banner dropped, flyers scattered. Communique with photos here.

Melbourne, Australia: Posters wheatpasted on corporations that profit from prison labor. Report with photos here.

Merced, CA: Noise demonstration outside the county jail, site of an ongoing hunger strike. Report back with video here.

Merced, CA

Minneapolis, MN: Posters wheatpasted. Communique with photos here.

October 16th

Mexico City, Mexico: Incendiary attack. Communique in spanish here.

October 17th

Jena, Germany: Banner dropped during spontaneous housing occupation. Report on the occupation in german here.

Jena, Germany

October 18th

Philadelphia, PA: Graffiti spotted in solidarity with the strike. Photo here.

October 19th

Heraklion, Greece: Radio station occupied. Communique in greek here.

Philadelphia, PA: UPS lockers vandalized with paint. Communique here.

Rome, Italy: Graffiti painted. Communique with more photos here.

October 21st

Bern, Switzerland: Courthouse paint bombed. Communique with a photo here.

Bern, Switzerland

Jena, Germany: Rally outside McDonalds. Report back here.

October 22nd

Minneapolis, MN: Noise demonstration outside youth jail. Report back here.

Madras, OR: Noise demonstration outside Deer Ridge prison. Report back with photos here.

October 23rd

Austria: Poster published. Download it here.

October 24th

Denver, CO: Posters wheatpasted, McDonald’s ads and Trump lawn signs vandalized. Communique here.

Denver, CO: Starbucks vandalized. Communique here.

Denver, CO

Shut Down Yarl’s Wood, shut down all immigration detention centres!

On the 10th of September, Movement for Justice is organising the 9th Surround Yarl’s Wood demonstration, calling for the closure of the racist prison Yarl’s Wood and all immigration prisons:

END the Hostile Environment & STOP the scapegoating of immigrants
STOP deportations & mass charter flights
BUILD community resistance to immigration raids

Buy your ticket for the Bristol coach before Monday (money is needed to
secure the coach booking)-
http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/bristol-to-yarlswood-shut-it-down-100916-tickets-27262143806

Message from Movement For Justice:

‘On 10th September 2016 we return to Yarl’s Wood immigration detention
centre in force – join us in a movement that can bring an end to the
hated, rotten, racist system of detention! The demonstrations and
resistance inside Yarl’s Wood have been the most important fight in
Britain for women’s rights and for immigrants rights, because they have
been inspiring – because the people in this struggle are fighting to win
the most basic of demands as human beings.

The next National Demonstration at Yarl’s Wood is for ALL those held
like cattle in the UK’s detention system around the country. For ALL
looking to break out from under the shadow of detention. It is for ALL
those at the borders of Europe challenging the cynical leaders a
demanding in real life the promise of democracy and freedom, of which
sanctuary is fundamental.

The MFJ, and our friends and allies around the country organising for
justice and equality and fighting racism, we have been breaching the
walls and fences of detention centres, reaching inside with chants of
FREEDOM. Our detainees friends, partners in struggle, though locked up
have made their voices ring out.

PLEASE NOTE: IF we dont raise enough money through ticket sales and
Bristol specific donations we cannot go ahead and book a bristol coach
as we do not have enough money in MFJ to cover the cost. We have a coach
company who is holding a coach at the cost of £640 untill the @29th
AUGUST – if we do not raise at least £500 by the 29th we will have to
cancel the coach and refund everyones money  – SO GET YOUR TICKET NOW
AND GET YOUR FRIENDS BUYING THEIRS BEFORE THE 29th!!!! We need to sell
36 tickets before 29th!!!!’

SHUT IT DOWN, SHUT THEM ALL DOWN!!!!!!!

Please share

mfj@ueaa.net, 07930 302 263
facebook.com/movementforjustice
@followmfj

Prisoner letter writing, Friday 26th August

As part of the Week of Solidarity with Anarchist prisoners, we will be having a letter writing night at our usual venue, Hydra Bookshop. Come along and learn about anarchists imprisoned in the UK and abroad, and sign a card in support of libertarian struggles. See you there!

Protest against Close Supervision Centre system: 21st July

A secret world exists within the high security prison estate in England, known as the Close Supervision Centre (CSC) system. The dehumanisation of CSC prisoners begins at a very early stage, in the official justification for the creation of the CSC system, which focuses on the need to contain a new breed of unmanageable and unpredictable risks. It continues with the creation of classificatory categories of ‘dangerousness’ which objectify prisoners and make more of the category and less of the human in them, and it is reinforced by the tightly controlled and highly regulated routines.In addition to isolation and extremely restricted movements, prisoners’ in-cell belongings are carefully regulated and subjected to relentless scrutiny and inspection. Prisoners remain in CSC units for years, decades even, made frustrated, angry and bored by their experiences with few avenues to vent their anger and with almost no opportunities to advance through the system. All perceived acts of disobedience or non-compliance by CSC prisoners, even of the most petty kind, are responded to brutally by gangs of prison officers clad in full riot gear who show no mercy when demonstrating their authority and power, sanctioned by Prison Service management at the highest levels. Rather than controlling violence, as it officially aims to do, this hyper-controlled environment breeds it.Having now spent six years subject to the unofficial punishment of allocation to the CSC myself, it is clear that without real pressure to force the required change nothing but more negative and oppressive measures will be added.

Please lend your support for the abolition of the CSC system by attending the protest demonstration: 21 July between 12.30pm and 2.30pm outside the offices of the Prison Ombudsman and Independent Monitoring Board,  Rose Court, 2 Southwark Bridge, London SE1 9HS.

Kevan Thakrar
A4907AE
Close Supervision Centre,
HMP Wakefield,
5 Love Lane,
Wakefield WF2 9AG
http://www.justiceforkevan.com
Facebook: JusticeForKev

Witness Callout – Bristol Antifascist Protest (October 2015)

Were you at College Green on 17th October 2015? Several people were arrested and we need to find witnesses for the defence.

If you saw any what happened during any of the arrests, please call Bristol Defendant Solidarity on 077467 41104, or email bristoldefendantsolidarity (at) riseup.net

Please share this callout!