February 20th! Hit the streets for our brothers and sisters held captive across the U.S.!

February 14, 2012 by Denver abc

Political Prisoner Jaan Laaman has taken the time to release the following statement to encourage participation in the mass actions happening across the country on Monday, February 20th.

Participants in the Occupy Movement across the country have called for a “National Occupy Day in Support of Prisoners,” with actions happening in (as of now) a dozen locales from coast to coast. Join us in Denver at 6:30pm at 30th and Peoria (outside the GEO/ICE Detention Center) as we join folks from Occupy Denver and the greater community to show our solidarity with our imprisoned brothers, sisters, and siblings.

Jaan’s statement available here.

The text of Occupy Denver’s call to action can be read here.
The original text of Occupy Oakland’s proposal can be read here.
More information can be found at occupy4prisoners.org

Squat raided in Northwest Denver!! Support needed!!!

October 24, 2011 by denver abc

Background

Sunday afternoon a squat in the Jefferson Park Neighborhood of Northwest Denver was raided by over a dozen officers from District 1 of the Denver Police Department.

Witnesses report that the raid was very violent, with at least 8 officers repeatedly beating one of the arrestees, and eventually using paramedics to sedate them while they laid face down, bleeding, in the street.

Four people were arrested, one being sent to a hospital in an ambulance to receive medical care. As of Sunday night, three of the arrestees are facing 2nd degree Burglary (a class 3 felony) and $10,000 bonds. The fourth arrestee’s charges remain unknown because she is still hospitalized. All four have been active participants of Occupy Denver.

How to Help

• Contribute to our bail fund! Contact DenverABC at DenverABC@Rocketmail.com for information on how to donate to the fund.

• Courtroom solidarity! Bond hearings will be Monday (10/24), 10am, at the Van Cise- Simonet Detention Facility (Colfax and Delaware). Future hearings will be posted on denverabc.wordpress.com

• The first solidarity action will be Monday (10/24), 5pm, at the Van Cise facility.

• Stay in the loop for future solidarity actions and opportunities at denverabc.wordpress.com. We are also on Twitter and Facebook. Also request to be on our announcement list by emailing us.

Denver police lose in court again! Amelia Nicol’s final charges dismissed!

September 17, 2011 denver abc

DA admits fear of losing at trial

It’s been a long 5 months for Amelia Nicol, a 21 year old woman from Colorado who became infamous across the region after gracing the front pages of news websites and blogs. Amelia was accused of throwing a molotov cocktail at local police (some media sites even claimed it was a pipe bomb) during the aftermath of a demonstration against Denver police on May 6th. Amelia was arrested and charged with 2 counts of attempted murder of a law enforcement officer in the first degree, one count of use of explosives, one count of possession of explosives, one count of second-degree arson, one count of criminal mischief, one count of inciting a riot, two counts of attemped third-degree assault, and one count of resisting arrest.

These seven felony and three misdemeanor charges threatened to send Amelia to prison for over 100 years. A woman who turned 21 inside a jail cell over Memorial Day Weekend faced the rest of her life in prison.

Amelia’s arrest must be placed into a greater context of a social struggle against the police that has been growing and developing in Denver over the past year and a half. In July 2010, Marvin Booker, a homeless street preacher, was murdered by Denver County Sheriff’s Deputies while he was held prisoner inside the Van Cise-Simonett Detention Center in downtown Denver. Marvin, refusing to be separated from his shoes, valued among the few possessions he owned, was tazed, beaten, placed into chokeholds, kicked, and punched by five deputies. He died after they placed him face down into a jail cell. Other prisoners had to notify the deputies that he had stopped breathing.

In those hot summer days, more allegations of police abuse and misconduct started to make the front pages of the local papers. Law enforcement officers from local departments were accused in a seemingly endless list of allegations of beatings, attacks, sexual assaults, kidnappings, possession and manufacture of child pornography, DUIs, and more. The local agencies seemed out of control, and few people within the “legitimate” power structures were willing to step up to address these issues.

Outraged residents started to organize and mobilize. Protests and marches were held. One of the first unpermitted street marches since the DNC was organized by West Denver Copwatch, and over 150 people hit the streets of downtown, tracing a path from various locations of police terror and abuse.

A meeting of leaders and organizers from various non-profits and institutional Left organizations confronted the Safety Manager, and he soon resigned.

There was a fire in the air at the end of the Summer, and by the annual October 22nd Day Against Police Brutality, the anger could easily be felt in the air. A march was called for by local anarchists, and nearly a hundred militant youth filled the 16th Street Mall, attacking a police car and shutting down nighttime traffic in the commercial center of Denver. Despite the attacks on the police cruiser and the second successful unpermitted street march, no arrests were made.

The energy of the Summer and Fall was squashed briefly by the cold Colorado winter. But by January, when even more cases of police terrorism filled local tabloids, the fire of the anger could not be cooled. A demonstration called for January 29th saw more than 300 people run riot through the streets of downtown, with nearly everything not bolted down becoming a street barricade or a projectile. Hundreds of stickers decrying the police were put up all over the area, and anti-cop graffiti covered the yuppie shopping establishments. Despite the widespread property destruction, only one person was arrested. They would be released within hours without any charges filed against them.

A long pause in street demonstrations made room for some clandestine actions, with several attacks on local police targets in the late winter and early spring. A forum was also organized, which saw dozens of people attend to help strategize for the future of the anti-police movement.

By May, another unarmed person had been gunned down by a local police department, executed while sitting in his truck in an industrial park in Aurora. It was time for the movement to hit the streets yet again. On May 9th, 100 folks took over the Santa Fe Art District and then proceeded to march through the downtown corridor, erecting street barricades, shutting down traffic, and redecorating the city.

A short scuffle occurred when police refused to allow the crowd back into the Santa Fe District, and the march attempted to disperse a short while later. Within the dispersal, a small firework went off, and the police chased a young woman, later to be identified as Amelia Nicol, down a nearby alley where she would be assaulted and arrested.

Amelia’s arrest and the subsequent charges illustrated an effort on the part of local police to attack the militant elements of the growing anti-police terror movement. Amelia would become a symbol. To the police, she would symbolize what would happen to those who resisted their reign of terror. To the militants, she would symbolize the very nature of the struggle they were engaged in. This was war. The police were treating it as such. It was far past time for those on the other side to treat it the same way.

The Denver Anarchist Black Cross, a local organization that provides movement defense support, sprang into action to work to defend Amelia. A press conference was organized in front of the DA’s office, and hundreds of postcards demanding her charges be dropped were delivered to the Assistant District Attorney.

Amelia spent 38 days in jail, until a judge dismissed the most serious of the charges during a preliminary hearing on June 9th. Several days later, members of Denver Anarchist Black Cross provided the necessary bail for Amelia, and she was out amongst comrades. She was given a place to live, a job, clothing, and as much support as the local movement could muster as she and Denver ABC dug in for what was expected to be a long and drawn out legal battle. Amelia had already spent more time in jail than any members of any local law enforcement agency who had been implicated in violent attacks against community members. And she still faced over a dozen years in prison if found guilty of the remaining charges.

