This is a report back from the perspective of one participant in Saturday night's demonstration:
Saturday night around fifty people gathered at the Occupy Bloomington camp in People's Park for a roving dance party and noise demonstration outside the Monroe County jail. The party left the park just before 11pm heading west on Kirkwood Ave toward the square. The mood was festive as those dancing in the street traded greetings of "Happy New Year!" with other revelers on the sidewalks, in cars, and in windows overlooking the square.
Early on the dance party/march had the unwelcome escort by the BPD, though the flashing lights did add to the celebratory atmosphere. It was the first time the cops have shown any real interest in a march associated with "Occupy Bloomington" since the camp was established nearly three months ago. At this point they were mostly following the march and blocking traffic along the route they assumed would be taken. Only a few cars got aggressive towards the dancers, while most people were excited to see such an unconventional method of bringing in the New Year. Our numbers would occasionally swell as people on the sidewalks and in bars would run out to join us for a minute before returning to their regularly scheduled programs.
The march arrived at the jail at 11:30pm where more dancing ensued. At this point three or four police cars were blocking the three-lane one-way street, one or two cops were parked at the other end of the block, and a couple more patrolled the area. Sparklers were lit and small fireworks were ignited. One comrade read a statement through a megaphone expressing solidarity with those people locked inside the jail and against this prison society. It was inspiring to hear pounding on the windows from the inside as we cheered from the outside. Just before midnight a banner that read "Break Your Chains" was dropped from the Hilton hotel across the street from the jail. Then at midnight huge 4th-of-July-like fireworks shot into the sky. People continued to dance and cheer as the night sky was lit up with thunderous booms and showers of light. It truly felt like we were in control.
At maybe 12:30am the crowd danced up the street a few blocks towards the newest hipster bar in town, pausing along the way to watch another huge firework or four shoot up into the air. Tourists and revelers alike looked on from the sidewalks and hotel windows, fucking iphones in position. Upon arriving at the hipster bar, our numbers swelled to well over 100 and maybe 150 as well-groomed partiers came out to dance and be seen in the street. While the whole scene was being closely monitored by over a dozen cops, it looked as if they were going to let the party ride out and fizzle on its own accord. But that's not what happened.
Last call drew many back into the bar, and a much small crowd made its way back north on College Ave. Somewhere in the mix a bottle was broken on the sidewalk. Soon after that a pig-shaped pig jumped out of his car and tackled a comrade on the edge of the larger group, punching him in the head as he lay helplessly below the much larger cop. People initially tried to pull our friend back to safety, but were unsuccessful. This lead to verbal confrontations in the street between pigs and protestors. At this point the crowd had dwindled and become more scattered. More cops, including university cops, BPD, and Monroe County, showed up. The march turned east on Kirkwood as fifteen cops or so followed on foot, ordering people out of the street. By the end, two more comrades were arrested during the confrontation. The crowd finally dispersed around 1:30am.
One comrade is being held on a misdemeanor with a $650 bond. Another received a minor charge and got OR'd. The last person, however, is being charged with 4 D felonies, including 3 battery on an officer. For some reason his bond was set at $750, but was being held for 24 hours anyway. We hope that by the end of today (Sunday) everyone will be out of jail.
This was not the first march since the dawn of "occupy bloomington," but it was certainly the most confrontational and empowering. It will be interesting to see the response from the city government, who so far have taken a largely ambivalent stance towards the occupation. Last night's demonstration was refreshing to see in a town run by self-congratulatory and "enlightened" liberals of the Democratic Party and Indiana University, who have grown comfortable with the docility of their constituents. This resevoir isn't calm as it once was, and it's time to rock the boat.
This is the second year that there has been a call out for a show of International Anarchist Jail Solidarity in the form of a noise demo. If your town is planning a similar event please add it as a comment. Have a blast!
Outside & inside prisons, jails, and detention centers everywhere.
