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BK/NY – Tuesday July 18th – Letter Writing Dinner for International Antifa Prisoners
WHAT: Political Prisoner Letter-Writing Dinner
WHEN: 7pm sharp, Tuesday, July 18th, 2017
WHERE: The Base – 1302 Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn, New York 11221 (directions below)
NOTE: The Base is on the ground floor, is wheelchair accessible, and has a gender neutral toilet.
COST: Free
As a response to the call for solidarity with international antifascist political prisoners, NYC ABC is focusing this week’s letter-writing dinner on those folks imprisoned for actions taken in the name of anti-fascism or anti-racism. We will have cards to sign, not to mention a delicious meal, as we’ve been known for providing for over ten years.
From NYC Antifa: The July 25 International Day of Solidarity with Antifascist Prisoners originated in 2014 as the Day of Solidarity with Jock Palfreeman, an Australian man serving a 20-year sentence in Bulgaria for defending two Romani men being attacked by fascist football hooligans. Whether acting as individuals or as part of larger organized demonstrations, this is the kind of bravery and solidarity which defines antifascist actions against the forces of hate. Since the day of solidarity last year, we have seen this spirit all over the world—in Indonesia, Czech Republic, Brazil, Poland, England, Greece, the United States, France, Syria, Australia, Japan and all points in between.
While antifascism is global, unfortunately so is state repression. In the United States, hundreds of antifa have been arrested resisting both the Trump regime as well as Far Right street forces. In Belarus, the state continues to harshly repress antifascist resistance. While many of these comrades are awaiting sentences, there are still many who languish in prison. We will not forget these comrades behind prison walls!
We call on anti-fascists worldwide to act in solidarity with antifascist prisoners. They are in there for us, and we are out here for them!
BK/NY – Tuesday, July 4th – Letter Writing Dinner for Josh Williams, Krow, and Ramsey Orta
WHAT: Political Prisoner Letter-Writing Dinner
WHEN: 7pm sharp, Tuesday, July 4th, 2017
WHERE: The Base – 1302 Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn, New York 11221 (directions below)
NOTE: The Base is on the ground floor, is wheelchair accessible, and has a gender neutral toilet.
COST: Free
While the rest of the country happily turns the other cheek to the daily atrocities committed under the name of the USA in order to get wasted and light off fireworks, NYC ABC will be doing something a little different. Join us at this Tuesday to enjoy some vegan barbecue, relish in our disgust at the state and celebrate folks who have recently been captured. This week we’ll be writing three individuals who have gone down for their participation in the Ferguson uprising, No DAPL, and cop watch actions.
Josh Williams became a vocal regular participant in the anti-police demonstrations following the murder of 18 year old Mike Brown in 2014. Later that year, Joshua was arrested for the arson of a convenience store that was located across the street from the fatal police shooting of Antonio Martin just days before. In December 2015 Joshua pleaded guilty to arson and burglary and has been sentenced to 8 years in state prison.
On April 12, Krow was taken into custody, to Morton County Jail, where she awaits extradition. True to form—always thinking of others— she spent her last day on the outside supporting other No DAPL prisoners and rescuing a cat. On February 4, 2017—her 30th birthday—she was assaulted and arrested by a member of the Bureau of Indian Affairs while in North Dakota supporting the resistance to the Dakota Access pipeline. She was held in Morton County Correctional Center until February 27. She is being charged with violating felony probation. Krow’s legal case set a precedent in North Dakota as the first case to release someone on bond preceding a formal extradition hearing. For Krow’s statement after her initial release from jail on February 27, and before turning herself in on April 12, visit http://supportkrow.org
In July 2014 Ramsey Orta was in front of a corner store on Staten Island when vicious murdering pig David Pantaleo wrapped his arm around Eric Garner’s neck and squeezed until his final breath. Having dealt with police before Ramsey had the forethought to grab his camera phone and start recording. He captured the final moments of Eric Garner’s life, in which he uttered the now infamous phrase and rallying cry, “I can’t breathe.” Ramsey released the video, which instantly went viral and inspired folks to hit the streets across the 
country against the police. Given the State’s goals of maintaining white supremacy it should come as no surprise that the only person who both walked away from the scene of Eric Garner’s death alive and faced any real consequences handed down by the State is Ramsey. Since the uploading of the video, Ramsey has been harassed non-stop by the NYPD and was arrested numerous times. On one occasion when the police were targeting and arresting him, they even pulled out their phones and said “You filmed us, now we are filming you.” One of these charges stuck and Ramsey surrendered himself to begin a four year sentence on October 3rd.