On July 9th, the Denver community marked the one year anniversary of the murder of Marvin Booker. A street march was held, and the crowd of 150 again shut down the 16th Street Mall, as the march worked its way to the Van Cise-Simonet Detention Center to join a rally organized by the ACLU. Halfway along the march route, police attacked the crowd as they attempted to arrest a participant. A short street brawl erupted. When it was over, several police officers had bloodied faces, and three comrades were in custody. It cannot be stressed enough that many more would have been arrested if comrades hadn’t fought back and forced the unarrest of several participants. The march then continued to the rally, unimpeded after the scuffle.

Obviously, the police had upped the ante yet again. The arrest and subsequent charging of Amelia had not done enough to cow the movement into inaction. They would need to continue to escalate their tactics against the militants.

However, all of the arrestees were charged with minor offenses. One, a minor, had their charges completely deferred within days. Two still face charges, but will go to trial in October, unwilling to negotiate with the state and accept any plea deal.

It was this same attitude that was present on September 14th when Amelia was offered a last minute plea deal from the District Attorney. If she pleaded guilty to possession of a deadly weapon, the remaining charges of possession of an explosive, assault on a law enforcement officer, and resisting arrest would be dropped. Amelia rightfully refused such an offer. It would only have added credibility to the state’s attack on her in the first place.

So it was that during the afternoon of September 15th, Amelia made her scheduled appearance at her discovery hearing to hear all the evidence the state had against her and to make any motions for dismissal of said evidence. However, a hearing was not to be had. The District Attorney approached the podium only to state that she had filed a motion for dismissal. The DA stated that she feared that the State did not have enough evidence to win at trial. Amelia’s battle was over. She had won. The state had backed down and caved.

Amelia went from facing over 100 years in prison to having every single charge against her dismissed. She spent 38 days in jail as a political prisoner because she refused to pay the state’s initially bloated bond, and refused to play its game. She won, in the end, because she continued to fight the state at every level. Her no-compromise attitude prevailed. No matter how hard the state tried to intimidate her, she never relented. And in the end, it was this attitude and strategy that won out.

We still have two comrades facing charges. But they too will face down the state. Though the consequences for them are minor when compared to what Amelia faced, they too have made it clear that they understand what’s at stake. With every court date that our comrades must attend, our entire movement is on trial.

Stay tuned to the DABC blog at denverabc.wordpress.com for updates and calls to action for our two comrades (Jesse Cooper and Matt Funk) still facing charges. For now, please make yourself available to pack the courtroom for their joint trial on October 12th.

In love and solidarity,
DABC Crew

Update #5 on Amelia Nicol

June 16, 2011 by denverabc

On Monday June 13, Amelia joined friends and comrades on the outside after
being jailed for 38 days.

She is currently out on bond, and will have another court hearing on June
27th, to face arraignment for the remaining felony and three misdemeanor
charges that she is facing.

We at Denver ABC are overjoyed that Amelia is out of jail and amongst
folks that care about her and her continued struggle. We want to send a
resounding thank you to everyone who has supported Amelia, by contributing
monetary donations, sending mail to her in jail, writing letters to the
DA, attending the press conference and court dates, or fighting against
predatory political, economic, and social systems across the world.

We’re still in major need of funds, as Amelia’s bond money came in the
form of a short term loan. Amelia will need prolonged support and help
from folks in Denver and beyond as she continues to fight this legal
battle.

If you can make a donation, please consider doing so!

Funds can be mailed to:

Denver ABC
c/o P&L Printing
2727 W. 27th Ave
Denver, CO 80211

Checks and money orders can be made payable to P&L Printing

Or, funds can be sent via paypal to plpress@riseup.net

We would also encourage folks to organize benefit shows or other efforts
to help support Amelia and the work of Denver ABC. We can send you a
package of outreach materials about Amelia’s case and the cases of other
prisoners we support. Contact us at denverabc@rocketmail.com if you are
interested in getting some of these materials mailed to you.

You can also order copies (bulk or individual) of “Denver Fights Back” a
new zine published by P&L Press available at plpress.bigcartel.com. All
proceeds from the sale of this zine go to benefit Amelia’s legal fund.

In other related news, Denver ABC is in the midst of organizing a
continental gathering of folks active in Anarchist Black Cross chapters
set for August here in Denver. We’re currently raising funds for this
effort as well. Funds will be used to help bring former prisoners,
including Bo Brown, Lorenzo Kom’boa Ervin, and Ramona Africa, to Denver
for this conference.

If you’re interested in donating to this effort, you can send funds the
same way as mentioned above, but please write “ABC Conference” in the memo
line. You can also purchase a canvas reproduction print of an amazing
portrait of Marilyn Buck from P&L Press at plpress.bigcartel.com. All
sales of this print will be donated to the ABC Conference efforts.

We thank you immensely for your support of Amelia and the work of Denver
ABC! For a world without cops, borders, bosses, or politicians!

Your comrades at Denver ABC

Below is a message from Amelia to all of those who have shown her, and
continue to show her, support:

The court hearing on June 9th was a great victory for everyone who has
been involved in this case, and I have been released on bond thanks to all
of the hard work from all of the people who have been supporting this
case; especially the people at Denver ABC who have put in an enormous
amount of time and effort to see that not only this case, but other cases
like it are seen, heard, and therefore part of a growing movement for true
freedom for everyone who is standing up against the daily injustice that
we all face in the existence of police forces.

I feel privileged to be able to be a part of a movement that has been
building for centuries; one that is in constant continuation in all of us
who choose to stand up together against capitalism and the rule of
government that has been instigated over us. Thank you for your continued
support in this case and I encourage you to write to me (I loved all of
your letters) at elephantamelia@gmail.com


I am fortunate to call you comrades.

Amelia Nicol

6/15/11

Green Scare: Briana Waters pleads guilty, expected to testify against alleged accomplice

June 15, 2011 by Denver Anarchist Black Cross

DABC Note: It appears that we can no longer list Briana Waters as an non-cooperating defendant, as she is now poised to snitch on an alleged accomplice to the UW arson.

From capitalist media:

TACOMA, Wash. — A violin teacher from California admitted she helped set the fire that destroyed the University of Washington’s Center for Urban Horticulture.

Briana Waters faced a retrial for the 2001 fire. But on Tuesday she told a federal judge she played a role in the arson at the University of Washington. In May of 2001 members of the Earth Liberation Front set fire to the UW’s Center for Urban Horticulture, causing $6 million in damage. Investigators quickly determined it was no accident.

Originally, Waters said she was innocent and testified to that in her trial, but on Tuesday the 35-year-old mother and musician admitted she was a lookout for the five-person crew.

Her original conviction was thrown out but rather than face trial again — and risk a longer sentence — she accepted a plea deal.

“We’re particularly pleased Ms. Waters, who previously claimed she was innocent… accepted guilt for her crimes in admitting what she did wrong and will now face justice for those crimes,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Andrew Friedman.

She’ll likely get a four-year sentence and have to testify against the alleged ringleader of the arson crew, a former boyfriend. He’s in a Chinese jail on a drug conviction but he could be back in the U.S. within a year.

Waters is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 23. She is free on bond until then.

Update #4 on Amelia Nicol, anti-police terror prisoner: Most charges thrown out!!