This event is inspired by the North American call out for a day of action against prisons in the New Year of 2011, which remains relevant unchanged:
Noise demos outside of prisons in some countries are a continuing tradition. A way of expressing solidarity for people imprisoned during the New Year, remembering those held captive by the state. A noise demo breaks the isolation and alienation of the cells our enemies create, but it does not have to stop at that.Prison has a long history within capital, being one of the most archaic forms of prolonged torture and punishment. It has been used to kill some slowly and torture those unwanted – delinquents to the reigning order – who have no need of fitting within the predetermined mold of society.
Prison is used not only as an institution, but a whole apparatus, constructed externally from outside of the prison walls. Which our enemies by way of defining our everyday life as a prison, manifest themselves in many places, with banks that finance prison development (like Wells Fargo, Bank of America, BNP Paribas, Bank of the West, and Barclays), companies that are contracted for the development of prisons (like Bergelectric Corporation, SASCO Electric, Engineered Control Systems, MacDonald Miller Facility SLTNS and Kane MFG Corp.), investors in prison development (like Barclays Intl. and Merrlin Lynch) to the police and guards who hide behind their badges and the power of the state.
Solidarity is not only an expression by way of our own revolutionary poetry which is defined by a developing anarchist analysis, but as an expression of actions put into practice within the social war daily. That is why we propose to others who have a certain reciprocal understanding of the prison world and the conditions it creates to remember this day, to mark it on their calendars. To locate points of attack. To not limit ourselves to just a noise demo, but proliferating actions autonomously from one another. That break the mundane positions we lock ourselves into by our own internalization.
To all our comrades known and we have yet to know. Just because we have not met, does not mean we do not act in affinity with one another. Our struggle continues not only on the outside, but on the inside as well. Prison is not an end, but a continuation. Through individual and collective moments of revolt, by the methods one finds possible. Like fire our rage must spread.
Against prison, and the world that maintains them. For the social war.
In memory of those currently imprisoned.
Link to flier that can be edited for regional use:
We just celebrated by having the Richmond Anarchist Black Cross’ first annual noise demo in front of the Richmond City Jail. 7 people attended, which was small, but really fucking loud! We didn’t plan very far ahead of time this year- next year should be a much bigger event. It was still a great way to ring in the New Year and I really hope some of the inmates heard us and got stoked that something was happening. Any bands or people interested in organizing for next year’s event or just organizing at all around jail issues should contact the anarchist black cross- rvaabc@gmail.com
Starting off the New Year in the middle of a demo sets a tone for me that I hope will continue.
The sweet sounds of anti pig hip-hop and the banging of flag poles (with all black flags on the ends of course) on the thick metal prison fence created more than enough noise for those inside to hear us on the outside. About 10 anarchists were gathered with a small sound system at the Pierce county Jail in the center of the city. People walking by reacted positively, one person even joining in on taking out some frustration on prison property was as well brought to tears at the whole gesture. Another demanding fist bumps from all present and yelling fuck the police at the prison for a few minutes. Noise demonstrations have happened every month for the past six months at this particular prison normally ending with us on the outside stopping the music and asking those on the inside to make some noise which we can luckily hear and which always fuels our rage at this rotten system. However this time the police put a end to our event with their threats of arrest. Some of us traded insults with the boys in blue as others were moving the sound system away from the distinct smell of bacon. As this was happening a random car yelled fuck the police at the pigs as it passed interrupting their show of power and making them uncomfortable, this obviously warmed our hearts. Soon after everyone left in two groups and no arrests were attempted or made.
P.S. We would love to hear how noise demos in all the other cities went.
2nd Annual New Years Noise Demo in Hamilton, Ontario
On December 31st 2010, a few dozen people gathered for the second annual New Years Eve noise demo outside Barton Jail in Hamilton, Ontario. Among the fierce chanting, there were fireworks set off for the prisoners on both east and west sides of the jail. A banner with a mailing address painted on it was held to invite prisoners to correspond with us. The wall of the jail was spray-painted with “TEAR THIS SHIT DOWN”. A speech was read on both sides of the jail, expressing solidarity with prisoners and explaining reasons for struggling against prison. Solidarity was expressed to the prisoners who were on strike in Georgia, Roger Clement, G20 defendants in custody, and non-status migrants being held at Barton Jail.
