Showing newest 27 of 76 posts from June 2008. Show older posts
Showing newest 27 of 76 posts from June 2008. Show older posts

Monday, June 30, 2008

Aug. 2nd-ProLibertad COOKOUT AT HIGHLAND POOLS!

The ProLibertad Freedom Campaign
http://www.prolibertadweb.com
ProLibertad@hotmail.com
ProLibertad hotline: 718-601-4751
_______________________________________________________________

Join ProLibertad on our annual Freedom Cook out to HighLands Pool in Ringwood, New Jersey!!

Enjoy the sun, fun and relaxation of

HighLands Pool!! Bring your swimming trunks for the cool and refreshing Chemical-free mountain stream-fed pool!!

We will have DELICOUS BORICUA FOOD, FUN,

MUSIC,DOMINOES, GAMES, SPORTS and RELAXATION!!

Saturday Aug. 2nd, 2008 at 9am!! Get on the Bus!!

Meet at the corner of w179th St. and Broadway at 9am to catch one of our Freedom Vans to HighLand Pools!!

Transportation from NYC ($10), Entrance to HighLand Pools ($5) and Food ($5); all together $20 (Adults) $15 for (Children)

Contact ProLibertad to reserve a seat on our Freedom Bus by calling the ProLibertad hotline: 718-601-4751

Friday, June 27, 2008

Report on NY Puerto Rican grand jury proceedings today

From:    "Political Prisoner News" <ppnews@freedomarchives.org>
Date: Fri, June 27, 2008

Report on what happened in court today on the
grand jury subpoenas of Tania Frontera and Christopher Torres:

Tania Frontera and Christopher Torres appeared in
court today with their National Lawyers Guild
attorneys Martin Stolar and Susan Tipograph. Also
in court were National Lawyers Guild attorneys
Alan Levine and Jeffrey Rothman on behalf of the
National Boricua Human Right Network [NBHRN] and
the Comite Pro Derechos Humanos de Puerto Rico on
their Motion to Intervene in the Motion to Quash.

The pleadings in the case had been placed under
seal by the clerk of the court, certainly not at
the request of Tania, Christopher, the NBHRN or the Comite.

Judge Amon set the following schedule:

By Wednesday July 2, the government is to file:
1. Brief re: open/closed courtroom/under seal pleadings;
2. Response to 18 U.S.C. §3504 to affirm or deny
the Witness' claim that the subpoena and the
questions propounded by the grand jury are the
product of illegal surveillance conducted pursuant to Title III;
3. Response to Motion to Intervene.

By Wednesday July 2, the subpoenaed independentistas are to file:
1. Brief re: open/closed courtroom/under seal pleadings.

By Tuesday July 8, the subpoenaed independentistas are to file:
1. Reply to government's response to Motion to Intervene.

On Monday July 28 at 10:30 a.m., the parties are to appear in court.




Freedom Archives
522 Valencia Street
San Francisco, CA 94110

415 863-9977

www.Freedomarchives.org Questions and comments may be sent to
claude@freedomarchives.org

URGENT CAMPAIGN! BASHIR HAMEED – HELP HIS WIFE VISIT HIM

From:    "ashanti Alston" <nationaljericho@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, June 27, 2008
June 26, 2008

NATIONAL JERICHO URGENT CAMPAIGN!

Re: BASHIR HAMEED – HELP HIS WIFE VISIT HIM

To all Jericho chapters, allies and friends:

As you probably know, the health situation of political prisoner and former Black Panther Party member Bashir Hameed (s/n James York) is in crisis. As of June 25, Bashir had significant/visible blood in the urine and was told by the prison physician assistant at Comstock that he'd be sent to see a doctor today. Bashir, who had a coronary bypass operation about 18 months ago, has also had blood in his stool and has not received the colonoscopy he was scheduled for. Furthermore, Bashir's niece, Courtney York MD, saw him last week and was quite alarmed by the ongoing denial of adequate medical care for him. Efforts are underway to intensify the campaign for adequate medical treatment and transfer to a prison where he will receive better care. Bashir's wife Florence, who lives in Texas, is now planning to travel to New York in order to be near him. Florence is in need of financial support to make this trip, rent a car and secure a place to stay.

After receiving calls and making calls to several Jericho folks and old-time comrades of Bashir's, we (National Jericho's co-chairs) are asking folks to help Florence Walker (Mrs. Bashir Hameed) by contributing whatever $$ you can to the kitty. We want to lighten as much of her $$ burden as possible. If you can do this with "urgency," as we don't want to take any chances procrastinating around Bashir's condition, folks can send a check to:


FLORENCE WALKER

Note/memo: For Mrs. Bashir Hameed

You can address it to:

Florence Walker
c/o Yasmin Sutton
112-50 Northern Blvd. # 2D
Corona, NY 11368

Yasmin is a long-time comrade of Bashir's from the Corona branch of the Black Panther Party who works closely with Jericho and for Bashir for years. She will be able to deliver checks to Florence immediately due to the fact that Florence will be in New York. Yasmin will also keep a copy and total of all checks sent for records.

Under pressure, we will come through for our Freedom Fighter. We are coming through NOW.

FREE ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS

SUPPORT FLORENCE'S JOURNEY TO COMSTOCK PRISON

A QUICK AND SAFE RECOVERY FOR BASHIR HAMEED


Ashanti Alston & Kazi Toure

Co-chairs, National Jericho Amnesty Movement


THIS FILE IS ALSO ATTACHED. PLEASE CONTRIBUTE TO THE KITTY AND SPREAD THIS FAR AND WIDE!




NATIONAL_JERICHO_Bashir.doc [~23K]

Peltier Statement for the 2008 Oglala Commemoration

From: contact@whoisleonardpeltier.info
June 26, 2008

Greetings my relatives,

I say relatives because you are all my family. I am honored,
greatly honored today that you would listen to my words and come
together in this way so that our future generations' will not forget
what happened here in this land.

You can't imagine how much I miss walking on the bare earth.
Or brushing against a tree branch or hearing birds in the morning
or seeing an antelope or deer cross my path. I have been here in
federal prison for 32 years; if you could imagine being in your own
home stuck in one room for one year without leaving it, multiply
that by 32 and you might have some idea of how imprisonment plays
on your feelings. I really get tired sometimes living here in this
cell, this prison. Yet at times I feel really good because for
some reason I know that there are those out there who have prayed
for me in some way. And it helps me because there are moments when
a peaceful feeling will wash over me in my solitude.

I try to keep up with world events like the war in Iraq, where
those people are going through the same thing our Indian people went
through and over the same things. The US wants their resources and
they have divided those people against each other. Those children
over there and families for generations will still feel the effects
of that onslaught of destruction.

When I look at our own people's situation I see a people who have
not recovered from the destruction put upon them in the past.
Today, the greater society of America doesn't want to accept us
for who we are because we will always stand as a reminder of the
immoral wrongs that they do and have done all over the world, all
in the name of technology and progress. Our people have told them
from the very beginning about the consequences of mistreatment of
individuals and mistreatment of Mother Earth. There are history
books that quote our chief headmen and medicine people cautioning
them about there destruction of the earth and nature.

We know the first concentration camps America ever had held Indian
prisoners. The first biological warfare was used on our people with
poisonous blankets. The first atomic bomb dropped was dropped on
Indian land in Nevada. Today there are abandoned uranium quarries in
Navajo country that cause genetic defects on a lot of their people.
When you look into the past, America has used us Indians as their
social experiment. They tried to destroy us with boarding schools,
relocation, and even the first slavery practice was with American
people. However Indian people would fight or commit suicide than
to become slaves, and so they imported Africans.

Forgive me if I am repeating things you already know, but I just
wanted to bring these things up because these are the reasons behind
the Wounded Knee takeover in 73 happened and the shootout at Oglala
happened. Our people were not just taking a stand against this
government for themselves; they in essence represented Indian people
all across the Americas. Our resistance wasn't to kill anyone;
our resistance was to remain alive while we let the world know what
had been and what was being done to us, the Indigenous people.

I know for a fact from communication all around the world, that we
Indian people inspired many other indigenous people to stand up and
defend themselves because of our actions. I have gotten letters
from all over the world where people said "if the native Americans
can stand up to people like that being in the belly of the beast,
surely we can do likewise in some way."