June 10, 2011 Denver Anarchist Black Cross

There have been some major developments within Amelia’s case. Amelia had a
pretrial hearing today, on June 9. A pretrial hearing allows for a judge
to hear the evidence, and decide whether there is sufficient evidence for
a defendant to stand trial for the charges that have been filed. In this
case, as detailed below, the judge made some pretty strong rulings in
favor of Amelia.

As of the writing of this reportback, the judge in the case, Judge Andrew
S. Armatas, has thrown out nearly all of the felonies that Amelia was
facing, including both charges of attempted first degree murder, the
charge of arson, the charge of inciting a riot, an amended charge of
participating in a riot, and a charge of felony criminal mischief. Amelia
is left facing a single felony charge of possession of an explosive, and
three misdemeanor charges: one count of resisting arrest and two counts of
attempted assault on a police officer.

These developments are amazingly good news for Amelia, but the fight is
far from over. Amelia has made a decision to accept being bonded out at
this point, as her bond has been reduced to $5,000. We hope to be able to
raise the whole amount and avoid a bondsmen, and hope to have her out by
next week. We really need donations to make this possible, as we may be
taking out some loans or calling in some favors to make this happen.
Furthermore, since Amelia was homeless when she was arrested, she will be
needing a place to stay and money for food, clothing and other needs. The
local movement here will surely help her out to any degree we can, but any
additional funds would be extremely helpful. Please send any monetary
donations to:

Denver ABC
2727 W. 27th Ave Unit D
Denver, CO 80211
Checks should be made payable to P&L; Printing with “Amelia” written in the
memo line.

Thus far, nearly all donations that have been raised have gone to pay for
phone calls (averaging $15 per call), stamps, envelopes and paper. A big
thanks to everyone who has donated to us so far!

Amelia is going to be in court again for an arraignment on the four
charges that remain on June 27th at 8:30 am in courtroom 2T. She still
faces one felony, and we will work tirelessly until she can beat this
case.

Denver ABC held a press conference for Amelia yesterday, June 8th, outside
the Denver District Attorney’s office. Though that news is far
overshadowed by the importance of the charges being dropped, the press
conference was eventful, to say the least. Video provided by West Denver
Copwatch can be found at this link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdmDEcAhikI&feature;=player_embedded

A particularly entertaining moment was when Denver ABC members and some
allies attempted to meet with the District Attorney. Watch the video,
you’ll see what we mean.

In the end, however, it wasn’t the District Attorney who ensured that the
most serious of charges would not stick, it was the judge. We’re including
a detailed report from the pretrial hearing written by a member of Denver
ABC. It was a very dramatic hearing, and concluded with a majority of the
people present in the courtroom clapping and banging on the court benches
to show support for Amelia, including other prisoners.

Pretrial Hearing Report, June 9 2011

Court convened at 8:47 am in Courtroom 2100, presided over by Judge Andrew
S. Armatas. The pretrial hearing involved the testimony of two Denver
police officers, and the presentation of a compilation of written reports
and statements from other Denver police officers.

The first witness called to the stand was Officer Tritschler, who
identified himself as a member of the Denver Police Department’s Gang
Unit. Officer Tritschler was assigned to an RDV, one of the riot trucks
carrying riot gear clad police officers. There were three RDV vehicles
present that night.

Tritschler has been a member of the Denver Police Department for 16 years.
He has been assigned to the Gang Unit for 3. On the night of May 6, as the
March Against Police Terror was underway, Officer Tritschler was and the
other officers assigned to his RDV were assigned to “shadow” the march.
They used the parking lot of the Denver Health hospital as a staging area
and followed the march as it entered the streets at 8th and Speer. They
were told to be on alert in case of the need for “mass arrests” or “riot
control” arose.

There were 8 other officers assigned to Tritschler’s RDV, a driver and a
commander inside the vehicle, and 7 officers including Tritschler hanging
onto the outside of the vehicle, ready for deploy “at a moment’s notice.”

The rest of Officer Tritschler’s comments were in reference to what
happened after the march attempted to head back to the Santa Fe Arts
District to disperse. Tritschler described that the march had ended and
participants had dispersed starting at 12th and Kalamath. His unit was
ordered to stay at 11th and Kalamath and await orders. It was at this
intersection that Officer Tritschler claims that he saw three individuals
outside of the Greeley Elementary School. He said his attention was fixed
on them because they were all dressed in black hooded sweatshirts.

Officer Tritschler claims that as he was observing the individuals, one of
them, a taller person with what appeared to be a “mohawk haircut” could be
seen pulling out and lighting a 6 inch long white tube. He then was asked
if the suspect was present in the courtroom, and he responded
affirmatively, identifying Amelia as the suspect.

Officer Tritschler testified that he saw a fuse sparkling in the night
light, and that the suspect then proceeded to throw the object at a patrol
car nearby occupied by Officer Sherwood. Officer Tritschler claims that he
yelled “M-80!” at Officer Sherwood to warn him of the object.

Tritschler testified that the object exploded in front of the car, with “a
small report” and then bounced on top of the car’s hood “and detonated
with a loud concussion.” He described the explosion as having come from a
“low order explosive”. Tritschler then went on to describe his past
military training in explosives, and how he was trained to recognize
improvised explosives and other ordinance while in the Armed Forces. He
further detailed training that he has received since 9/11 from the Denver
Police Department including attending a police department explosives
school.

Tritschler described the difference between low and high order explosives.
He stated that the explosion he witnessed was not made by a “firecracker”
but by a “larger, but low order, explosive”.

Tritschler testified that he was 30-35 feet away from the suspect who
threw the “explosive” and Officer Sherwood’s car was 15 feet away in the
#3 lane (right lane) while his vehicle was in the #2 lane (center). He
described the explosion as “very deep” and stated that he felt a
concussion. He stated that it reminded him of a grenade simulator. He saw
“sparks” and “smoke” come from the device as it detonated, and claimed
that the smoke and sparks traveled some 30 feet into the air.

Tritschler testified that he felt he “was in danger of injury or death”.
At this point there was an objection from Amelia’s counsel, Harvey
Steinberg, which was sustained by the judge, though it was unclear exactly
what the objection was to.

Tritschler next described the foot chase to apprehend the suspect, though
Tritschler admitted that he neither checked on the occupants of the
“targeted” car to see if there was any damage or if anyone was injured.
Tritschler also was not one of the arresting officers, and testified that
other officers had reached the suspect before he could.

During the cross examination of Officer Tritschler by Mr. Steinberg, a
dramatic back and forth unfolded. The first questions from Mr. Steinberg
were directed at Tritschler’s indifference to the “victims” of the “bomb”.
He asked Mr. Tritschler if he had observed any damage to the car or the
street from the “bomb”. Tritschler repeatedly stated that he was not
looking for damage. Finally Tritschler admitted that he had not seen any
damage to the vehicle or the street.

Tritschler then admitted that the explosion from the device hadn’t
noticeably knocked anyone to the ground or injured anyone around him,
though he repeatedly emphasized that he hadn’t checked to see if anyone
was injured.