Here is a part of that speech:
“This has been a year of increased criminalization, and the beginning of a prison restructuring by the Federal government in an attempt to keep us silent, in constant fear, and even more of us locked away. From these continued attacks on our lives, we will gather strength to fight together. Whether the prison system is reforming to be more cruel, or disguising itself as humane, we will struggle against it. Whether it's the police and cameras in the streets, the judges in the courtrooms, the screws in jail, we will struggle against them. We strive for freedom.
“Solidarity with everyone who fights for freedom, and all prisoners, around the world, who refuse to accept forced confinement, isolation and abuse, who dream of the day that we together destroy these walls.”
The Passion for Freedom is Stronger than all Prisons! Cops, Screws, Murderers!
On New Year’s Eve we gathered with around 35 friends to hold a noise demonstration outside the Hogan Street Regional Youth Center in St. Louis. Just before midnight, a torch lit procession made its way to the former school turned prison where for a brief moment the night was illuminated by fireworks and the exuberant joy of children’s smiling faces. Jumping silhouettes behind the dormitory windows echoed our exhilaration in the street below. A resounding cry of “Our passion for freedom is stronger than their prisons!” filled the air as two banners were hung on the fence of the youth detention center – “Every jail is an abuse” and “2011: Year of the breakout.”
This particular place of confinement has seen several successful escape attempts in recent years, one of which involved nine rebellious and freedom loving kids.
In St. Louis city jails, which have also been the sites of individual and collective escapes, the pigs have been callously denying needed medical attention resulting in several deaths. This fact was on all of our minds that night along side the unprecedented five day state wide prisoner strike in Georgia last month; the former pointing toward the necessity and the latter to the potential of a renewed collective struggle against prisons and the society that produces them.
A text circulated around the demonstration called for just such a struggle while acknowledging the divisions between us (both the physical walls separating inside and out and the social boundaries isolating us from each other) and the need to overcome those divisions through a common fight against our common misery. Graffiti, spotted in the neighborhood of the kid prison, suggested a few directions in which to channel our collective rage:
BURN THE BANKS, DESTROY THE PRISONS
AGAINST ALL PRISONS (A)
and POTOSI WILL BURN (A)
Although lasting only four or five minutes, this small action and its recognition by the kids inside was a step towards re-building our confidence and creating momentum in the streets. We hope to continue taking such steps and find others walking with us in the months and years to come.
On December 31, 2010, we held a noise demonstration at the Fraser Regional Correctional Centre, in Maple Ridge. We acted as part of an anarchist international New Years Eve tradition against prisons and the world that needs them.
About 25 people arrived at the prison in a rented bus. We walked up close to the fences blaring music towards a temporary outdoor prison wing being used until they open a new wing of the prison. Screws (prison guards) lined up between us and the fences. In front, a banner read “Against All Prisons, For Freedom.” We shot off fireworks and flares, sparklers were raised with helium balloons and we chanted “The passion for freedom is stronger than all prisons”, “Fuck prison”, and “No borders no nations, stop deportation”. We also shouted “Happy New Year!” to the prisoners.
Prisoners shouted and cheered from both the temporary wing and the prison building. We saw silhouettes of prisoners banging on the windows and a couple prisoners were actually able to come outside and view us from behind the fence in the temporary wing.
A short statement was read through a microphone:
“We are here today to express solidarity with the prisoners inside. To tell you that you are not alone that those of us in the outer walls are saying fuck prisons, down with every prison wall. We want you to know that while everyone else tonight is celebrating another year in the prison world, we are here to celebrate a future without prisons. A world where we don’t rely on the pigs or institutions to solve our problems for us. A world where we are truly responsible to each other, where we no longer have to live in fear of the punishment distributed by the real thieves, gangsters, and murderers!