I recognize that my being here isn't all about me; my continued
imprisonment in essence serves as a warning to others willing
to stand up for their people. The US has violated their own
constitution they violated the treaties we had with them, they
violated all kinds of moralities to bring about my conviction.
The average non Indian American either doesn't know or couldn't
care less. As long as they can keep their high standard of living
our struggles mean nothing to them. Most recently other nations
have raised the issues of America's mistreatment of the people
in the concentration camp in Guantanamo; issues of lack of a fair
trial, issues of physical, mental abuse and of sanctioned torture of
prisoners. I want to also mention that our people were the first to
be tortured by this government and we were the first to be victims
of scalping by the Europeans. The colonizers were paying for our
men, woman and children's scalps.

I may sound angry in what I am saying, but all this goes back to
why we are here today. We must not forget what has happened in
the past but we must also find a way to heal from those things
that have happened and be stronger in the future. We need to heal
our families; we need to heal our family's structures so that what
happened to our people in the past can't happen to us again. For
several generations our children were shipped off to boarding
schools which destroyed their understanding of family and family
responsibilities, and you think of the statistics today facing
this, they don't have to kill us anymore with guns, our children
and adults both are killing themselves.

Again, like I said before we have not healed from the destruction
that was put upon us, I know each one of us can be better than what
we are, it takes effort, it takes getting back to our ceremonies,
it takes getting back to our respect for one another, the earth,
the Creator and our respect for our brothers' and sisters' vision.
It takes men being men and being strong fathers and uncles and
grandfathers and brothers, not just as a matter of birth but as a
matter of responsible behavior. It also takes our women to stand
as the strong mothers they were meant to be and the sisters,
grandmothers and aunties. We need to repair ourselves and not
wait for some grant from the government to tell us or guide us in
our recovery. We need to take that responsibility ourselves and
mend the sacred hoop.

Again I want to say as I have said many times in the past, though
my body is locked into this cell, my heart and soul is with you
today. In closing I would like to acknowledge the loss of our brother
Vernon Belcourt and the great loss of my brother Floyd Westerman, a
tireless advocate for Indigenous rights I'm sure that he as well as
many others, who like him devoted their time and energies to better
the conditions our people face, are here with us today in spirit.
We have no guarantees of the time of our own passing but until that
time or my time I will miss them greatly as I miss you my family. Be
kind to one another, and remember my words; for I have spoken to
you from my heart of hearts. And you will always be in my prayers.

In the spirit of Crazy Horse and every Indian man or person that
stood for their people,

Doksha


Leonard Peltier

Support the Open Letter Campaign to Stop the SF8 Prosecution

From:    "SF-8 case" <cdhrsupport@freedomarchives.org>
Date: Thu, June 26, 2008

Attached please find a copy of an Open Letter to Attorney General
Jerry Brown, the person who has the power to stop the prosecution of
the SF 8.

The Open Letter references the International Call, initiated by
Desmond Tutu, and I am attaching a copy of the International Call, as
well. You will also find this on the SF 8 website.

This is what we are asking:

1. Please ask influential or leaders you may have access to or
other progressive people that you know to sign on to the letter.
2. Please do NOT send the letter to Jerry Brown.
3. Please DO send the names of the people who wish to sign to me to
compile for the committee. (jsiff@sbcglobal.net)
4. Please include the name and title or descriptive phrase by which
the person wishes to be identified.

July and August are the critical months for this project. We want to
be prepared to deliver and publicize the results of this support for
the onset of the Preliminary Hearing in the beginning of September.

Open Letter to Attorney General Jerry Brown:
Drop the Charges Against the SF 8!

I am writing to join with the Nobel Peace Laureates Desmond Tutu and
Mairead Corrigan Maguire, as well as Cynthia McKinney, Danny Glover,
Cindy Sheehan and others in an international call to drop the charges
against the SF 8.

The eight are elders and activists formerly associated with the Black
Panther Party who have devoted their lives to serving their
communities. Four are local to California. Richard Brown and
Richard O'Neal are from San Francisco and have been known and deeply
respected in social service circles for over 20 years. Hank Jones and
Ray Boudreaux are well known and loved community activists in the Los
Angeles area.

Prosecution of the case against these men is now over 37 years old.
Although this is a California state and not a county prosecution, the
cost of the case, which is in the millions, is being borne by the
City of San Francisco at the precise moment when vital services are
in jeopardy due to lack of funds.

Previous attempts to prosecute these men in the 1970's were dismissed
when it was revealed that so-called "confessions" were the product of
torture by the New Orleans police department.

The SF Board of Supervisors has already gone on record as opposing
torture. I call on all officials to do so as well, to reject
prosecution based on the results of torture, and to do everything in
your power to re-establish the priority of serving the needs of the
communities of San Francisco and the State of California.

People in the Bay Area have a proud history of defending human rights
and social justice. I urge Attorney General Jerry Brown to drop the
case against the SF 8 now.

_______________________________________________
Please support these brothers by sending a donation. Make checks payable
to CDHR/Agape and mail to the address below or donate on line:

www.freethesf8.org/donate.html

Committee for the Defense of Human Rights (CDHR)
PO Box 90221
Pasadena, CA 91109
(415) 226-1120
FreetheSF8@riseup.net

www.freethesf8.org

Thursday, June 26, 2008

Daniel McGowan moved again

From: "Family + Friends of Daniel McG" <friendsofdanielmcg@yahoo.com>
Date: Wed, June 25, 2008

Dear friends,
Daniel has been moved to a county jail in Madison. Please write him at:

Daniel McGowan
Dane County Jail
115 West Doty Street
Madison, WI 53703

We will send out another update as soon as we have one - hopefully tomorrow.

Best,
Family & Friends of Daniel McGowan

-------------------------------------------------------------------
Support Daniel McGowan: http://www.supportdaniel.org
Daniel on MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/danielmcgowan

Family and Friends of Daniel McGowan
PO Box 106, NY, NY 10156
friendsofdanielmcg@yahoo.com

Donations:checks or money orders can be made out to "Lisa McGowan" and
sent to the above PO Box or online at http://tinyurl.com/8blde

Bashir Hameed Medical Emergency

From:    "Political Prisoner News" <ppnews@freedomarchives.org>
Date: Wed, June 25, 2008

Dear Friends & Comrades:

It is really important that we keep the pressure on! I called the
Governor's number today, and they have it on an answering machine. In
addition to leaving a message, I faxed and emailed the governor regarding
Bashir Hameed #82-A-6313.

Let's tie up those fax machines and the mail as well. The letter I emailed
and faxed will be going in the mail tomorrow.

I also called and faxed both Commissioner Brian Fischer and Chief Medical
Officer Dr. Lester Wright. Their letters will be mailed tomorrow as well.

Anne
NYC Jericho

6/22/08

Dear Friends & Comrades;
I received word from Dr. Courtnie York, Bashir Hameed's niece after her
visit with him today. She is extremely concerned and asked our help in
getting Bashir removed from Comstock Prison to the Albany Medical Center.

She is concerned because he is having chest pains, shortness of breath and
has a fluid buildup in his stomach. Also his legs and feet are swollen. She
is very concerned because he has not had a check up this year by the doctor
who did his open heart surgery.

We suggest you call, fax and write:
Gov. David Paterson: Phone 518-474-8390; fax 518-474-1513
David A. Paterson, State Capitol, Albany, NY 12224
or you can e-mail him at http://161.11.121.121/govemail

Dr. Lester Wright: Phone 518-457-8126; fax 518-457-7252
Commissioner Brian Fischer: Phone 518-457-8134; fax 518-457-7252

You can write to both of them at:

NYS Dept. of Correctional Services
Building 2
1220 Washington Ave.
Albany, NY 12226-2050

As you know, we have had an ongoing campaign to get Bashir the health care
he needs as well as a transfer out of Comstock, which has become
increasingly dangerous for Bashir's health. PLEASE take the time to call
for our brother and comrade. If you have time please let us know what
response you received.

You can also write to Bashir. We are sure he would appreciate it.

Bashir Hameed #82-A-6313,
Great Meadow Correctional Facility
Box 51, Comstock, NY 12821

In Struggle Paulette NYC Jericho nycjericho@riseup.net


If you have friends who believe in social justice please ask them to place a
call as well.