A back and forth exchange then developed over Tritschler’s description of
the device, with particular attention paid to the term “M-80”. Tritschler
was asked to describe what an M-80 was for the court, and Tritschler
responded that he could only describe what a “military-grade M-80” looked
like, but could not describe a “commercial style M-80” as he had never
seen one. After some pressing from Mr. Steinberg, Tritschler admitted that
he was indeed familiar with the “commercial style M-80”.

An objection from the prosecution was sustained, and Mr. Steinberg turned
his focus to what Officer Tritschler and the other officers were wearing
and armed with that night. Tritschler testified that all of the officers
assigned to his RDV were wearing Kevlar helmets with face shields, and
other protective armor. He testified that he was assigned a 40mm pepper
ball gun and that all of the officers were equipped with their standard
sidearms (pistols and revolvers).

Tritschler then testified that the three suspicious people he had observed
earlier were not blocking traffic and were standing on the sidewalk. Mr.
Steinberg pressed this issue a bit, seemingly to draw attention to the
lack of a “riot” occurring.

When the assistant District Attorney was allowed a re-direct questioning,
she only focused on the M-80 issue. Mr. Steinberg declined to ask any
further questions and Officer Tritschler was dismissed.

The only other witness called by the prosecution was Denver Police
Detective Randy Parsons. Detective Parsons has been a police officer for
11 years and has been assigned to the Assaults Bureau for 4 years.

Detective Parsons was the lead police investigator covering the march of
May 6th, and the resulting criminal complaint. Parsons was responsible for
reviewing any and all reports and statements from officers present in the
streets and determining the course of action for charges and issuing a
comprehensive report of the incident that occurred.

The primary victim identified by Detective Parsons was Officer Thomas
Sherwood. Parsons described receiving a phone call from Officer Sherwood a
week or so after the incident.

Detective Parsons also described receiving a phone call from someone he
later identified as being Amelia’s mother, and that she had alerted him to
the presence of a YouTube video of the march, seemingly thinking that this
piece of evidence would help clear her daughter. The video did not offer
any new evidence that would help Amelia’s case, but did instead become a
piece of evidence that helped prosecutors describe the setting and the
“riotous” conditions surrounding the march.

In the video, Parsons could identify Amelia as being present within the
march. He then described the march mood of the march and the slogans that
were present on banners and signs. He said that the march had “something
to do with an incident involving a gentleman named Marvin Booker”.
(editor’s note: Detective Parsons refused to state anything regarding the
incident where Denver Sheriff’s Deputies MURDERED Marvin Booker in the
jail, just downstairs from where this very hearing was taking place.)

Parsons then described reviewing a statement from Officer Denke, a member
of the SCAT Team who was monitoring the march. Denke was said to have
described an incident on the 16th Street Mall where a female suspect with
a mohawk and black hoodie and red bandana spit in the direction of Denke.
Parsons testified that Denke later identified the “bomb-thrower” as the
same person.

Denke was said to then describe another incident where the same suspect
pulled out a long white cylindrical object out of the backpack of an
unidentified person in the march, near 13th and Champa, which he described
as roughly 5 blocks away from 11th and Kalamath, where that suspect would
later through the object at police.

Parsons further testified about the actual incident, describing that
Sherwood had reported that he saw the device, but there was no mention of
who lit it in the statement that Parsons had reviewed. The device was
reported to have been thrown, and bounced off the “A-frame” of the car,
narrowly missing the open window. Parsons stated that the device was very
close to having landed inside the car through the open window.

Parsons testified that after a short foot chase that Sherwood took the
suspect into custody. They were able to identify the suspect based off the
recorded phone calls between the suspect and her mother. He affirmed that
Amelia was the only person arrested at the protest that night.

Parsons then testified that no HALO cameras exist at 11th and Kalamath.
(Editor’s note: there is indeed a HALO camera there, and it is in a
position that should have been able to record the whole incident in
question.)

During the cross examination, Parsons again confirmed that he was the lead
detective and had reviewed any and all documents that he knew existed.

Parsons admitted that not a single statement or report indicated that
there was any “reportable” damage to any vehicles, property, or the
street.

Mr. Steinberg forced Parsons to admit that there was “zero damage” caused
by the detonation of the device.

Mr. Steinberg then directed Detective Parsons to review several of the
statements from officers that he had previously reviewed. Parsons
confirmed that they were indeed the statements he had reviewed. Mr.
Steinberg then directed Detective Parsons to a report written by Officer
Tobin, describing the device as a small “firecracker”. Parsons confirmed
that the statement from Tobin indeed used that description of the device.

Mr. Steinberg then asked Parsons to review the original statement from
Officer Sherwood. Parsons admitted that Sherwood’s statement never
mentioned the device hitting the car’s “A-frame” despite what Parsons had
earlier testified to. The statement also never mentioned that the device
nearly entered the car. Instead, the statement noted that the device
detonated in front of the vehicle. The statement didn’t even mention
Sherwood’s car window being rolled down. All of the statements Parsons
reviewed indicated that the device detonated in front of the car, and not
a single one mentioned the device nearly landing inside the car.

Parsons then again confirmed that there was no reportable damage to the
vehicle or anything else. Parsons also testified that there was no broken
glass or accelerant found at the scene, despite the claims in the media
that the device was a Molotov cocktail. He described that there were small
cardboard shards found, and that they were currently in the custody of the
lab, though no lab results were available or have been released.

Parsons testified that when Amelia was arrested, the only evidence found
on her person were two small spray-paint cans. There were no matches,
lighters, or any similar implement found on Amelia at the time of her
arrest, and no such items were found by officers during a search of the
area.

Parsons stated that there were no reports made of Amelia “ditching,
throwing, or getting rid of” anything during the foot chase with officers.

During the re-direct questioning, the Assistant DA focused on the two
other people that officers had described as being with the suspect at the
time the device was thrown. Parsons stated that no contact was made with
any suspects other than Amelia.

There was some attention paid to the time at which Sherwood wrote his
statement. It was written at 2140, just minutes after Amelia’s arrest. It
would later be noted during a further cross examination by Mr. Steinberg
that it had taken Sherwood nearly 10 minutes (until 2150) to write a
statement that was less than a page long.

Parsons was then dismissed.

There was no more evidence presented by the prosecution. Mr. Steinberg
made a closing argument that all charges should be dropped, as there was
no evidence provided by the DA’s office that fulfilled any of the
necessary requirements of moving forward with these charges, and that
these charges were instead political in nature. “There is a message being
sent here that this is what happens when you challenge the authority of
the Denver Police Department.”

The judge then reviewed the written police statements and concluded that
there was no evidence for any charges other than charges 5, 8, 9, and 10.
Charge 5 is possession of an explosive. Charges 8,9, and 10 are
misdemeanor charges.

A brief argument occurred over setting a new bond, and the judge issued a
new bond amount set at $5,000, down significantly from the previous
$50,000.

This report is not complete, and there were some other exchanges during
the hearing, but this report represents the bulk of the testimony
presented.

—

For more support information, and news on this case as it becomes
available, please keep checking denverabc.wordpress.com

In love and solidarity!
DABC Crew

Update on Amelia Nicol, Anti-Police Terror Prisoner

May 25, 2011 by denverabc

Denver, CO

Amelia Nicol had her first court date on Monday May 16th in Denver County Court. At this court date, her lawyer made a formal appearance. Amelia declined to have her charges publicly read in court. But as of the date of this writing, the charges she is being held under continue to include several major felonies, including two counts of attempted murder of a police officer, a single count of pocession of an explosive device, a single count of arson, and criminal destruction of property.