If for some reason you can’t make it Tuesday, please take a moment to write these folks on your own time:
Josh Williams #1292002
E.R.D.C.C.
2727 Highway K
Bonne Terre, Missouri 63628
Krow*
Iron County Jail
300 Taconite Street
Hurley, Wisconsin 54534
*address envelope to Katie Kloth
Ramsey Orta 16A4200
Franklin Correctional Facility
Post Office Box 10
Malone, New York 12953-0010
Illustrated Guide Version 12.4 Uploaded!
We’ve finished the latest version of the NYC ABC “Illustrated Guide to Political Prisoners and Prisoners of War” and it’s available for viewing (and download) by clicking on the tab at the top of this page. This update includes updated mini-bios, photos, and address changes for several prisoners, as well as the removal of Chelsea Manning (Commutation!). Unfortunately, it also includes the addition of recently-imprisoned water defender Krow.
BK/NY – Tuesday, June 20th – Letter-writing to Jaan Laaman and Tom Manning
WHAT: Political Prisoner Letter-Writing Dinner
WHEN: 7pm sharp, Tuesday, June 20th, 2017
WHERE: The Base – 1302 Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn, New York 11221 (directions below)
NOTE: The Base is on the ground floor, is wheelchair accessible, and has a gender neutral toilet.
COST: Free
The summer is officially here and what better way to kick it off than with some solidarity to US held political prisoners and POWs. This Tuesday’s NYC ABC dinner will focus on two Anti-Imperialist Political Prisoners– Jaan Laaman and Tom Manning. Both are imprisoned for actions carried out by United Freedom Front (UFF), a clandestine revolutionary organization active in the United States in the early 1980s. The group targeted government institutions and major corporations that had ties to the South African Apartheid system or right-wing paramilitaries in Central America. This included taking actions directly against the South African and United States governments. The UFF carried out targeted bombings of corporate buildings, courthouses and military facilities as well as bank robberies to fund revolutionary projects. Both men were deeply involved in anti-South African apartheid organizing.
Jaan has been in solitary confinement for over three months as punishment for releasing two statements in early March; one having to do with the Women’s Strike & the other having to do with our recently deceased comrade Lynne Stewart. We recognize that the State will only enforce the laws that suit them and in turn will also disregard them when it suits them, so this blatant denial of Jaan’s free speech comes at no surprise. It is our hope that the flood of letters we send to Jaan at this time will not only lift his spirits in this time of repression but also show those who keep him locked behind the walls how little we think of their efforts to silence him.
We expect to see you on Tuesday. If you can’t make it, please take the time to write letters to Jaan and Tom:
Jaan Karl Laaman #10372-016
USP Tucson
Post Office Box 24550
Tucson, Arizona 85734
Tom Manning #10373-016
FCI Butner Medium II
Post Office Box 1500
Butner, North Carolina 27509
Stay up to date by visiting: 4StruggleMag
BK/NY – Tuesday, June 6 – Letter Writing Dinner for June 11th Prisoners
WHAT: Political Prisoner Letter-Writing Dinner
WHEN: 7pm sharp, Tuesday, June 6, 2017
WHERE: The Base – 1302 Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn, New York 11221 (directions below)
NOTE: The Base is on the ground floor, is wheelchair accessible, and has a gender neutral toilet.
COST: Free
Each year, June 11th serves as an international day of solidarity with Marius Mason and long term anarchist prisoners. The June 11th collective has spent the past couple of weeks interviewing various folks doing direct support work for some of the prisoners featured on this day, including Eric King, Jeremy Hammond, the Cleveland 4, Nicole Kissane & Joseph Buddenberg, among others. You can check those out and give them a listen here!
