325

‘Prison Struggle’ Archives

Letter of anarchist comrade Alfredo Cospito (Italy)

Wednesday, November 2nd, 2016

Note: This text was written by Alfredo during his recent hunger-strike which began on October 3rd and ended on October 25th when prison authorities released him from isolation.

Prison of Ferrara – Italy
Letter of anarchist comrade Alfredo Cospito

Valentina, Danilo, Anna, Marco, Sandro, Daniele, Nicola friends, brothers, sisters, comrades were arrested and rearrested.

I should narrate the same old story about another fabrication. Instead, I want to talk about the reason why they were arrested. Brothers and sisters were arrested because they attacked, they were tired of waiting, they ignored the decisions of the majority and took action.

I remain optimistic and in high spirits because the logic of “1 + 1 = 2” tells me that the comrades who struck are still free, therefore they are able to strike again.

The power does not repress randomly. Today it wants to isolate and to annihilate part of anarchist movement, a “small” as it may be it was able to break the chains that tied it to the “old social anarchy”.

A social anarchism that in suicidal and compulsive way looks for “consensus at any costs”. Diluting continuously its aspirations.

This vision that “never goes beyond” is very convenient for power, on the contrary it fears those anarchists who refuse that “consensus” ties their hands, because they believe that only out of the action (not made of abstract theories or searching-pursuing of “people”) can the strategy be born, the path to follow.

I don’t want comment the “charges” and so-called “evidences”. The only thing I would say is that the brothers and sisters of FAI-FRI have always claimed with head held high, in front of black-robed pigs, their own merits, their own actions, taking the responsibilities, spitting in the pigs’ faces, as we did in Genoa.

My main priority is not to get out of prison at all costs, but to get out with head held high without having denied anything of what I was, and I am.

I will get out by hook or by crook, it will all depends on my strength, on my abilities, on the strength of my brothers and sisters outside, but definitely I will get out with head held high.

My ideal complicity goes to brothers and sisters of the “Cooperativa Artigiana Fuoco ed Affini”-FAI, to brothers and sisters of FAI-RAT(Rivolta Anonima Tremenda) and to brothers and sisters of Narodnaja Volja – FAI, whoever they are, wherever they are.

My ideal complicity goes to anarchism of praxis, which in new forms is rising in most of the world, after a long hibernation.

Forward, without fear.

The future is ours.

Thought and Dynamite

Alfredo Cospito

via CNA, Traces of Fire, InsurrectionNews

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Prison Struggle

(A-Radio) Azerbaijan: state repression and the anarchist’s speech in court

Wednesday, November 2nd, 2016

Dear all,

In May of 2016, two of our comrades in Azerbaijan, Qiyas Ibrahimov and Bayram Mammadov, were arrested for spraypainting the monument of the former dictator Haydar Aliev. It was on the night before the so-called “Flower holiday”, a day made up in conmemoration of Haydar, the father of the current President of Azerbaijan. Nonetheless, as the charges for spraypainting would not have been very high, more than 1 kilogram of heroin was planted in each of our comrades’ homes.

They were processed on different trials. Qiyas has already been sentenced to 10 years of prison, his friend Bayram Mammadov is still on trial.

From Azerbaijani comrades we received the text of Qiyas’ speech in front of the jury, him being interrupted regurlarly by the judge. In support of his case, we made an audio version of this speech and the judge’s comments.

You’ll find the audio (to listen online or download in different sizes) here.

Length: 11:30 min

You can find other English and Spanish language audios here.

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Prison Struggle

Petr Mikolas on hungerstrike in solidarity to striking prisoners in United States (Czech Republic)

Wednesday, November 2nd, 2016

Petr Mikoláš is so called social prisoner who had shared a cell with Lukáš Borl before the director of Litoměřice prison separated them into different cells. Petr and Lukáš became to be friends and Petr started to see similarities in between his and other stories of imprisoned ones pretty quickly. Petr Mikoláš after separation from Lukáš decided to go on hunger strike.

One of his reasons to start a hunger strike is to be in solidarity with striking prisoners in the US. We support Petr’s struggle as we would support any imprisoned being fighting against their oppressor.