The judge declined a any hearing on reducing her bond, instead scheduling bond arguments for June 9. Her bond remains at $50,000.

Denver Anarchist Black Cross has been in contact with Amelia. She has made it clear that she does not want to be bonded out, that she does not want the state or any associated body to profit from her imprisonment. She has but one clear demand: her immediate release without charge.

She has asked that any money being collected for support be directed to Denver ABC to help pay for phone calls and sending her stamps, envelopes, and paper. She does not want any more money placed in her commissary as she does not want to purchase any items from the jail. She does not want any more money being given to those that now hold her in a cage.

In the coming weeks leading up to her next court date, Denver ABC will be organizing a massive letter writing and phone call campaign directed at the Denver District Attorney, demanding that Amelia’s charges be immediately dropped.

Here are some concrete ways you can support Amelia and also support the ongoing struggle against police terror in Denver:

1) Write to Amelia! Send her letters, cards, photos, jokes, stories, etc…
Letters may be addressed to:
Amelia Nicole CD# 0000762401
Denver County Jail
PO Box 1108
Denver, CO 80201
Please see mail regulations here, and note that Denver ABC has already sent a package of envelopes, paper, and stamps. http://www.denvergov.org/Portals/327/documents/ALLOWABLE%20MAIL%20ITEMS.pdf

2) Write a letter to Denver District Attorney Mitch Morrissey and demand that the charges against Amelia be dropped immediately!
Denver DA Mitch Morrissey
201 W. Colfax #801
Denver, CO 80202
Or call him at: 720-913-9000

3) Donate to Amelia’s phone fund.
Send checks or money orders made out to P&L Printing to:
Denver ABC
2727 W. 27th Ave Unit D
Denver, CO 80211

4) Keep checking the Denver ABC blog at denverabc.wordpress.com for updates, or follow us at twitter, through our user name, DenverABC.

Case Background

On Friday May 6th, over one hundred people, mostly young, poor, and angry, took to the streets in defiance of the Denver Police Department. They participated in a march, called to confront “police terror” in the Denver Metro area. Specifically, they marched to remember the deaths of Marvin Booker and Oleg Gidenko, two people murdered by area police departments in the last year.

As the the march ended, a small firework was set off in the street. Police used this act as a justification to chase one alleged participant down an alley, where she was tackled and beaten by police. This person would later be identified as Amelia Nicol, a 20 year old Colorado resident. She now faces outlandish charges including attempted murder.

We call on all people to support Amelia as she fights these attempts at intimidation and repression, and the police’s broader attack on social movements in Denver.

Marvin Booker, a homeless street preacher, died at the hands of five sheriff’s deputies in the Van Cise-Simonet Detention Center in downtown Denver on July 9, 2010. He was tackled, beaten, placed into chokeholds, tazed, and kicked. He eventually succumbed to the officers’ brutal attack. He was murdered for refusing to leave his shoes in the booking area of the jail.

Oleg Gidenko was shot in the head by Aurora Police Officers. Oleg was in a truck with several friends. They had been hanging out, allegedly drinking in the truck while it was parked in a lonely industrial park in Aurora. Aurora Police Officers approached the truck, armed, supposedly because they suspected the occupants of breaking into cars in the area. As the police aimed their weapons at the truck, one officer shot Oleg in the head. Another occupant, Yevgeniy Straystar. was also shot, but would survive. With two occupants, including the driver, shot and a passenger trying to hide on the floor of the truck as it took repeated fire from police officers, the truck lurched forward, bumping into one of the officers. This action, though it took place after the firing had started, and after Oleg was dead, was used as the justification for the shooting.

Many other high profile cases of police terror have been documented in the metro area over the last year, including the beating of whole families, rape and child molestation, and mishandling of evidence. Few, if any, officers are ever punished.

On May 6th, the fourth in a series of marches was held to show direct opposition to the police terror plaguing the metro area. For several hours the crowd snaked through downtown and the arts district. The police response to this fourth march was much heavier than previous marches, and riot police flanked the march for a good portion of the route. Despite the heavy police presence and attempts at intimidation, Amelia would end up being the only arrest during the march.

On Thursday May 12th, news agencies across the metro area reported that Amelia would be charged with a host of felonies and misdemeanors, including two counts of attempted murder of a police officer, criminal arson, possession and use of explosives, and inciting a riot. Police alleged she threw the firework, only now in the news reports the firework had become a “molotov cocktail”, or in some news reports, an “improvised explosive.” The small green firework now became a dangerous implement of attempted murder of two police officers. Amelia is now confined to a jail cell in the Denver County Jail, held on a $50,000 bond.

Just days previous, on Monday May 9th, Denver Mayor Guillermo Vidal announced that the deputies implicated in the death of Marvin Booker would face no discipline for their use of force. This announcement came after months of public outcry in response to a September 2010 decision by District Attorney Mitch Morrissey to not file any criminal charges in response to Marvin’s murder.

The charges now being filed against Amelia are a slap in the face to every person that struggles for justice. The City of Denver has made it clear that the life of a black street preacher is worth less than the relative comfort of several police officers that may have been scared by a small firework. Murderers with badges receive no criminal charges, while a young woman who allegedly attended a protest to hold those officers accountable now faces over 90 years in prison.

We must rally to support Amelia! The Denver Anarchist Black Cross calls on all justice and freedom loving people to mobilize for the defense of Amelia in the face of these atrocious criminal charges.

Urgent: Support anti-police terror march participant Amelia Nicol, facing 90 years in prison!

May 16, 2011 Denver ABC

Support resistance to police terror!
Support Amelia Nicol!

On Friday May 6th, over one hundred people, mostly young, poor, and angry,
took to the streets in defiance of the Denver Police Department. They
participated in a march, called to confront “police terror” in the Denver
Metro area. Specifically, they marched to remember the deaths of Marvin
Booker and Oleg Gidenko, two people murdered by area police departments in
the last year.

As the the march ended, a small firework was set off in the street. Police
used this act as a justification to chase one alleged participant down an
alley, where she was tackled and beaten by police. This person would later
be identified as Amelia Nicol, a 20 year old Colorado resident. She now
faces outlandish charges including attempted murder.

We call on all people to support Amelia as she fights these attempts at
intimidation and repression, and the police's broader attack on social
movements in Denver.

Background
Marvin Booker, a homeless street preacher, died at the hands of five
sheriff's deputies in the Van Cise-Simonet Detention Center in downtown
Denver on July 9, 2010. He was tackled, beaten, placed into chokeholds,
tazed, and kicked. He eventually succumbed to the officers' brutal attack.
He was murdered for refusing to leave his shoes in the booking area of the
jail.