Fuck the system! Fuck the screws! Fuck Canada!
Tonight all around North America, people are holding noise demonstrations outside of prisons because we will not go silently into their dungeons in ever increasing numbers, just as we will not go silently tonight while they catalog and warehouse you! Solidarity!”
While leaving our vehicle was stopped by the 6 police cars. No one was identified. The driver was directed to drive us back directly to East Vancouver cutting short our plans to go to other prisons.
Many of us were inspired by the shouts from the prisoners. Prison walls are supposed to impose isolation. Instead, the meaning of those walls was subverted, they became a meeting place and a vehicle of communication.
Today we had further cause for celebration, we just learned that on December 30th, three prisoners escaped while on a prison slave crew near a large park in Maple Ridge. According to corporate news the (ex) prisoners were serving 9-10 month sentences. If you see them be sure to buy them a drink!
As long as prisons exist they are a shadow that hangs over us all and no one is free.
FOR THE TOTAL DESTRUCTION OF THE PRISON WORLD! SOLIDARITY WITH OUR IMPRISONED COMRADES ROGER CLEMENT, JOHN GRAHAM AND ALEX HUNDERT! SOLIDARITY WITH ALL PRISONERS WHO WANT TO BREAK THEIR CHAINS!
Other North America New Years 2011 confirmed anti-prison noise demo’s:
Montreal
Hamilton
Toronto
Tacoma
Attacks against Police Station & Probation Office, Bristol (UK)
“January the First. Anarchists saw in the new year 2011 with attacks on both Newfoundland road police station and the probation office on Upper York street using easily found stones.
With our action, we breathe revolutionary solidarity for the next year and beyond to all those engaged in struggle against the state and capitalism in whatever forms across the planet. we especially think of those behind bars who became rebels and have risen up and burned Ford prison. we identify with them, as it would seem we both wish for jails to become ashes in this moment. each moment cannot fail to bring us closer to the conclusion we already knew – the only way out of this society that with its cctv cameras, cops, conformity, e-surveillance, snitches and repression of dissent begins to resemble the prison more closely. so we in turn continue our own project of desire for total liberation so attacking that which attacks us.
To the pigs and their apologists – we will strike again soon. happy new year.
Love & rage across borders, until every wall falls.
Anarchist greetings to the enemy’s hostages of ours, known and unknown to us, including:
Giannis Dimitrakis, Gerasimos Tsakalos, Panagiotis Argyrou in Greece John Bowden in UK Jock Palfreeman in Bulgaria Thomas Meyer Falk, Gabriel Pombo da Silva in Germany Aleksey Bychin in Russia Marco Camenisch, Luca Bernasconi, Costantino Ragusa, Silvia Guerini in Switzerland”
anonymous autonomous
Solidarity assemblies outside prisons across Greece
Each new year’s eve we do not forget those who are buried in the prison cells of the republic. One more year, we found ourselves next to imprisoned comrades and all those detained who do not bent neither bow their head, who dared to resist and fight against the regime. We also stand in solidarity to all imprisoned activists who fight for better conditions of incarceration, and claim their self-evident rights even though they’re still deprived of their freedom.
Athens: more than 400 people gathered outside Koridallos prisons. One of the louder slogans was ‘Neither criminal neither political [prisoners]; set fire to all prisons.’
Video of the second intervention, outside the female prison wing:
Thessaloniki: about 100 people gathered outside Diavata prisons. On their return, they stopped at the police headquarters of Thessaloniki (GADTH), where a comrade is detained after he was arrested during the invasion in the anarchist squat Nadir; he has made an appeal.
Heraklion, Crete: 30 comrades held a motorized march towards Alikarnassos prisons, making an intervention at the rear of the prisons with fireworks, etc.