Statement on the hunger strike of Petr Mikoláš

Hey all friends, my name is Petr Mikoláš. The failure of the state and basically state robbery led me to understand and recognize anarchistic values and therefore the need of revolution. I was deprived of all my property, social relations and family ties. And all of that only by a fictional and manipulated accusation by the police!

I was put in custody in September 2015 and I’m still here, totally isolated.

I understood that the representative democracy is manipulated and non-functional. I don’t want my children to grow up in such a totally sick system.

If repression is inflicted upon us, including physical attacks or captivity, we have incontestable right to defend ourselves. The impulse to self-defense is an instinctive human trait that is taken from us by every system. Therefore I agree with all the anarchistic values!
I start the hunger strike in the custody jail on the 1st of November 2016 and I want to:

-support all the prisoners on strike in USA
-demand a full vegan diet in the jail, acknowledging a tradition of not eating products coming from abused animals
-be reunited in a cell with Lukáš Borl from whom the authorities have separated me, right after the captors learned about our will to support others by the hunger strike. We want to have a chance to be in contact again!

Who wants to support us, write, call, or fax to the Litoměřice prison.

Petr Mikoláš 24.1.1972
Vazební věznice Litoměřice
Veitova 1
412 81 Litoměřice
Czech Republic

Source

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Prison Struggle

A writing by CCF members for the US prison mobilization and anarchist prisoners in Italy (Greece)

Sunday, October 30th, 2016

NON SERVIAM – I WILL NOT SERVE YOU

“Worse than enslavement is getting used to it…”

Life in the modern civilized world comprises false representations, false patterns, and false formalities. Formalities that determine our upbringing within a family, our education, our professional career, our relationships, our emotions, our smiles or tears. Patterns that castrate the scope of our perception so that our thoughts are directed onto a moving walkway going only one direction. Representations that disguise the system’s functions and pathogenies so that we see life unfold only on stage, and never wonder what’s hidden backstage. So, the thousands of suicides of desperate debtors is just another statistic among the unpleasant consequences of the economic crisis, the impoverishment of the so-called third world is just an unfortunate fact, and its wounds will heal by charity organizations, the countless dead of modern crusades, the unfortunate victims of the absurdity of war, and the convict slaves in American prisons are simply antisocial elements that provide social services to Democracy.

Prison itself is exile from life; a non-place and non-time behind the screen of a decent society, to make the ugliness that bothers the eyes of reputable citizens unseeable. Prisons are a proof of the perverse intelligence of authoritarian minds. They’re built onto walls echoing the screaming and weeping of thousands of people who’ve learned to sleep with anguish and despair. Prison is the country of captivity, the country where one learns to kneel before the “Forbidden”, a landfill for the disposal of human waste, an industrial dump where the social machine’s hazardous waste ends up. For most people, however, for all those who never learned to doubt, to question, to look beyond the obvious, prison is a security wall necessary to protect their peaceful and quiet life. (more…)

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Prison Struggle

Letter from imprisoned anarchist comrade Lukas Borl in solidarity to the prison uprising in the United States (Czech Republic)

Sunday, October 30th, 2016

Hello. My name is Lukáš Borl. I am 34 years old and recently I am held in custody prison in Czech republic – Europe. I am an anarchist and I express my solidarity with all oppressed and exploited people around the World regardless their origin, sexual orientation or gender. From this perspective I decided to send few words of solidarity to the prisoners in USA where, according to the information available to me, a general strike of working prisoners began on 9.9.2016. Regardless what they’ve done, regardless how the Criminal Procedure is categorizing it, I want to express my support to every striking person in prisons around USA.