Oleg Gidenko was shot in the head by Aurora Police Officers. Oleg was in a
truck with several friends. They had been hanging out, allegedly drinking
in the truck while it was parked in a lonely industrial park in Aurora.
Aurora Police Officers approached the truck, armed, supposedly because
they suspected the occupants of breaking into cars in the area. As the
police aimed their weapons at the truck, one officer shot Oleg in the
head. Another occupant, Yevgeniy Straystar. was also shot, but would
survive. With two occupants, including the driver, shot and a passenger
trying to hide on the floor of the truck as it took repeated fire from
police officers, the truck lurched forward, bumping into one of the
officers. This action, though it took place after the firing had started,
and after Oleg was dead, was used as the justification for the shooting.

Many other high profile cases of police terror have been documented in the
metro area over the last year, including the beating of whole families,
rape and child molestation, and mishandling of evidence. Few, if any,
officers are ever punished.

On May 6th, the fourth in a series of marches was held to show direct
opposition to the police terror plaguing the metro area. For several hours
the crowd snaked through downtown and the arts district. The police
response to this fourth march was much heavier than previous marches, and
riot police flanked the march for a good portion of the route. Despite the
heavy police presence and attempts at intimidation, Amelia would end up
being the only arrest during the march.

On Thursday May 12th, news agencies across the metro area reported that
Amelia would be charged with a host of felonies and misdemeanors,
including two counts of attempted murder of a police officer, criminal
arson, possession and use of explosives, and inciting a riot. Police
alleged she threw the firework, only now in the news reports the firework
had become a “molotov cocktail”, or in some news reports, an “improvised
explosive.” The small green firework now became a dangerous implement of
attempted murder of two police officers. Amelia is now confined to a jail
cell in the Denver County Jail, held on a $50,000 bond.

Just days previous, on Monday May 9th, Denver Mayor Guillermo Vidal
announced that the deputies implicated in the death of Marvin Booker would
face no discipline for their use of force. This announcement came after
months of public outcry in response to a September 2010 decision by
District Attorney Mitch Morrissey to not file any criminal charges in
response to Marvin's murder.

The charges now being filed against Amelia are a slap in the face to every
person that struggles for justice. The City of Denver has made it clear
that the life of a black street preacher is worth less than the relative
comfort of several police officers that may have been scared by a small
firework. Murderers with badges receive no criminal charges, while a young
woman who allegedly attended a protest to hold those officers accountable
now faces over 90 years in prison.

We must rally to support Amelia! The Denver Anarchist Black Cross calls on
all justice and freedom loving people to mobilize for the defense of
Amelia in the face of these atrocious criminal charges!

There are many ways to show support:

1)Attend Amelia's public hearing on Monday May 16th at 9:30 am in
Courtroom 2100 of the Denver County Courthouse at 490 West Colfax in
downtown Denver.
2)Donate to Amelia's legal defense. Denver ABC will be accepting donations
on behalf of Amelia's family and friends. You can mail donations to Denver
ABC, 2727 W. 27th Ave Unit D, Denver CO 80211. Checks should be made
payable to P&L Printing. A paypal account where donations can be made is
available through the username plpress@riseup.net
3)Sign up for updates on Denver ABC's twitter account. Our username is
DenverABC.
4)Send a letter to the Denver DA demanding that the charges against Amelia
be immediately dropped. All letters or postcards can be mailed to: Denver
DA Mitch Morrissey, 201 W. Colfax Ave #801, Denver CO 80202-5328
5)Keep checking the Denver ABC blog at denverabc.wordpress.com for all
news, announcements, and other ways to show support for Amelia and other
political prisoners.

We must clearly view these charges as an attack on our movement as a
whole. Amelia's fate determines the fate of our social movements active
across the metro area, and even the rest of this country and the world.
This type of repressive act, if successful, will only work to embolden and
strengthen a police force that has openly been waging a war of brutal
terror against the people of the Denver metro area. If they can put Amelia
in prison for what would amount to the rest of her life for attending a
demonstration, then any of us who organize for justice and against
oppression could be next.

If you have any questions, offers of support or resources, or want to get
involved with the support work, please contact us at
denverabc@rocketmail.com

Until Amelia is free, and all cages are emptied!

Denver Anarchist Black Cross
May 15, 2011

Urgent: Arrestee from Friday’s March Against Police Terror facing Attempted Murder of Police Officer Charges, 90 years in prison

May 13, 2011 denverabc

DABC Disclaimer: Please note, this is a news blog, and as such we are
posting news. To the right wingers and others who keep trying to paint
pictures of “affiliation” or “membership” etc: We are re-posting news.
Also, any mention by DABC in reference to the March Against Police Terror
that occurred on May 6th, 2011, were repostings from other groups. Denver
ABC exists as a support organization for social movements. That is our
only role and capacity. Please fact check when posting ludicrous
accusations. Thanks.

This report is from a corporate news source, Denver ABC 7 News:

DENVER — A 20-year-old woman accused of hurling a fire bomb at Denver
police officers during a protest last week faces two counts of attempted
murder and other charges, prosecutors said Thursday.

Denver District Attorney Mitch Morrissey formally charged Amelia Nicol
with the attempted murder counts along with two counts of assault and
single counts of use of explosives, possession of explosives, arson,
inciting a riot, resisting arrest and criminal mischief.

The charges state that on the night of May 6 Nicol threw an incendiary or
explosive device at officers in a marked patrol car. The device exploded
and burned, damaging the patrol car. The two officers in the car were not
injured.

The charges also allege that Nicol fled the scene and as she was being
taken into custody a short time later she spit on officers and resisted
arrest, said district attorney spokeswoman Lynn Kimbrough.

The incident occurred at 11th Avenue and Kalamath Street during a march by
people protesting law enforcement brutality cases in the Denver metro
area.

“March against police terror!” said an announcement for the protest on the
Facebook page of a group called Denver Black Anarchist Cross.

“The police are at war with the people. It’s time for the people to be at
war with the police,” the release said.

The Facebook page showed a cartoon of a woman atop an oil drum surrounded
by flames kicking a police officer in the chin, knocking his riot helmet
off.

Nicol remained in Denver Jail Thursday. Her bond was set at $50,000.

Nicol was initially booked as Jane Doe, because she refused to provide her
name, Kimbrough said.

Amelia has a courtdate set for Monday morning at 9:30am in Court Room 2100
in the Denver County Courthouse, 490 West Colfax

Radio Interviews with Chapel Hill Prison Books Collective, Denver ABC and UnmaskNWDC

Interviews recorded at Free Radio Olympia by DJ Questionmark on April 18,
2011

Interview with Chapel Hill Prison Books Collective

21 mins 20 seconds MP3 (18.5 mb)

Download at:

http://www.indybay.org/uploads/2011/04/19/chalephillprisonbooks041811.mp3

Interview with Monica of the Chapel Hill, NC Prison Books Collective.
Monica talks about prison abolition and restorative justice as
alternatives to the prison system. She describes the collective's effort
to send books and zines to prisoners in the Southeast US, political
prisoner writing nights and maintaining a zine catalog of radical
literature. The group publishes monthly political prisoner birthday
posters for over a year that are free on the internet to download. The
posters encourage people to write to political prisoners on their
birthday. The collective also actively supports prisoners organizing in
North Carolina and reports on solidarity efforts.