Freedom Archives
522 Valencia Street
San Francisco, CA 94110

415 863-9977

www.Freedomarchives.org Questions and comments may be sent to
claude@freedomarchives.org

ABCF Solidarity Stmt for 10/10 March

ABCF Solidarity Stmt for 10/10 March

REPOST AND FORWARD FAR AND WIDE

The Anarchist Black Cross Federation supports the call for a March on
the United Nations for Freedom for Political Prisoners and Prisoners
of War. The march marks the 10th Anniversary of the Jericho Movement
for Political Prisoners and will take place on October 10th 2008. We
stand in solidarity with the October 10th Coalition.

ABCF members and supporters from all over North America will march on
the UN on October 10th. We will be promoting and organizing toward
this march in our respective communities. We urge all anarchists,
social justice activists, and everyone with any affinity for
Political Prisoners and Prisoners of War to do the same and join us
in the streets of New York City.

In Solidarity for Freedom,
ANARCHIST BLACK CROSS FEDERATION

October 10th March information-
http://www.thejerichomovement.com/
nycjericho@riseup.net • 718-853-0893

Anarchist Black Cross Federation
http://www.abcf.net/

Leonard Peltier Medical Alert: A Call to Action

From:    "contact@whoisleonardpeltier.info"
Date: Thu, June 26, 2008

Urgent! Leonard needs a diabetes test kit now!

You may recall that Leonard suffers from diabetes. To date,
his diabetes has been managed by diet but this is difficult to do
when the prison won't give Leonard a test kit by which to monitor
his blood glucose level. Two weeks ago, I wrote to the warden at
Lewisburg asking that Leonard be given a diabetes test kit. I even
offered to purchase an approved kit if the prison cannot provide one.
I haven't received a response from the warden.

Yesterday, Leonard called--later than the norm. He's suffering
with a severe headache and other symptoms and is in a bad way.
When he was finally able to get tested at the prison infirmary, his
blood sugar measured 300. The highest blood glucose reading should
be less than 180 mg/dL (and that only one to two hours after eating).

We have to see to it that Leonard gets a diabetes test kit so that
he can control his diabetes. All supporters are urgently requested
to contact:

Warden
USP Lewisburg
US Penitentiary
2400 Robert F. Miller Drive
Lewisburg, PA 17837
Phone: 570-523-1251
Fax: 570-522-7745
E-mail: LEW/EXECASSISTANT@BOP.GOV

Also contact:

D. Scott Dodrill, Regional Director
Northeast Regional Office
US Custom House
2nd & Chesnut Street
Philadephia, PA 19106
Phone: 215-521-7301
E-mail: NERO/EXECASSISTANT@BOP.GOV

Harley G. Lappin, Director
Federal Bureau of Prisons
320 First Street., NW
Washington, DC 20534
Telephone: 202-307-3198

Be respectful, but firm. The situation is life threatening. After
many years of high blood sugar, Leonard is at serious risk for kidney
failure and the need for dialysis, blood vessel damage in the eyes
that can lead to blindness, and nerve damage in the feet that could
lead to the need for amputation. Supporters should also remember
that Leonard already suffers from a heart condition. Heart disease
is, in fact, the number one cause of death in people with diabetes.

Leonard needs our help. Act now. Write or fax a letter. Make a
call. Send an e-mail. Keep doing it until Leonard gets a diabetes
test kit.

Thank you.


Betty Ann Peltier Solano
Coordinator
Leonard Peltier Defense Offense Committee
PO Box 7488, Fargo, ND 58106
Phone: 701/235-2206
E-mail: contact@whoisleonardpeltier.info
Web: www.whoisleonardpeltier.info

Monday, June 23, 2008

LA Event: Chip Fitzgerald Event! Please Support

The Los Angeles Anarchist Black Cross Federation is asking for all allies and supporters of political prisoners in the Southern California region to join us at a public tribute for Romaine Chip Fitzgerald this Saturday. Chip was a southern California Panther before being set up on trumped-up charges and has a good chance of seeing freedom in the next coming months. Please come out in support of this brother.
In Solidarity,
LA ABCF

FREE CHIP EVENT:

A public tribute to Chip will be at noon, on June 28th, 2008, in Los Angeles, at4343 Leimert Boulevard.

Hosted by Dominique DiPrima of KJLH, there will be labor leadersalong with former Black Panthers, including Elaine Brown and David Hilliard.

come out out and support our dear brother who we would like to welcome back to our community.

The Committee to Free Chip Fitzgerald has been formed to advocate to the Board for Chip's parole, encouraging people to sign its online petition at www.freechip. org to urge the Board to release Chip back into his community as he has served more time than his sentence prescribed.

please sign!
www.freechip. org


Today, Chip is the longest held Black Panther Party political prisoner in the United States, now housed at Centinela State Prison, near the California-Mexico border. His upcoming parole hearing is one of the most anticipated dates for manycommunity leaders, students, and supporters around the world, allwaiting to see if the California Board of Parole Hearings will employjustice in this hearing, particularly in consideration of the era andclimate of Chip's arrest, conviction and sentencing in late 1969.

WHEN: noon, June 28th, 2008
WHERE: 4343 Leimert Blvd
LA, Ca

Fri June 27th: Support PRican Grand Jury Resisters

Greetings Member of the Hostos Grand Jury Resistance
Campaign:


The legal team for TANIA and CHRISTOPHER have informed us
that "there is a hearing on Christopher and Tania's motion
to quash the subpoena(s) on Friday, June 27th, at 2:00p.m.
before Judge Carol B. Amon in the Eastern District of New
York (Brooklyn Federal Court).

The Motion to Quash is a proceedure where both sides are
given the opportunity to agrue for and against the issue
of appearing before the grand jury. The judge can deny
their motions and hold both companeros with "civil
comtempt". Both Chris and Tania are using constitutional,
international and historical grounds for
"Non-collaboration".

We will need people inside the courtroom as well as
outside the court room.

--
resistgrandjury@gmail.com
http://www.geocities.com/resistgrandjury/

Solidarity actions for; Paola Gori, Jeff Luers & Sean Kirtley

infoshop News June 22, 2008

Italy, Mexico, Spain & UK

Communiques reported to Bite Back Magazine: 15th - 19th June:

anonymous reports:

30th May - h 21.00 - Mountains of Emilia Region, Italy.

We set on fire a hunting tower placed in a wood populated by boars.

We have destroyed it with two liters of gasoline ignited by a
retardant primer.

- A.L.F. -

Night of 5th June - Emilia Region, Italy.

A small chicken farm was visited again (see the communique of last month).

We have liberated one cock (the only male present) and slashed the
tires of the car of the farmer.

- A.L.F. -

These actions are dedicated to Paola. She is a vegan, animal rights
activist, prisoner in 'Le Sughere' Italian jail.

Please write* and support her.

Also, please support the victims of state repression in Italy and Austria.

Freedom for all!

Liberta 'per tutti!"

received anonymously (translation):

"On the night of June 14 (International day in support of the earth
liberation warrior Jeffrey Luers and all radical environmental
prisoners), the Earth Liberation Front and Animal Liberation Front
got together and went to the doors of one of the many companies
guilty in the domination, destruction and extermination of the earth
and its living beings.

Various slogans were painted such as 'No More Vivisection,' 'ALF,'
'No HLS,' 'Support Jeffrey,' 'Murderers' and others which attacked
the company Unilever which shares property with DHL (an HLS
supporter). Now as one passed through these modern-day extermination
camps, one can read the slogans of the FLA and FLT on most of its
walls.

Compañero Jeffrey we know about your situation and it gives us great
pleasure to know that soon you'll be out here on the front line
fighting again like you've done before. We hope that those bars and
life in prison leave you with even more strength to continue.

To all those radical environmentalist prisoners, an embrace from Mexico.

For Animal Liberation!

For Earth Liberation!

For Human Liberation!

Direct Action!


FLA & FLT"



excerpt from anonymous report:


"In support of Jeffrey Luers and the struggle for animal liberation


During the early hours of June 14, the locks of every fur shop in the
Bilbao city center were glued, in support of this prisoner and many
others, and in general of the struggle for animal liberation."



reported anonymously:


"Activists in the North West decided to 'pimp' a hunt scums ride.


The car was easy to find as it had both the pro-hunt 'Felix Says'
sticker and a BASC (Shooting) sticker in the rear window. The BASC
sticker sealed the car's fate, the Judge in the Sean Kirtley case was
into shooting and a member of BASC. The car had paint stripper
applied, spray paint over the windows, windscreen wipers wrecked and
one wing mirror smashed. Looked really pretty once we'd finsihed.