Every person without exception has a right to respect and human dignity. All prisons trample this right in different ways. For example, a person whose dignity was taken away by prison is additionally exposed to exploitation by working there. As prisoners, you labor hard under hard conditions and often in danger to your own health. Time spent at work is managed by bosses, and the products of this work are taken by capitalists. On one side, there is the growing wealth of corporations, and on the other, you: the humiliated and exploited people who create the profit produced by their work. The implacable antagonism of these two worlds is obvious. If you decided to go on strike, then, it is a legitimate form of a struggle for ending exploitation. I understand this struggle and I support it. I want to let you know that your struggle is also mine. We share the same reality as human beings suffering under the control of the capital and state. (more…)

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Prison Struggle

A statement in support of the US prison mobilization by CCF-FAI/FRI Urban Guerrilla Cell (Greece)

Sunday, October 30th, 2016

Soledad Brothers (from left to right): John Clutchette, George L. Jackson (September 23, 1941 — August 21, 1971) and Fleeta Drumgo

“Gentlemen, the Dragon Will Fly Out”
In Support of September 9th Mobilization in US Prisons

“Gentlemen, the dragon will fly out” is a saying attributed to prisoner George Jackson. On August 21st 1971, holding a pistol, he opened all the cells in an adjustment unit, taking jailers hostage. George Jackson was killed in his attempt to escape…

Since September 9th, prisoners in the United States have called for action against slavery.

A multitude of “invisible” slaves (there are about 2.5 million prisoners in the United States) are condemned to forced labor, or as jailers of their own selves (internal work in prisons, cleaning, repairs, technical operations), or as cheap meat in the service of corporate behemoths (Honda, McDonald’s, Wendy’s, Victoria’s Secret, Starbucks, and many others). Besides, the 13th amendment to the US constitution clearly states: “neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, EXCEPT as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted…” To put it simply, detainees are considered slaves as part of their punishment.

Prisons in America—and not just there–aren’t only bars, walls, surveillance cameras or lockdowns. They’re also an enormous lucrative business. Prisons are a dirty dealing for continuously supplied shackled labor force without name and without voice. They represent a modern slave trade, making billion-dollar profit, that not only supplies the companies-caretakers but also the industry of lawyers, judges, cops, corrections officers, private prisons. (more…)

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Prison Struggle

Conspiracy of Cells of Fire – “For Alfredo and Anna – Until we meet” (Greece, Italy)

Tuesday, October 25th, 2016

In Italy, comrade Alfredo Cospito since October 3rd and comrade Anna Beniamino since October 10th, are on a hunger strike against the isolation imposed on them and on the anarchists imprisoned for the attacks of FAI (Operation “Scripta Manent”).

We know that the struggle against authority is unequal… Nevertheless we choose the war for freedom instead of the peace of fear.

Because we know that there are “free” people, who are more enslaved than prisoners, and living people that are more dead than most of our dead comrades who fell in the battle for freedom.

Because for every battle that we lose, a new one begins.

“Because if I don’t get burnt, if you don’t get burnt, how will the darkness turn to shining…”

For us solidarity is not simply a “touching” word, but a way of life, of becoming people with the dream as our measure.

We stand by our comrades Alfredo and Anna with all our hearts and minds, until our dreams meet…

STRENGTH AND SOLIDARITY TO THE COMRADE HUNGER STRIKERS

ALFREDO COSPITO AND ANNA BENIAMINO

NEVER REGRETFUL
NEVER DEFEATED

CCF / FAI – Urban Guerrilla Cell

George Polydoros

Olga Economidou

Gerasimos Tsakalos

Christos Tsakalos

Korydallos prison

–

CCF Per Alfredo ed Anna fino al incontro

In Italia dal 3 ottobre il compagno Alfredo Cospito e dal 10 ottobre la compagna Anna Beniamino sono in sciopero di fame contro il regime d’isolamento imposto a loro ed agli anarchici incarcerati per attachi di FAI (operazione scripta manent).

Conosciamo che la battaglia contro il potere è ineguale….però scegliamo la guerra per la libertà che la pace di paura. Perché sappiamo che ci siano “liberi” più schiavi che i carcerati e vivi più morti che i nostri compagni caduti in battaglia per la libertà. Perché per ogni battaglia che perdiamo, una nuova comincia. “Perché se non mi brucio io, se non ti bruci tu, come il buio diventerà splendore…”

Per noi la solidarietà non è una parola “emozionante” ma una maniera di vivere ad essere umani dove la nostra misura sarà il sogno.