For more information visit http://prisonbooks.info



Interview with Denver Anarchist Black Cross

12 mins 45 Seconds MP3 audio

Download at:

http://www.indybay.org/uploads/2011/04/18/dabc041811.mp3

Interview with Whitney from Denver Anarchist Black Cross about the group,
movement defense and the many mutual aid programs they have started.
Whitney talks about the updated political prisoner database, the war chest
program that raises funds for political prisoner's basic needs, the mutual
aid fund where local people get emergency loans for basic needs, the
Nurturing Liberation program that provides free childcare, political
prisoner writing nights and more.

Whitney elaborates on movement defense by commenting on internal and
external repression. How opposing snitch-jacketing and shit talking within
the movement is part of fighting government repression and supporting
political prisoners and people targeted by the state.

Denver Anarchist Black Cross is organizing a nation-wide conference in
August 2011.


Radio Interview on the North West Detention Center

Interview with Francine and Clere about the Northwest Detention Center in
Tacoma WA. They talk about the private immigration center as a source of
revenue for the city and profits for private investors. They also talk
about how current immigration policy detains people not convicted of a
crime. Resisting the detention center, they explain, is part of a greater
struggle to abolish national boundaries and prisons.

A conference called "No Border! No Nation! Stop Deportation!" happens
Saturday April 23 in Tacoma.

Visit https://unmasknwdc.wordpress.com for more info.

Download at: http://www.indybay.org/uploads/2011/04/18/nwdc041811ed.mp3

About UnmaskNWDC from the blog:

One of the three largest private immigration detention centers in the
United States sits hidden amongst warehouses and parking lots in the port
of Tacoma, WA. This Northwest Detention Center, owned and operated by GEO
Group, began detaining undocumented people in 2004. This year the NWDC
expanded their facility, with the go-ahead from the City of Tacoma, and
can now detain 1500 people at any given time. This facility detains your
neighbors, co-workers, family members and friends. The large majority of
the folks being detained at this facility have never been convicted of a
crime. They have come to this country to escape poverty and persecution.
They have come here as a means to trying to provide better lives for
themselves and their families. The company that owns the Northwest
Detention Center, GEO Group, makes a profit off of the detainment and
deportation of people. The City of Tacoma, Pierce County, Washington State
and the federal government benefit financially off of this facility. This
company and these governmental bodies perceive the people being held at
the NWDC as commodity. When the motives behind oppressive and exploitative
acts are exposed, they can no longer be normalized. We can begin to draw
connections and make black and white what was formally gray. No longer can
we hope that the government will seize current immigration policies or
that the city will shut down the Northwest Detention Center. The hope is
that this blog will provide an avenue to unmask these unforgivable truths
and shed light on the fact that we cannot sit back and wait for those who
oppress to do what we must do ourselves. These matters are in our own
hands; it is our responsibility to act.

Denver: Anarchist Black Cross Conference Organizing Underway

The Denver Anarchist Black Cross would like to formally invite you to a conference
for North American Anarchist Black Cross chapters from August 12-14, 2011 in Denver.
This is an invitation to attend this conference. Also seeking proposals for
workshops, skill shares, or other activities that chapters would like to see at the
conference.
The Conference is open to all ABC chapters active in North America, regardless of
greater organizational affiliation.
The intention of this conference is not to create any new broader organization, but
instead to have North American ABC chapters share our experiences and skills. We
hope to build and strengthen social and political networks with each other to grow
and strengthen the movement defense capabilities for those of us struggling in North
America.
In order to create a cohesive and productive conference atmosphere, we are only
inviting those actively engaged in ABC Chapters or interested in starting an ABC
Chapter. The following principles of unity will work as a guiding document for who
should or should not attend this conference:
1. We are anarchists. We believe in an anti-capitalist, anti-authoritarian movement
to replace all predatory social, economic, and political systems with a society
based upon voluntary cooperation, mutual aid, and self determination for all
peoples.
2. We believe in active revolutionary struggle against the state, capitalism, and
social oppression. We support actions that target those that perpetuate oppression.
We believe in broad based social movements that are capable of confronting those
that benefit from exploitation.
3. We are engaged in supporting members of liberation movements who have been
captured by the state. We support the right of all peoples to fight against
oppression and for self determination. We actively work to support those that have
been captured while struggling for liberation, whether or not their politics exactly
align with ours or not.
4. We wish to contribute to the greater defense of social movements. We are engaged
in political prisoner or prisoner of war support, but understand this is but one
facet of movement defense.
5. We will not allow infighting to further cripple our work. We will not allow past
feuds, infighting, or divisions to stop us from moving forward as a movement, and
figuring out ways to support each other and our joint struggles. We will not allow
power struggles, internalized sexism, racism and classism to dominate and threaten
our organizations and our struggles.
Registration Information – Deadline is June 1st.

A Wall Is Just A Wall..:" Night of Poetry and Prison Abolition 2/2/2011 Denver, CO

Time
Wednesday, February 2 · 6:30pm - 8:00pm

Location
6th Avenue United Church of Christ
3250 East 6th Avenue


Denver ABC's monthly political prisoner writing night is being subverted in February.

Its the same time and place: 6:30 at 6th ave UCC on the 1st Wednesday of the month...

And its still child friendly and comes along with a free delicious dinner...

This month though we are celebrating creative writing as a tool towards prison
abolition. Poetry is a weapon of ours, whether that be keeping people on the inside
sane or keeping us on the outside angry.

To honor the legacy of poetry and revolution, we will use this letter writing night
as a space for sharing soulful words. It can be poetry that you wrote, verses
written by political prisoners, or stanzas by poets on the front lines of social
struggle. Anything that personally inspires your abolitionist spirit is welcome! 

A Wall Is Just A Wall..:" Night of Poetry and Prison Abolition 2/2/2011 Denver, CO

Time
Wednesday, February 2 · 6:30pm - 8:00pm

Location
6th Avenue United Church of Christ
3250 East 6th Avenue


Denver ABC's monthly political prisoner writing night is being subverted in February.

Its the same time and place: 6:30 at 6th ave UCC on the 1st Wednesday of the month...

And its still child friendly and comes along with a free delicious dinner...

This month though we are celebrating creative writing as a tool towards prison
abolition. Poetry is a weapon of ours, whether that be keeping people on the inside
sane or keeping us on the outside angry.

To honor the legacy of poetry and revolution, we will use this letter writing night
as a space for sharing soulful words. It can be poetry that you wrote, verses
written by political prisoners, or stanzas by poets on the front lines of social
struggle. Anything that personally inspires your abolitionist spirit is welcome! 

A 2010 Reportback from Denver Anarchist Black Cross

Denver ABC Jan. 17, 2011

Happy New Year to comrades across the world!

As we enter into another year of struggle against predatory social,
political, and economic systems, Denver Anarchist Black Cross would like
to make an attempt to document the activities and work that we have been a
part of for the last year. We hope that this attempt at transparency can
open up dialogue, especially amongst our imprisoned comrades, to be able
to offer advice about how our energy and time could be better spent, and
also better inform people about all the various projects and programs that
Denver ABC maintains and provides.

Denver ABC is involved in a wide range of support and organizing
activities, and unlike many contemporary ABC chapters, our focus is not
strictly limited to prisoner support. Historically, ABC chapters have
provided many other types of support roles to the broader social movements
that they have been active within, and the spirit of Denver Anarchist
Black Cross and our mission statement embody this ideal of multi-faceted
and broad based support work for members of liberatory social movements.
Our work is intended to ensure that our movements' work can be maintained
and defended.