Join NYC ABC this Tuesday to write cards to these folks to let them know we’re thinking about them.
If for some insane reason you can’t join us Tuesday, be sure to check out more information about June 11th, including how it started and how it has evolved, here.
BK/NY – Tuesday, May 23rd – Letter Writing Dinner for Sundiata Acoli & Mutulu Shakur
WHAT: Political Prisoner Letter-Writing Dinner
WHEN: 7pm sharp, Tuesday, May 23rd, 2017
WHERE: The Base – 1302 Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn, New York 11221 (directions below)
NOTE: The Base is on the ground floor, is wheelchair accessible, and has a gender neutral toilet.
COST: Free
This week brought the much anticipated releases of both Oscar Lopez Rivera and Chelsea Manning. While it has been fun and exciting to watch them celebrate, be celebrated, and hit the ground running reclaiming their lives outside of prison walls, we must remember that there are still many more comrades and elders that remain behind bars requiring our relentless support.
This week NYC ABC will focus on Sundiata Acoli and Dr. Mutulu Shakur, a former Black Panther Party member and a former Black Liberation Army member who are serving time for charges connected to Assata Shakur and/or her successful 1979 prison break and escape.
A New York Black Panther, Sundiata Acoli endured two years of prison awaiting trial for the Panther 21 Conspiracy Case. He and his comrades were eventually acquitted on all the bogus charges. The case was historic and a classic example of police and government attempting to neutralize organizations by incarcerating their leadership. As a result of this political attack and because of the immense pressure and surveillance from the FBI and local police Sundiata, like many other Panther leaders went “underground.” On May 2, 1973, Sundiata Acoli, Assata Shakur and Zayd Shakur were ambushed and attacked by state troopers on the New Jersey Turnpike. Assata was wounded and Zayd was killed. During the gun battle a state trooper was shot and killed in self defense. Sundiata was tried in an environment of mass hysteria and convicted, although there was no credible evidence that he killed the trooper or had been involved in the shooting. He was sentenced to thirty years. Sundiata was ordered released on parole by a state appeals court in New Jersey in September 2014 when the court ruled the parole board had “acted arbitrarily and capriciously” when it previously denied him parole. The State of New Jersey has appealed the decision. More information: sundiataacoli.org
In 1987 Dr. Mutulu Shakur was sentenced to 60 years imprisonment for his role in the Black Liberation Movement. In March 1982, Dr. Shakur and 10 others were indicted by a federal grand jury under a set of U.S. conspiracy laws called Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO) laws. These conspiracy laws were ostensibly developed to aid the government in its prosecution of organized crime figures; however, they have been used with varying degrees of success against revolutionary organizations. Dr. Shakur was charged with conspiracy and participation in the Black Liberation Army, a group that carried out actual and attempted expropriations from several banks. Eight incidents were alleged to have occurred between December 1976 to October 1981. In addition, he was charged with participation in the 1979 prison escape of Assata Shakur, who is now in exile in Cuba. After five years underground, Dr. Shakur was arrested on February 12, 1986. While he was on the street, Dr. Shakur challenged the use of methadone as a tool of recovery for addicts. He believed in natural remedies instead and, based on those beliefs, founded the Black Acupuncture Advisory Association of North America. Many people credit Shakur with saving their lives. Dr. Shakur has worked to free political prisoners and to expose government abuses against political organizers. While in prison, he has struggled to create peace between rival gangs. More information: mutulushakur.com
If for some insane reason you cannot join us Tuesday, please write them at home:
Sundiata Acoli* #39794-066
FCI Cumberland
Federal Correctional Institution
Post Office Box 1000
Cumberland, Maryland 21501
*Address envelope to Clark Squire
Dr. Mutulu Shakur #83205-012
USP Victorville
Post Office Box 3900
Adelanto, California 92301
Illustrated Guide Version 12.3 Uploaded!
We’ve finished the latest version of the NYC ABC “Illustrated Guide to Political Prisoners and Prisoners of War” and it’s available for viewing (and download) by clicking on the tab at the top of this page. This update includes updated mini-bios, photos, and address changes for several prisoners.