If the owner wants compensation then they should write to Judge Ross
and NETCU. It's the criminalisation of legal protest that has caused
this.


ALF"

Saturday, June 21, 2008

ENDORSE THE FREE THE CUBAN 5 MONTH!


from: freethecubanfive@hotmail.com June 21, 2008


To organizations and Individuals who believe in the Freedom of the Cuban 5,

In 2006, Ricardo Alarcon, President of the Cuban National Assembly, declared the period of time between September 12-October 8 to be a time to raise awareness around the Cuban 5. Here in NYC The Popular Education Project to Free the Cuban 5 extends this time to October 12; in order for it to be a full month of events and to include a commemoration of the assassination of Ernest “Che” Guevara. We refer to this period of time as the “Free the Cuban 5 Month!”

September 12th is the tenth anniversary of the arrest of the Cuban 5 and the Project wants to create a calendar full of events throughout the city, nationally and internationally! Motivated by the negative and unjust decision of the 11th Circuit Appeals, the Project feels it is time to double our efforts to educate about the case of the Cuban 5 and to garner more support on their behalf.

The Project would like to organize Cuban 5 events in NYC communities that have not had them before. We want to broaden this movement and build Solidarity for the Cuban 5 in as many communities as possible.

The Project is asking organizations and individuals to organize forums, letter writing nights, film screenings, conversations, or fund-raisers for the Cuban 5. The Project will help by providing speakers, films, literature and promotion!

If you are interested in endorsing the Free the Cuban 5 Month AND ORGANIZING AN EVENT, please email us at freethecuban5@gmail.com

So far this is the Calendar events:

  • Sat. September 13-All out to Washington DC! 10th anniversary of the arrest of the Cuban 5! Demonstration for the Cuban 5! More information will be published soon!
  • Friday October 10- 10th Anniversary Jericho March in NYC for all Political Prisoners and Prisoners of War in New York City!! Check the Jericho Website: www.jerichony.org

Initial Endorsers: The Popular Education Project to Free the Cuban 5, The ProLibertad Freedom Campaign, Frente Socialista-Comite de Nueva York

For more information on FREE THE CUBAN 5 MONTH consult The Popular Education Project to Free the Cuban 5 website: www.freethecuban5.com

American Hunt Sab convictions upheld

Animal rights activists' convictions upheld

by Jim Lockwood/The Star-Ledger
Friday June 20, 2008, 3:49 PM

The state Appellate Division has upheld municipal convictions against
animal-rights activists who interfered with hunters during New Jersey's
2005 bear hunt.

In a decision released today, the Appellate Division affirmed prior
rulings in Vernon Municipal Court and Superior Court in Newton that the
activists, Angela Metler, Albert Kazemian and Janet Piszar, had harassed
hunters, one of whom was an undercover police officer, by encircling
them and hooting and hollering to keep bears away.

The appeal argued their conduct did not constitute physical interference
with hunting and was free speech; that a defense of entrapment was
improperly barred in municipal court; and that the officer and hunters
should not have been viewed by the court as credible witnesses due to
their pro-hunting views. A three-judge appellate panel affirmed the
convictions.

The incident occurred in Wawayanda State Park in Vernon on Dec. 7, 2005,
when an undercover state park police officer was in the woods with two
hunters. There, they encountered five activists; Metler, Kazemian,
Piszar and Theresa Fritzges, and another unidentified woman who got away.

The activists were found guilty in Vernon Municipal Court in 2006 of
disorderly-persons offenses.

They appealed to Superior Court, where in March 2007 a judge upheld the
convictions but merged various violations and cut fines and penalties in
half: to $1,360 each for Metler and Kazemian, and to $455 each for
Piszar and Fritzges. Metler, who had prior similar offenses, also was
sentenced in Vernon court to 40 days in jail, but that was reduced in
Superior Court to two days in jail and eight days in the Sheriff's Labor
Assistance Program.

Metler, Kazemian and Piszar then appealed to the appellate division,
while Fritzges did not. The appellate ruling upholds the Superior Court
sentences. The defendants or their attorney could not be reached for
comment.

Friday, June 20, 2008

Two Greenpeace activists arrested in Japan

ELP Information Bulletin (20th of June 2008)

Dear friends

ELP has just learnt that the Japanese police have arrested two Greenpeace activists for exposing a
whale meat scandal involving the government-sponsored whaling programme.

The two activists, Junichi Sato, 31, and Toru Suzuki, 41, are being investigated for allegedly stealing a box of whale meat which they presented as evidence.

Learn more information check out:
http://www.greenpeace.org/international/news/activists-arrested-200608

+++++++

Earth Liberation Prisoners Support Network
BM Box 2407
London
WC1N 3XX
England
www.spiritoffreedom.org.uk

Please write letters of reference for Tre

From:    tre@riseup.net
Date: Fri, June 20, 2008

A blessed greeting to you all! Thank you for your continued love and
support. It truly makes a difference in my life and gives me strength to
persevere. What is extremely important and needed at this time are letters
reflecting my nature and character which we will submit to the judge. Here
are some guidelines and suggestions of things to include:

* Address the letter to the Honorable James A. Redden
* Include who you are, your relation to me, how long you've know me, and
your occupation and/or standing in the community. Please don't discuss
any details regarding this case.
* Include things we've done or shared together and qualities in me
you've witnessed.
* Please type or write your letter on stationary or letterhead if
possible.
* Please use tree-free or 100% post consumer, processed chlorine-free
paper if possible.
* Be sure to sign your letter and send to my lawyer Paul, not the judge,
so he can submit them all as one document.

Send your letter to:

Paul Loney
3430 S.E. Belmont
Suite 101
Portland, Oregon 97214

Have your letters to Paul by July 15, 2008, please and thank you.

I wish you all a glorious summer solstice.

Namaste,
Tre

Briana Waters Sentenced

author: Olycivlib        e-mail: olycivlib@riseup.net

Ms. Waters was sentenced today in Tacoma, WA.

Briana Waters was sentenced to six years in prison and three years
probation. She did receive the terrorism enhancement. The judge
recommended her to Dublin. Judge denied appeal bond and also the ability
to self surrender.

Judge Burgess commented on the over 250 letters he received on Briana's
behalf. Neil Fox, Ms. Waters' attorney, argued that the average of both
Washington and Oregon cases was one and a half years per arson. Mr. Fox
argued for five years with serving one and half suspending three and a
half. The prosecution argued for ten years.

Briana Waters spoke eloquently today on her behalf. There were a dozen
supporters for Briana Waters in the court room.

Summer Solstice-Energy Circle for Tre Arrow

From:    tre@riseup.net
Date: Thu, June 19, 2008

We will be gathering at the top of Mt. Tabor to celebrate the Summer Solstice
and to send positive energy to Tre and Mother Earth. Heal yourself, heal the
earth, and heal Tre.

WHAT: Summer Solstice-Energy Circle for Tre

WHEN: June 20th, Friday @ 5:30PM

WHERE: Top of Mt.Tabor

WHY: This has been a really long road for Tre and he could really use our
love, light, and healing energy. Tre is aware this is happening and he will be
receiving the energy at 5:45pm. If you cannot make it to Mt. Tabor, please
still send him positive energy at 5:45pm wherever you are.

Summer officially begins wuth the Summer Solstice on Friday, June 20 at
4:59pm. Sol + stice derives from a combination of Latin words meaning "sun" + "to
stand still." As the days lengthen, the sun rises higher and higher until it
seems to stand still in the sky.

As a major celestial event, the Summer Solstice results in the longest day and the shortest night of the year. The Northern Hemisphere celebrates in
June, but the people on the Southern half of the earth have their longest summer day in
December.

The Summer Solstice represent a new beginning. It is time for purification, and renewal of the self. A time to release the sadness, fears, and pains from
your life. It is time to celebrate the joy, warmth, and laughter of summer. A time
for purification and renewed energy. A time to celebrate the fullness of life
and the power of the sun. A time to heal mother earth, heal yourself, and
heal
Tre.