Stiamo a lato dei compagni Alfredo ed Anna con tutta la nostra cuore e nostro mente fino al incontro del sogno…

FORZA E SOLIDARIETÀ AI COMPAGNI CHE FANO SCIOPERO DA FAME ALFREDO COSPITO ANNA BENIAMINO MAI PENTITI MAI PERDITI CCF/FAI-Cellula guerriglia urbana

Polidoros Giorgio Iconomidu Olga Tsacalos Gerasimos Tsacalos Christos Dalle prigioni di Coridalos

–

Italy – Anarchist comrades Alfredo Cospito and Anna Beniamino ended their hunger strike on 22nd October
On 22nd October, following the revocation of solitary confinement, Alfredo and Anna stopped their hunger strike, which they had begun on 3rd October and 10th October respectively.

via: Croceneranarchica, actforfree

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Prison Struggle

(A-Radio) Presentation: The Prison Strike in the USA 2016

Tuesday, October 25th, 2016

Dear all,

As Anarchist Radio Berlin, we recorded a presentation about the ongoing prison strike in the United States of America, its backgrounds as well as the methods of support and solidarity that are used in- and outside of prisons. The presentation was held in October 2016 in Berlin.

You’ll find the audio (to listen online or download in different sizes) here.

Length: 57:47 min

You can find other English and Spanish language audios here:
http://aradio.blogsport.de/englishcastellano/.

Tags: , , , , ,
Posted in Prison Struggle

Warsaw: Third Anti-Prison Days 27-30 October 2016 (Poland)

Tuesday, October 25th, 2016

Warsaw Third Anti-Prison Days 27-28-30

Program:

Warm up:

Thursday 27.10
ROD (Bartycka 26) reclaimthefieldspl.noblogs.org
20:00 benefit concert for the warsaw 3 wawa3.noblogs.org
Love Cans (psych garage blues) from Switzerland.

Friday 28.10

Cafe Kryzys / Syrena / Wilcza 30

from 12:00 at Cafe Kryzys:

vegan food
Distro
Writing to prisoners
tattoos (more info soon)

“Jestem z Zewnątrz” (I’m from the outside) / Beata Sosnowska / works of
female prisoners from Grochów Prison in Warsaw, PL (more…)

Tags: , , ,
Posted in Prison Struggle

Letter from imprisoned anarchist comrade Lukas Borl (Czech Republic)

Tuesday, October 25th, 2016

Statement to my arrest
On Sunday, September 4th, 2016, I was arrested by the police in Most and then taken to the remand prison in Litomerice. Unfortunately it happened what I did not want to, but knew all along that this may occur at any time. Fortunately, I have mentally prepared myself for such situation so it allows me to deal calmly with this kind of unpleasant reality, which I’m and apparently people close to me are exposed to now.

I was captured by those who defend the rule of capital over our lives. Nevertheless, that doesn’t change anything on my will to continue along the path that I have chosen. I will continue to destroy and create. To fight and love. I remain an anarchist with everything that belongs to it. I decided for now to write a few paragraphs about my imprisonment. Surely I will soon express my opinion about other issues that I consider important.

Before the arrest
It’s no secret that at a certain moment I decided to “disappear”, in worry that the police was planning my arrest. I have expressed my reasons in the text “Disappearance of supervision of state power”, which is published various sites of the anarchist movement. The choice I made, allowed me to live hidden and quite happily for months. I freely moved and ate a good food. Whole world became home for me, and I was able to find havens for cultural and social existence in it. (more…)

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Prison Struggle

Communique from Anarchists from D Wing, Korydallos Prison, Athens, for the struggle in Syria (Greece)

Wednesday, October 5th, 2016

1st of October
A minimum response on the call-out for the day of Rage against the massacre at Aleppo.

Even if there are only ruins left at Aleppo, the bombings haven’t stopped. Even now, after 5 years of bombs and sieges, people still live in this city. Some because they didn’t manage to leave, some because they didn’t see a better future at Mediterranean’s seabed, some because they refused to abandon the revolution against the dictatorship of Assad, that started with the Arab Spring. At Aleppo’s ruins a guerilla warfare is taking place, that until now, Assad with Hezbollah, Iran and Russian military machine haven’t achieved to defeat.