Volos: at least 70 comrades chose to get as close as possible to the people behind the bars of the Greek republic. The detainees, who were in tension since early in the evening, cried out slogans and hit the cell bars as soon as comrades got there with slogans and fireworks. There was also a mini demonstration round the juvenile prison.
Grevena: about 70 people gathered outside the Feli prisons, where a live broadcast of solidarity was held.
DAILY, WE BUILD BRIDGES OF SOLIDARITY WITH ALL IMPRISONED FIGHTERS AND POLITICAL PRISONERS FREEDOM TO ALL HOSTAGES OF THE STATE
As twenty-ten comes to an end celebratory cheer is not mutual for those unfortunate enough to be held prisoner of the state. Refugees, impoverished and marginalized peoples-- all political prisoners entrapped in the prison industrial complex, facing mandatory minimums and deplorable living conditions, are probably not making resolutions and popping some bubbly. Some say that society’s complacency and ignorance of what goes on within the walls of Canada’s 52 Federal Prisons is only fueling the expansion of these operations that are hijacking justice.
Anti-Prison Noise Demos had been arranged across Canada and took place in many cities across North America on new year’s eve. In Montreal a rally of 20 or more anti-prison activists and anarchists staged a boisterous march along the perimeter of a large prison complex comprising of The Immigration Detention Center, Bordeaux and Tanguay Prisons, and the Federal Training Centre. The communicated goal of the group was “to express solidarity with prisoners and break the isolation which is both a requirement and a function of prisons and corrections.” Banners were carried and flyers passed out to traffic as others chanted solidarity and anti-authority slogans and lit fireworks.
“Niq, Screw, Assassin! – Cop, Pig, Murderer!”
There are big yellow signs as you approach the federal complex informing you that you are entering CSC property and can be stopped and searched at anytime. The long and winding driveway led the well-organized crew toward a formidable gate where fireworks popped and pots were banged. The action came to a head when the CSC came, one minivan at a time. The crowd took the opportunity to make all the more noise as the street was blocked. Cheers of response were heard from within the prison walls at least a hundred meters away. Cloth flags were waving from the barred windows of the multi storey building.
"Bonne année! Happy New Year!”
The folks on the outside reveled in their small victory; it was a touching moment.
Two of the security minivans began trying to move the demonstration with erratic intimidation tactics, driving their vehicle towards demonstrators at high speeds. To be clear these Correctional Officers are what is known as Peace Officers, serving the same function as a standard patrol cop, around the institution. They seemed all the more aggressive and stressed as the situation and noise carried on unfettered by their presence. Fresh on the scene two officers exited their van, one with his assault rifle shouldered; that didn’t go unnoticed amongst the crowd. The demonstration moved on slowly blocking half the roadway and expressing solidarity in noise, stopping at two spots to make some noise for other buildings inhabitants. The local police began arriving and by this time the demonstration was being flanked by five Laval police cars and forced onto the sidewalk as it left the complex.
Similar solidarity actions happened in Toronto, Hamilton, New York, Guelph, Vancouver and many other cities last evening. A call out for the event in Toronto described the grassroots on the other side of the walls:
“Prisoners are friends and lovers, sisters and brothers, mothers and fathers, and those locked behind bars are constantly in our thoughts, even if we do not know them personally. The state may have forcibly ripped them from our lives and communities, but they are in no way forgotten.”
is a news and discussion forum for supporters of political prisoners, prisoners of war, politicized social prisoners, and victims of police and state intimidation.
This blog is organized and updated autonomously of the disbanded Break the Chains Prisoner Support Network formerly based in Eugene, Oregon. While this online project shares several of the same concerns as the old Break the Chains collective, no formal organization exists behind the current web presence.
"I will never surrender my pride and dignity nor allow the system to 'cut my tongue' and I will always, without fear, speak out against these war crimes and crimes against humanity, no matter if I spend the rest of my life in a prison cage, and draw my last breath of air laying down in this steel bed surrounded by razor-wire fences and cages, and its prison policies that are designed to destroy one's humanity…."
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