*NAMASTE*

~Blessed Be~

SF 8 Judge halts return of Jalil & Herman for parole hearings

From:    "SF-8 case" <cdhrsupport@freedomarchives.org>
Date: Wed, June 18, 2008

SF 8 Judge stops return of Jalil & Herman for parole hearings

For now, SF 8 Judge Philip Moscone halted the transfer of Herman Bell
and Jalil Muntaqim to New York for their parole hearings. By throwing
procedural obstacles at the court, prosecutors were able to delay the
transfer arguing that there were no guarantees under the existent
agreement between the Governors of New York and California to effect
a transfer back of both men for the scheduled preliminary hearing in
September.

This vindictive and mean-spirited smoke screen was strongly
challenged by defense attorneys who had previously worked out an
agreement with the prosecutors and which was signed the judge. Strong
arguments were made to guarantee Herman and Jalil's right to "pursue
their liberty interests" and have parole hearings. Both have served
over 30 years in prison as model prisoners. Both were targeted
originally by COINTELPRO as members of the Black Panther Party.

Judge Moscone ruled to stay his original order without prejudice and
will consider signing another order if an amended arrangement can be
agreed to by defense and prosecution attorneys which assures their
timely return. Both Herman and Jalil have signed waivers agreeing to
not contest their expeditious return to California.

New York Attorney Bob Boyle argued in a declaration to the SF Court
that if the men remain in California, "they would be denied their
parole hearing for years." In a subsequent interview, he also said
"The state waited 35 years to bring these spurious criminal charges.
Now these charges are being used to deny these men parole hearings to
which they are entitled. Whatever concerns the government has can be
overcome by a simple modification of the extradition order. All
Herman and Jalil are asking for is an opportunity to attend their hearings."

_______________________________________________
Please support these brothers by sending a donation. Make checks payable
to CDHR/Agape and mail to the address below or donate on line:

www.freethesf8.org/donate.html

Committee for the Defense of Human Rights (CDHR)
PO Box 90221
Pasadena, CA 91109
(415) 226-1120
FreetheSF8@riseup.net

www.freethesf8.org

Waters gets 6 years for UW firebombing

By PAUL SHUKOVSKY
P-I REPORTER
TACOMA -- The 32-year-old violin teacher convicted of taking part in the firebombing of the University of Washington Center for Urban Horticulture seven years ago was sentenced to 6 years in federal prison Thursday.
Briana Waters was one of five people accused of setting the devastating May 2001 fire, but the only suspect to go to trial.
She was found guilty in March of two counts of arson. Two others pleaded guilty and testified against her for reduced sentences. Her former boyfriend, Justin Solondz, is a fugitive. And the fourth killed himself in jail.
The attack -- by the radical Earth Liberation Front against a lab that they wrongly believed was conducting genetic engineering experiments -- was part of a six-year rampage that began in 1996 and immolated a Colorado ski resort, science labs, government animal facilities and sport utility vehicles. No one was hurt in the UW fire, but the building and valuable research inside was destroyed. It cost $6.2 million to rebuild.
A key to Thursday's sentencing hearing in Tacoma was whether actions of Waters, who acted as a lookout and provided logistics support to her ELF compatriots, rose to the level of terrorism. U.S. District Judge Franklin Burgess found that they did.
Federal prosecutors Andrew Friedman and Mark Bartlett asserted during a 3 1/2-week trial that Waters participated in planning, provided a car to the bombers and allowed Solondz to build firebombs in the garage of the Olympia home she rented.
All these factors, along with the intent of the ELF conspirators to intimidate the government to change its policies and actions, justify adding a "terrorism enhancement" in figuring her sentence, the prosecutors said. Although they could have asked for a sentence of up to 40 years in prison, they asked for 10 years.
"Terrorism is the antithesis of America," Bartlett told the court. "It is the polar opposite of how democracy works in a free and open society. Terrorists attempt to impose their elitist views .... As a result, terrorists are treated more harshly by the law, and they should be."
But Waters' attorney, Neil Fox, questioned the government's use of the term "terrorist." And he asked the court to sentence his client to no more than 18 months behind bars.
"The court should be cognizant of the misuse of the term 'terrorism.' The term clearly has been manipulated by those seeking to advance their own political agendas," Fox said in a filing with the court. "It is the scare word of the day, and the consequences of the expansion of the use of the term to brand defendants can lead to grave injustice."
Fox argued that Waters should not be subjected to the terrorism enhancement, which could add decades to her sentence, because the jury had not found her guilty of conspiring with the other four defendants in the case. Waters "was not part of the broader ELF/ALF conspiracy," Fox said in court filings.
And he claimed his client, who continues to maintain her innocence, had no motivation or intent to intimidate anyone in the alleged arson attack. "There is no evidence that she chose the target or that she even knew about or cared about" the botanical research taking place there.
The government scoffed at that contention, while acknowledging that her actions didn't rise to the level of flying a plane into the side of New York City's World Trade Center.
"Although Waters' crime is substantively different from, say, the attacks of September 11, 2001 -- a fact that is recognized in the United States' recommendation of a sentence far below" what could have been asked for, it's clear that it still meets the definition of terrorism, prosecutors said in court filings.
Most of 10 ELF/ALF defendants sentenced recently in Oregon received the terrorism enhancement in sentencing, the government argued.
And prosecutors cited an anonymous ELF communiqué of responsibility issued by the defendants after the firebombing as proof of a terroristic intent to intimidate or retaliate against the government.
"As long as universities continue to pursue this reckless 'science' they run the risk of suffering severe losses. Our message remains clear: We are determined to stop genetic engineering." It was signed "ELF"
"The arson was a terrible crime," prosecutors said. "Waters and her co-conspirators burned a large university building devoted to botanical research and teaching. In doing so, they created a huge fire that easily could have injured or killed either students (who often worked and slept in the building overnight) or responding firefighters."
To drive home the point, prosecutors submitted a statement from a professor identified only as DR.
"Graduate students lost their work and had to postpone job offers and additional educational opportunities. This violent act devastated us and we, as individuals, will never fully recover. They took years away from us and changed how we look at our fellow human beings."
DR began having panic attacks after the firebombing and ultimately moved because her address had been listed in the phone book.
P-I reporter Paul Shukovsky can be reached at 206-448-8072 or paulshukovsky@seattlepi.com.

Thursday, June 19, 2008

Violin teacher sentenced to six years in prison for UW arson

Briana Waters, a California woman convicted in March of assisting in the 2001 arson that destroyed the University of Washington's Urban Horticulture Center, was sentenced this morning to six years in prison.

Seattle Times staff reporters

TACOMA — Briana Waters, a California woman convicted in March of assisting in the 2001 arson that destroyed the University of Washington's Urban Horticulture Center, was sentenced this morning to six years in prison.

The defense had sought five years with three years suspended.

The government had sought 10 years behind bars.

At the sentencing hearing in U.S. District Court in Tacoma, Waters' attorney, Neil Fox, asked the judge to look at his client "not as a representative of the Earth Liberation Front, but as a person. Sometimes ... we get anesthetized to the human cost of incarceration."

Fox also argued that Waters is a mother of a 3-year-old and that it would be a hardship to be away from her child.

In his address to the court, Mark Bartlett, first assistant U.S. Attorney in Seattle, said Waters' sense of arrogance and entitlement in the case "would almost be comical if it wasn't so serious."

Before the sentence was read, Waters spoke to the court.

"I believe I am a valuable and contributing member of society," she said. "I don't want to be a martyr to any cause. My cause is to take care of my family."

When she spoke of her daughter, she burst into tears.

Federal prosecutors sought the 10-year sentence under a "terrorism enhancement" because they claimed the arson met the legal definition of a violent act "calculated to influence or affect the conduct of government by intimidation or coercion," according to a court filing.

Defense attorney Fox has argued against the terrorism enhancement. He had asked that a five-year mandatory minimum sentence be partially suspended and proposed 18 months in prison for Waters' part in the arson.

Fox noted that his client was not convicted of being part of an Earth Liberation Front conspiracy — a charge that prosecutors sought unsuccessfully to prove, and claimed that the UW arson was not an act of terrorism.

Waters, a violin teacher, maintained her innocence during her Tacoma trial.

She is one of five people alleged to have participated in the UW arson, which prosecutors say caused more than $6 million in damages to the university. She was convicted of two counts of arson, but not of other charges that included the use of a destructive device in a crime of violence, which carried a 30-year mandatory minimum sentence.