If the things that happened with the repression of Spanish Revolution by Franco and the Nazis were the rehearsal of World War II, probably the war in Syria is an image of the post-industrial future on earth. A future, where the democratic excuses collapse and the absolute violence prevails. A world, that despite the gigantic military power of the tyrants, the most effective way to control the insurrection is still by division. A situation of despair, where people in order to defend themselves and survive, are organized in groups manipulated by generals, who only seek more power and who lead the revolting crowds away from the fight against the regime and into a fight for control of the war zones of their interests.

The result is a constant war, a profitable business for the capitalists, who sell weapons and armament to war zones, where trade and economy still exist.

The example of Syria’s punishment is a clear warning to everyone in the world, who even thinks about revolting.

In this chaotic total war, the reference point for us, are the few guerilla groups, organized outside the control the “moderate Muslims” of Al Nusra, or the “cosmics” of the FSA, who are both manipulated from the dominant powers of imperialistic competition, like USA, and both have the same target, a big piece from the power reallocation.

In a situation where people are cruelly attacked from one imperialist, and seek safety from the actions of its rival, we are affected by some revolutionaries, like the Leon Sedov Brigade, who stand against any imperialist and propose the solidarity and unity among the repressed of this world. We are inspired from the attempts of organization from the Revolutionary Coordination Committees against the dividing of the uprising, from the manipulant organizations.

Those rebels who try to self-organize in a battlefield with bombs and chemical weapons, who are still fighting despite the heavy losses, who prefer to die rather than surrender to the murderer Assad, who define and defend their freedom at all costs, they spread the message that in every condition struggle is possible, if there is the will to fight.

They spread a message that the powerful military machines of Al Assad, Iran, Lebanon, Isis, Russia and USA haven’t achieved to defeat them for more than 5 years.

That explains the cruelty of the attack to Aleppo, the capital of revolution. After smaller towns were besieged and lead to starvation, the same tactic was attempted at Aleppo. But there were dynamic demonstrations where banks were expropriated, actions outside the guidelines of the army parties, which control the masses. That’s why Aleppo is now being totally destroyed.

A major factor for the ongoing slaughter in Syria is the absolute absence of social resistance to this war, from the people of the imperialistic countries that invaded Syria.

European people, not only they do not react to the war, but the majority consent to the closure of the borders for refugees, who, if they survive from the death in the sea, are the only fighting, like the great example of Syrian refugees in Paris who went on hunger strike, demand the termination of the war.

We don’t have a clear picture of what happens in movements in the rest of the world, but we are going to talk for the Greek case. Because after all, the economic crisis and poverty here in Greece, except from radicalizing parts of the people, lead more to the pacification. On the one hand we have people who take care of the refugees, rescuing them with their boats, independently from political parties and non-governmental organizations, and on the other hand there were beatings, fascist attacks and actions against the refugees. No big anti-war demonstration though, as happened in the past, because now economy is the only concern. Using it’s left mask, Syriza combining fear management and harsh repression, lead social resistances, in general, to surrender. And now Greek state is placing refugees to concentration camps, obeying the demands of the European Union. Sadly, the solidarity to the refugees is limited to charity, without any reference to the revolution, that lead to war.

For the lefts, the “anti-american” feelings and the belief that “the enemy of my enemy is my friend” doesn’t allow them to stand against Assad, while the majority of the anarchists, lacking analysis, refer exclusively to Rojava.

At the same moment, refugees give their own fights like the uprising in Moria, where after destroying a large part of the infrastructure, they escaped, but rather than run, as usually happens, they gathered and demonstrated, resulting their arrest.

In our opinion, we seek the expansion of the solidarity to the refugees, in a more general context, that will regard the war in Syria as an example of an uprising and how capitalists dealt with it, in order to be able to exclude the proper conclusions from it.

It’s obvious, that the unity of the rebels doesn’t come from the big, centralized, hierarchical organizations, that end up fighting each other for the biggest share of power. The only hope is a horizontal organization, that doesn’t allow to any ambitious leader to sell the fight. The decentralized network of collectives that fight with their one will to a common direction, coordinating when possible, exchanging information, know-hows, arms and political ideas.