This was the first trial for any of the 18 men and women indicted on charges of involvement in the militant Pacific Northwest underground group that between 1996 and 2001 claimed it carried out more than a dozen acts of arson and sabotage against targets deemed a threat to the environment or animals. The attacks caused tens of millions of dollars in damage. Targets included a slaughterhouse, timber-company headquarters and a ski lodge at Vail, Colo.

Twelve other people have reached plea agreements, and, according to court documents, their sentences are expected to range from probation to 13 years in prison.

Those reaching plea agreements included two women — Jennifer Kolar and Lacey Phillabaum — who assisted in the UW arson, and were key witnesses for the prosecution at Waters' trial.

Information from Seattle Times archives is included in this report.

KIRO-TV Reports: Briana Waters Sentenced to Six Years

ELP Information Bulletin (19th of June 2008)

Dear friends

ELP has just received this breaking news.....

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2008006678_apwaecoterrortrial1stldwritethru.html


6-year sentence for ecoterror arson at U. of Washington
The woman convicted in an ecoterror attack at the University of Washington has been sentenced to six years in prison.

TACOMA, Wash. -The woman convicted in an ecoterror attack at the University of Washington has been sentenced to six years in prison.

KIRO-TV reports that Briana Waters asked for mercy because she has a 3-year-old daughter.

Prosecutors had recommended a 10-year sentence. Her lawyer asked for no more than a year-and-a-half.

Waters was taken into custody after Thursday's sentencing in federal court in Tacoma. She had been convicted March 6 of arson, and her lawyer is working on an appeal.

The 32-year-old from Berkeley, Calif., was an Evergreen State College student who acted as a lookout in 2001 when others set fire to the Center for Urban Horticulture in Seattle. The Earth Liberation Front claimed responsibility because it believed, mistakenly, a researcher was genetically modifying poplar trees.
++++++++++
Earth Liberation Prisoners Support Network
BM Box 2407
London
WC1N 3XX
England

Word from Eric McDavid Support

ELP Information Bulletin (19th of June 2008)

Dear friends

ELP has received the following e-mail from Eric McDavid's support campaign. As everyone is aware, Eric is an American vegan eco-activist who is serving just under 20 years for THINKING about maybe, in the future, carrying out an ELF action.....

From: sacprisonersupport@riseup.net
To:

Dear friends,

Yesterday we finally heard from Eric. He is settling in at Victorville,
and adjusting to his new surroundings. He applied for a job assignment at
the library and is waiting for the paperwork to be processed. In the
meantime, he's playing softball (they put him in left field, which kept
him busy), guitar, and readjusting to the feeling of stepping foot outside
without shackles on. After 2 1/2 years of not feeling the earth and grass
beneath his feet, he is excited to be experiencing these new sensations
(apparently there are also many huge crows in the area, and Eric has been
enjoying their presence as well). He is hopeful that soon he will also
have access to email. The prison seemed prepared for his dietary needs,
and he has been receiving vegan food since his arrival.

For some unknown reason, his commissary account has not followed him to
Victorville (it's possible that this is because all prisoner's commissary
accounts are processed through an office in Des Moines, which is currently
experiencing massive flooding). If you would like to donate to Eric's
commissary account, you can do so through Western Union. For information
on how to deposit funds, visit:

http://www.bop.gov/inmate_programs/money.jsp#Quick_Collect

You will need Eric's name and registration number (16209-097). Please
read the instructions carefully, as there are a number of specific steps
you need to take when calling or making payments online.

Thanks to everyone for their continued support.

Yours,
SPS

www.supporteric.org

Updates on repression & revolt in Japan

Here are two updates about the situation in Japan, the first is
about the case of Tabi Rounin, and the second is about the wave of
repression against anti-g8 activity and the riots which erupted in
Osaka after a day-worker was brutally beaten. (This riots happened
the same day a preliminary G8 meeting was taking place in Osaka.)

----------------------------------------------

Update from ABC Osaka about anarchist Tabi Rounin

from the ABC:

We Denounce the Arrest of Squatter Activist and Comrade Tabi Rounin!

On the morning of June 5th, the squatter liberation activist Tabi
Rounin was arrested via warrant claiming that he was a member of
the "Black Helmets, a violent ultra-left group" and charged with
"falsifying address registration" (the 'crime' of registering his
driver's license at his parent's house), which led to his residence
being searched three times and 21 items being taken by the police
including his PC, cell phone, work resume, texts related to social
movements and flyers. Tabi was taken to Nara prefecture's Koriyama
police station and slapped with a 10 day extension of custody the
next day. Special detectives in Nara prefecture assigned to the
'ultra-left' and Osaka city public order police came to investigate.

We only feel contempt for the idiocy and greed for budget money
which motivates the public order police in their incessant tailing
and eavesdropping over the past six months.

Their focus was absolutely on the movement against the G8 summit,
foreign guests, Tabi Rounin's relationship with social and
solidarity movements, and of course the naked aim of economically
bankrupting Tabi Rounin, who had a job interview the next day. The
material seized in the search of his apartment verifies all this.

Thanks to all those who supported Tabi, we were able to win his
freedom on June 13th.. Allow us to thank you for your efforts and
support.

However the twists and turns continue here.

Hearing the story of a worker who was brutally beaten in the
investigation room of the Nishinari police department in
Kamagasaki, hundreds of day laborers and squatting/homeless workers
gathered for several days in response to the call of the Kamagasaki
labor union in front of the Nishinari police station and begun an
autonomous, physical struggle with many arrests in the late nights
after the labor unions leave.

One of our number who went to visit an arrestee in jail was stopped
by police and questioned, leading to our Free Worker offices here
in Osaka to be watched by public order police. Just yesterday, June
18th, our offices were searched in relation to another G8 arrestee
although no items were taken. We are preparing for second and third
waves of repression against our members.

Please keep a focus on the events here as they transpire.

June 17th, 2008

Anarchist Black Cross
Osaka-shi Kita-ku Nakazakicho 3-3-1-401
Jiyuu Roudousha Rengou Tsuke
Post office bank account (Yuubin Furikae Kouza) 00200-5-38572
Name (Meigi) S-16 Kokushoku Kyuuenkai
Mail : abc-j@sanpal.co.jp

---------------------------

In the Shadow of G8: Repression and Revolt in Japan

Over the past week and a half, an unprecedented political crackdown
has been enacted in advance of a series of economic summits around
the country. Despite this, the brave workers of Kamagasaki stood up
against the stiff security environment in riots against the brutal
beating of a day laborer over the past five days. The twin
situations of repression and revolt deserve to be examined in more
detail.

Repression

In the run-up to the series of summits, over 40 people were
arrested in pre-emptive sweeps of broad left and anarchist groups.

On May 29th, 38 people were arrested at Hosei University in Tokyo
at a political assembly against the G8. These large-scale arrests
were carried out by over 100 public security agents after the
students staged after a march across campus protesting the
summits.1 All of the arrestees are still jailed, and among them are
apparently some leadership of the Chuukaku-ha Leninist
organization, one of the largest organizations of its kind in Japan.

On June 4th, Tabi Rounin, an active anarchist from the Kansai
region, was arrested on accusation of having his address registered
at a location other than where he was living. When arrested, his
computer, cell phone, political flyers and more was taken from him;
these items were used when detectives interrogated him, asking him
about his relationship to internationals possibly arriving for the
G8, as well as his activity around Osaka. He would be the first
obviously political arrest masked as routine police work.

On June 12th, an activist from the Kamagasaki Patrol (an Osaka
squatter and anti-capitalist group), was arrested for allegedly
defrauding lifestyle assistance payments. This person has been
constantly followed by plainclothes police and even helicopters
during demonstrations. Clearly, his arrest was planned with the
idea of keeping him away from the major anti-summit mobilizations
and he will be held without bail for the maximum of 23 until the
summit is over. The office of an anarchist organization called the
Free Worker was raided in order to look for 'evidence' in this
comrade's case.

The same day the Rakunan union in Kyoto was raided, with police
officers searching their offices and arresting two of their members
on suspicion of fraudulent unemployment insurance receipt. One of
these two arrested are accused of funneling money received from
unemployment insurance to the Asian Wide Campaign, which was
organizing against the economic summits. In the meantime, Osaka
city mobilized thousands of police with the pretext of preventing
terrorism against the summit, setting up inspection points and
monitoring all around the city. But the strengthened state high on
its own power inevitably deployed it in violence, and turned the
day laborers of southern Osaka against it in riot.