The views that see hierarchical organization as a necessary condition to achieve victory in a revolutionary war, were tried in the past and were lead to defeat or to the reproduction of the same social systems that they hypothetically fought.

The example of Syria, where small guerrilla groups and no centralized armies stand against the Russian military machine and the alliance of local armies, proves that what is missing is not the proper leadership, but a new mindset of organization. And that applies to every field of organization of revolutionary action, whether it is guerilla warfare, or the spread of revolutionary ideas, that do not persuade anyone because they are signed by the biggest federation, but are spread through initiative, close human contact, and co-action.

The massacre in Syria won’t stop, unless we do something to stop it.

Unless we face it as a part of the repression that we all have felt. If we don’t feel the tenacity of the rebels who don’t surrender. If we don’t realize that the distance from suffocating because of tear gas in demonstrations to the endless gas chamber of Syria is short. As long as we abstain from the streets, we give our permission to this bloodshed.

When captivity and death become universal condition, we are called to make insurrection and solidarity a universal condition.

EVERY DAY, A DAY OF RAGE
WAR AGAINST AUTHORITY ON EVERY INCH OF EARTH

Anarchists from D’ wing of Koridallos Prison (Greece)

Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Prison Struggle

Solidarity from imprisoned anarchist comrades in Korydallos Prison, Athens, to uprising prisoners in USA (Greece)

Wednesday, October 5th, 2016

Dear comrades,
This is a banner from Greek prisoners (Koridalos Athens) to be forwarded to American prisoners.

In solidarity
ABC- Solidarity Cell

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Prison Struggle

Update from the appellate trial of anarchist comrades Giannis Naxakis and Grigoris Sarafoudis (Greece)

Wednesday, October 5th, 2016

During the session on September 27th, prosecution witnesses were examined who did recognize the comrade. They did not recognize the voice of anarchist G.Sarafoudis, neither his characteristics. What they testified was not very different from what they said in the first trial for the case.

The initial sentences in this case were 16 years each. Comrades G.Sarafoudis and G.Naxakis were arrested on April 30th 2013 in Nea Filadelfia area, with the then wanted comrades A.Dalios and F.Harisis. Grigoris has also been sentenced to 8 years for a robbery of a bank in Filota. The next session is on October 11th and the head of the anti- terrorist force will testify.

Gathering on October 11th at 9am at room D120A on the 6th floor of the
appellate court room on Loukareos.

Factual solidarity to our comrades.
Strength!

Act for freedom now!

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Prison Struggle

Imprisoned anarchist Martin Ignačák is bailed (Czech Republic)

Wednesday, October 5th, 2016

Martin was released from remand! WELCOME HOME!!!

The supreme court denied the confidential file written by former criminal police chief about his sister as an anarchist organizer and criminal element whom the court deciding about Martin awaiting trial outside of remand should not trust. Therefore the court had to decide to “free” Martin. The struggle is not over at all. In contrary it is in its beginning and Fenix 5 (people being charged of a conspiracy of preparation a terrorist attack against the train with military equipment – prepared by two undercover/infiltrated state agents) will face another series of court hearings on October 3rd to 6th.

WE CALL FOR SOLIDARITY ACTION.

—
antifenix.cz
anarchistblackcross.cz

Tags: , , , ,
Posted in Prison Struggle

Athens: Protest outside of the American embassy in solidarity to the prison labour strike (Greece)

Wednesday, October 5th, 2016

Inside the framework of the international day of solidarity to the struggle of the US prisoners that was called by the Anarchist Black Cross-Solidarity Cell, a protest outside of the American embassy took place.

ABC solidarity cell, Assembly for solidarity to political prisoners, Assembly for solidarity to the prisoners’ struggle against slavery, A.S.M.P.A., Assembly of anarchists communists for the class counter attack against the European union as well as other comrades participated in the protest. During the protest, slogans were shouted, flyers were spread, texts were given out and banners were hanged.

Anarchist Black Cross – Solidarity Cell

Tags: , , , , , ,
Posted in Prison Struggle