Revolt

Kamagasaki is a traditionally day laborer neighborhood that has
experienced over thirty riots since the early 1960s. The last riot
in Kamagasaki was sparked in 1990 by police brutality and the
exposure of connections between the police and Yakuza gangs.

The causes this time were not much different. A man was arrested in
a shopping arcade near Kamagasaki and taken to the Nishinari police
station where he was punched repeatedly in the face by four
detectives one after another. Then he was kicked and hung upside
down by rope to be beaten some more.

He was released the next day and went to show his friends the
wounds from the beatings and the rope. This brought over 200
workers to surround the police station and demand that the police
chief come out and apologize. Later people also started demanding
that the four detectives be fired. Met with steel shields and a
barricaded police station, the crowd began to riot, throwing stones
and bottles into the police station. Scraps with the riot police
resulted in some of their shields and equipment being temporarily
seized. The riot stopped around midnight with the riot police being
backed into the police station. The next day they brought over 35
police buses and riot vehicles into the Naniwa police station with
the intention of using these against the rioters.

During the riot, the police surveilled rioters from the top of the
police station, from plainclothes positions and from a helicopter.
Riot police with steel shields were deployed all around the
neighborhood in strategic places to charge in when the action
kicked off. The workers organizations which by the second day were
maintaining the protest had chosen a good time to do so because the
police department proved unwilling to unleash the direct, brutal
charges seen in the 1990 riot due to the international spotlight
focused on them. On Saturday a police infiltrator was found in the
crowd, pushed up against a fence and smashed in the head with a
metal bar.

The riot has lasted since the 13th and every night there is a
resumption of hostility between the day laborers and the cops.
Workers so far refuse anything less than the fulfillment of their
demands in light of the police brutality incident. Despite the call
from more 'moderate' NGOs to 'stop the violence' there has been no
let-up in hostility towards the police, although the real level of
violent confrontation is not as strong as the weekend of the 13th-
15th. The riot has been characterized by the participation of young
people as well as the older day laborers in confrontation with the
police. As the guarantors of everyday exploitation under capitalism
who have to assertively maintain the constant dispossession of the
urban working class, the police have many enemies. This they are
finding out every night.

Over the past couple of days there have been points where more than
500 people have gathered and rioted around the neighborhood. Police
have responded mainly by defending the Nishinari police station,
their home base, while getting back up from the local Naniwa police
station, which has a riot countermeasure practicing lot, and holds
tens of anti-riot vehicles. Despite this mighty arsenal, the police
were perhaps surprised when they deployed their tear gas cannon on
the first day only to be met with cries of joy and laughter. The
use of force no longer has any spell of intimidation, it is simply
expected.

Still, the combined brutality of the police and their riot vehicles
has netted over 40 arrests (including of many young people), many
injuries and even blinded one worker with a direct shot of tear gas
water to his right eye.

The struggle here is inevitably limited by the particular
situations of day laborers, who are dispatched to their job sites
and have no direct access to the means of production that standard
wage workers would. This prevents them from for instance calling
political strikes against police brutality, and hitting powerful
interests in the city where they really hurt. As workers deprived
of these means to struggle, the day laborers will always have the
riot as a method not only of collective defense but for also
forcing concessions from the city in the form of expanding welfare
access, creating jobs, backing off of eviction campaigns etc. While
these are more or less important gains strictly in terms of
survival, it is important to explore the possibilities of spreading
the antagonism of the Kamagasaki workers to the larger population
of exploited people in order to imagine doing away with this power
structure once and for all.

It is unclear exactly where the situation is headed, but we can
know for sure that the real repression in Kamagasaki will arrive
after the summits have ended and the focus is off of the Japanese
government. Then we will see the raids, the arrests and the
scapegoating of particular individuals for the righteous outburst
of class violence that these riots are. Instead of quietly
accepting their fates as people to be trampled upon, the
participants have directly attacked the wardens of wage labor who
guarantee the violence of everyday slum life.

Overall, the ongoing repression against those involved in
organizing against the G8 summit as well as Kamagasaki should not
convince anyone that the ruling class here is once again afraid of
the working class. In repressing certain left groups organizing
against the economic summits, the Japanese government is more
interested in preventing a movement from emerging that starts to
question capital at the macro level, than actually attacking an
existing one. On the other hand in Kamagasaki, the state tries to
deny the possibility of antagonism in a major metropole and the
visibility of this revolt, for fear of it spreading. This is why
most news reports have blacked out the ongoing riots in Kamagasaki.
The concreteness and universality of the Kamagasaki revolt truly
threatens to expand beyond the borders of police violence. Visitors
to Kamagasaki from near and far have over the past five days
participated and found their own struggle in riots fought by total
strangers. The ruling class fears and knows that it cannot control
this horizontal sympathy and the real practice of revolt that
accompanies it.

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Prisoner threatened with lynching, PADOC ignores white supremacist hate crime


From:    "FedUp!" <hrcfedup@gmail.com>
Date: Tue, June 17, 2008

*Distribute this far and wide and take action please*

On January 10, 2007 at SCI Fayette, *Correctional Officers
Friend *and *Collings* came to the cell door of Michael
Edwards #CM8086 in an effort to intimidate the prisoner into
dropping a lawsuit. When Mr. Edwards refused *C/O Friend*
*pulled three photographs of lynched black people from his
pocket and threw them in the prisoner's cell.* This took
place in the presence of *Sgt. Ruvo*.

HRC/Fed Up! has copies of these photographs in our possession. *And so do
you if you open the attached file. *We also have documented proof that this
incident has been brought to the attention of the highest ranking officials
in the PA DOC, including Secretary of Corrections Jeffrey Beard.

On May 28, 2008 * Lt. Lesure* threatened Michael Edwards with transfer
unless he signed a two-page affidavit dropping the prisoner's grievances
against *C/Os Friend and Collings*, along with related grievances. After
his cell was searched twice in twenty minutes and property—including legal
documents—were confiscated, Mr. Edwards still refused to sign the affidavit
and was promptly placed on a van to SCI Camp Hill without a prior 802
hearing. **

On route to SCI Camp Hill *C/O Collings #2* (twin brother of the former)
stated to the prisoner, "Last chance. You see how easy it would be to kill
you? Drop the complaints."

Upon arrival at Camp Hill *mental health staff member Edward
Kalsky*threatened Edwards with indefinite SMU confinement unless he
signed and
dated aforementioned affidavit.

On May 29 Mr. Edwards appeared before the PRC, and *unit manager C. Chambers
* was handed a two-page affidavit from *Dept. Supt. Kazor*, who *both
claimed that the document was authorized by "Central Office."* The prisoner
was told that if he signed and dated the affidavit he would be transferred
to any prison of his choosing and placed in general population. Mr. Edwards
refused to sign.

Currently, the prisoner still is housed in the SMU without his personal
property, access to cleaning supplies, paperwork, and law library; without
control over his cell lighting, which is on 24 hours a day, and he has been
denied yard. On May 29 *Sgt. Houser* also pressured Mr. Edwards to sign the
affidavit, and between 5/28/08 and 6/11/08 *Edward Kalsky* and *counselor
Phil Baker* have attempted to do the same.

*Hands off Michael Edwards!***

Michael Edwards continues to live under the threat of murder by white
supremacist prison personnel. *Do not let this happen!*

*Contact SCI Camp Hill (717-737-4531),* ask for the Superintendent or Deputy
Superintendent's office, and demand *hands off Michael Edwards!* Let the
prison know that we will not tolerate any harm being visited upon Mr.
Edwards, and that Deputy Superintendent Kazor and Superintendent Pavlovich
are personally responsible for the safety and health of Mr. Edwards and all
prisoners in their custody.

*No more hate crimes! Fire all known white supremacists in the PA DOC!** *

This incident runs deeper than Michael Edwards and cuts to the very core of
how the prison-industrial complex serves to enforce a white supremacist
power structure. Let's make a move together and target prison guards who
engage in overt white supremacist terrorism for immediate termination of
their employment.

*Contact SCI Fayette (724-364-2200)* and demand that *C/O Collings #1
& #2*along with
*C/O Friend* be fired immediately for the incident of January 10, 2007.

*Why does Jeffy look the other way? Is his money that good?*

* *
*Contact Secretary Beard (call **717-737-4531** and ask to be connected to
Sec. Beard's office) *and ask why he has refused to acknowledge this
incident, fire the personnel involved, and open an investigation into
racist/white supremacist abuse inside PA prisons. *Refusal to meet these
modest and just demands will be understood as proof that Secretary Jeffrey
Beard supports the sowing of racial terror inside the PA **DOC*.

*Stay in touch with one another . . .*

Please let others know about this incident, when you called and how that
went, and encourage others to do so. Also, it is important that everybody
who can drop a line or two of support to Michael Edwards at the following
address:


Michael Edwards #CM8086

SCI Camp Hill

P.O. Box 200

Camp Hill, PA 170001-0200

--
Human Rights Coalition - FedUp! Chapter
5125 Penn Ave Pittsburgh, PA 15224
412-361-3022 xt.4 hrcfedup@gmail.com
www.thomasmertoncenter.org/fedup/

New Dispatch from Andy Stepanian

Tue, June 17, 2008

[Forward Widely]

Dear Friends,

In my daily routine I take notice to when my feet
touch terrain other than pavement. I've become
accustomed to pavement as I walk on it everyday
circling within the prison's walls sweeping up trash
and listening to my radio. There is much to be said
about institutionalization; about how it can bring out
the worst in people, or radically exemplify how we as
humans are creatures of habit. Anytime something is
out of the ordinary routine it becomes more pronounced
due to confinement. Things that when observed outside
of prison would seem quite ordinary take on
extraordinary wealth when they appear. Feeling my
feet touch grass, even with the insulation of
sneakers, becomes profound when I spend most of my
time in a sea of pavement, razor wires, and steel
bars. I've become hyper-sensitized not only to the
feel, but the noise of sneakers sliding against grass,
the colors and types of grass, and things suspended
amidst the blades. I have developed a keen eye for
candy wrappers in the grass, even the clear ones( a
skill worthless in itself); but in developing that
keen eye i can't help notice the small wonders below
my feet; lady bugs, lavender buds, or windblown
evidence of an outside world. if you ever read any
writings of mine from within prison you may find a
reoccurring theme of how wondrous our world is, how
confinement and deprivation of experience has made me
grow fonder of life, more ready to go out and fight
for it, and want to experience the most of it. Until
now i have only given you words, today i hope to give
you more.

These are leaves that have blown over the prison walls
and onto the sidewalks and grass beneath my feet.
Like other breaks from prison normalcy these leaves
that blew over the tops of the walls and past the
razor wire from the forest at the compounds edge swell
with extraordinary worth. Imagine that prison is a
sensory deprivation environment; a quarantine of sorts
where those who are deemed socially ill are removed
from society and denied movement, enrichment, and
experience. If life is to be seen as nothing more
than a series of experiences, then some may argue that
prison can be a removal from the living. Jack Abbot
once said, "[prison] is like death because it denies
you experience." If this statement is true then I can
only relate to it in the sense that my removal from
life has allowed me to look at it like a spectator
looks at a painting, artwork, or better yet like mass
theater: a participatory art to which we all play a
role. I picked one of these leaves up in my hand and
looked at it closely. Each vein, each stipple, each
stem, each dot where stomata once exchanged oxygen for
carbon dioxide; there were only so many things I could
see with my eyes, but countless more I could see in
"my mind's eye." Feelings, unanswered mysteries, and
brilliance are wrapped up in a brittle little piece of
Carolina Beech foliage.

The brilliance that something so delicate, so often
seen as infinitesimal (if seen at all) could play the
essential role of breathing life into a tree that
stands tall and strong, of acting as an interface
between the tree and the sun digesting it's complex
radiation, and coupling it with lucid carbon and water
to make sugars and energy for the tree to grow, for
fruit to swell and fall to the ground or into
children's hands, or for the sap that a young grrl
pours on her pancakes as she laughs with her parents
over breakfast conversation. What could have been
crushed under the feet of the next passer-by instead
wiggled in the breeze while resting in my hands. It
was a a promissory note that miracles happen.
"Kites", as prisoners call them, are notes that make
it out of segregation to the prisons general populous
or pass from one institution to another. This leaf
was a kite flown in from life to the land of the dead,
it read:

I am a small miracle.
I made a tree that people climbed,
Where a raccoon took nest,
Where birds perched on limbs sang out countless
Symphonies.
I am a small miracle.
What are you?

I held the leaf with the tenderness of a parent first
holding their newborn child. I wondered if I had
ever "met" a miracle before. How many times have I
heard these words, "we can get (such and such) done,
but it's gonna take a small miracle"? Well here was
the small miracle ready to be cashed in, in exchange
for success in another project long since abandoned
and viewed as hopeless...

Ask yourself, do I believe in miracles? Then bend
your hand back and see the silhouette of the veins
running under the skin of your wrists. You are a
woven series of structures and chemicals, automated,
living, and interactive. You are art, perhaps the
most beautiful painting ever made. Our societies are
like theater, a participatory art to which we each are
involved; each individually beautiful woven chemical
portrait singing a chorus like a family of birds on
the branch of a beech tree. You are a miracle. You
wield incredible power to build and heal, to breathe
life, like leaves, into starving structures. Your
letters to me are like those leaves blown over the
prison walls the way they put hope in my hands. They
are silhouettes in ink and loose leaf of your
miraculous selves.

Where my present life is a sea of asphalt, razor
wires, and electric fencing robbing me of my senses,
your life is inundated by a neon billboard wonderland
constantly distracting your senses with messages like;
"you are not thin enough", "note rich enough",
"nothing without this product", "anything but a
miracle"... Liberation of self happens when one
shakes loose of those distractions, to see that you
are beautiful if your own shape, money does not make
you rich, commodities don't define you, and that
without rebut you are a miracle. When you look at
yourself as a miracle, miracles begin to happen around
you. The projects you once set aside for the
eventuality of one day encountering a small miracle
become reality. I say this because at some point in
my life I set out to do what some would consider
impossible. The SHAC-USA case showed us that
corporate America was devastated by the notion that a
handful of bright eyes people could use the same
constitutionally protected resources awarded to all of
us and derail their agendas. They viewed it as
impossible and were shocked when it happened. Many of
SHAC's supporters thought it impossible, or at best
would require a small miracle, but miracles do happen.
For a mink pleading for someone to lift up the
opening to his fur farm cage, for an egg laying hen in
a battery farm, for a Beagle in a vivisection lab
sitting in her own congealed blood and vomit, the
person who opens the cage and introduces them to
freedom is a living, breathing, walking miracle.

As I reflect from prison I realize that this was just
the tip of the iceberg. Inspiration is contagious.
So as I sit and write and press leaves on paper I make
attempts to re-route this process, to breathe life
back out past these walls and into your hands, to show
you *I'm not dead...I don't even have the wind knocked
out of me*, to fly a kite of my own... Let it read: I
believe in miracles, because I see one in you. There
is no mountain too high or valley too low. There is
nothing that you cannot do.

Love and Liberation,

Andy

Write to Andy at:

Andrew Lloyd Stepanian #26399-050
FCI Butner Medium II
PO Box 1500
Butner, NC 27509

Calling for Bashir Hameed

Subject: [abc-friends] Calling for Bashir Hameed
Date: Tue, June 17, 2008

Thanks to everybody who called the Governor's office for POW Bashir
Hameed today! We're told a staffer said she received "quite a few
calls"!

If you forgot to call, or even if you remembered, KEEP CALLING.
There's no reason to quit until Hameed's family and core supporters
let us know that he has received adequate medical care or that he has
been transferred back to Sullivan!

For Freedom,
NYC ABCF

——————————

May 20, 2008/ From Iyaluua Ferguson:

Bashir Hameed (York) 82A6313 called Sunday very concerned about the fact
that the administration at the prison he is now in [Great Meadow
Correctional Facility] is continuing its policy of ignoring his health
needs, despite the support you have demonstrated in this matter.
Obviously
the authorities mean to exterminate Bashir through neglect if we
allow it.

We cannot allow this to happen! We have to increase our support by our
letters and phone calls. Bashir is asking us to write and call Governor
Paterson to give orders to his Corrections Commissioner Brian Fischer to
transfer Bashir to Sullivan Corectional Facility immediately, where
he was
before and where his health and medical problems were handled much more
humanely and professionally by the medical staff.

We are looking now to the Governor to save our brother. If anything
happens to Bashir, the blame will rest in the Governor's hands.

David A. Paterson
State Capitol
Albany, NY 12224

518-474-8390