GENERAL:
Our collective grew massively through 2010. Our collective is now 17
dues-paying members strong and is made up of about 8 working groups
focusing on a variety of support and organizing initiatives. 2010 also saw
a dramatic change for our collective, as we ceased our working
relationship with the Anarchist Black Cross Federation, after an inability
to maintain a working relationship that made sense for our collective. We
still contribute to ABCF initiatives, including the ABCF Warchest, but do
not maintain official membership within the Federation.

In 2010, Denver ABC published three issues of our magazine, PaperMatch,
distributing hundreds of copies of each issue. We have also maintained a
consistent web presence at our blog (http://denverabc.wordpress.com) with
daily updates on state repression, and other attacks on social movements
from around the world.

POLITICAL PRISONER/POW SUPPORT:
One of the mainstays of ABC work has been and always will be working to
defend members of our movement that come under attack by the legal
apparatuses of the state.

To this extent, Denver ABC has been active in the support of political
prisoners and movement POWs in a variety of ways.

Once a month, Denver ABC hosts a political prisoner and POW letter writing
night. This has been a consistent program since August of 2009. Every
month we focus on different campaigns or prisoners, to bring attention to
the variety of social movement prisoners now sitting in cages in the
United States. Our letter writing nights draw a dozen people on average,
with some letter writing nights drawing as many as thirty or more
participants. A dinner is provided, as well as all materials necessary for
writing letters, including postage. The letter writing is preceded by a
short presentation on the case(s) we will be focusing on during the night.
Past letter writing nights have included Green Scare prisoners, Black
Liberation prisoners, Trans and women prisoners, War on Terror prisoners,
Anarchist prisoners, and others. In February, we hosted a special
Valentine's Day letter writing pancake breakfast that was highly
successful and sent dozens of cards and letters to our imprisoned
comrades.

2010 saw the first year of what will become an annual Political Prisoner
and POW art show. The show featured art from dozens of prisoners and
raised several hundred dollars for the work of Denver Anarchist Black
Cross as well as direct funds for prisoners involved in the art show.
Artists featured included David McKay, Oso Blanco, Marilyn Buck, Phil
Africa, and Daniel McGowan. 2011's show will happen sometime this summer,
so if you're interested in contributing art, please contact us.

Another annual event to raise funds and awareness about movement prisoners
is Running Down the Walls. 2010 marked the second year that Denver ABC
hosted a local run. Participation this year rose dramatically from last
year, almost tripling from 15 participants to nearly 40 at this year's
run. The run raised $600, $300 of which was sent to the ABCF Warchest, a
program that provides monthly stipends for political prisoners and
prisoners of war held in the U.S. The other half of the money went to the
Denver ABC Mutual Aid Fund, a fund used to provide emergency economic
support to revolutionaries in the Denver area in dire economic need (see
Economic Support below).

Denver ABC has published and maintained a comprehensive database of
political prisoners and social movement POWs held in the United States
since our inception. The database is available online on our blog, and is
also available in a print edition. The 7th edition of the print version
was released in November, and the 8th edition will be released by the end
of January. The listing includes dozens of prisoners, their background
information, and constantly updated mailing addresses.

Other work that Denver ABC has done on behalf of movement prisoners has
been varied. We send a $30 monthly stipend check to Dr. Mutulu Shakur, a
Black Liberation Army prisoner held in Florence, Colorado. Denver ABC has
also become the publisher and distributor of 4StruggleMag, a publication
written by “North American political prisoners and their friends” edited
by United Freedom Front POW Jaan Laaman and the Toronto Anarchist Black
Cross. After the publication is edited and compiled by our comrades, we
are responsible for the printing and mailing. We have sent out three
issues in the past year.

PRISON ABOLITION/MIGRANT DEFENSE:
DABC also maintains several other support initiatives aimed at politicized
social prisoners and others imprisoned by the state, including migrant
detainees.

The Colorado Prison Literature Project, a working group of Denver ABC,
sends free packages of radical and revolutionary literature to prisoners
being held in the state of Colorado. This project is in the process of
restructuring, but to date, has sent several rounds of mailings of
political literature to prisoners in Colorado. We have lofty goals for the
next year, and our catalog has been expanded to now include over 100
titles.

Denver ABC members have been actively involved in efforts to shut down the
ICE Detention Center in Aurora, Colorado. We have participated in and
helped provide “security” at many protests and demonstrations at the
center, ranging from vigils to confrontational protests. Denver ABC also
maintains participation in Colorado AID (Abolish Inhumane Detention) an
organization that provides visitations and support to migrants in
detention.

LEGAL SUPPORT:
In February, former anarchist POW Ojore Lutalo was arrested in La Junta,
Colorado after being accused of making “terroristic” threats aboard an
Amtrak train. Denver ABC helped organize support for Ojore and arranged
for his bail. We provided housing for him for the next week as he waited
to see what would happen with his case. Eventually all charges were
dropped and Ojore was able to return home to New Jersey.

DABC served as the legal support team for the 2010 Bash Back Gathering
held in Denver in May. We staffed a legal line 24 hours a day for the four
days of the gathering, and in an interesting turn of events, saw no action
until the day after the gathering, when one person traveling home was
arrested on a warrant. We worked to help free this comrade, who
eventually, with the assistance of their friends, was released a couple
days later and made it back home safely.

We have hosted dozens of events over the past year to support anarchists
and others facing attack by the state and other repressive forces.
Fundraisers have included a cakewalk for G20 detainees, a film screening
of the Oakland 100 documentary, and a speaking event/puppet show for the
Conspiracy Tour.

Over the course of 2010, we raised funds for the following cases:
-Toronto G20 arrestees: $150
-Asheville 11: $500
-Eric McDavid: $100
-Marie Mason: $100
-Denver Got Yo Back (three local felony cases): $800
-State Street 29: $100
-Oakland 100: $100
-Mt Hope Infinity: $1,100
-Conspiracy Tour (RNC 8, Carrie and Scott): $150

ECONOMIC SUPPORT:
Denver ABC provides economic support to members of social movements in
several ways, but most notably through the Denver ABC Mutual Aid Fund, a
fund that donates and lends money to radicals and revolutionaries in dire
economic need. In 2010 we provided nearly $1000 to Denver based
revolutionaries for rent assistance, grocery money, car repairs, legal
fees, health care needs, and other situations requiring urgent financial
assistance.

Our major fundraiser for the Mutual Aid Fund is an annual costume ball,
the Martyr's Ball, where participants are encouraged to attend dressed as
a political martyr they would like to have remembered. Food, dancing, and
pinata smashing mark a fun and fabulous evening, and over the past two
years, nearly $900 has been raised for our Mutual Aid Fund through this
event.

TACTICAL DEFENSE:
A working group of the Denver Anarchist Black Cross, the Denver Armed
Resistance Committee, focuses on providing tactical defense training to
members of DABC and social movements active in the Denver area.

In 2010, we hosted four public introductory level firearms skillshares,
sharing knowledge with over 50 people. These introductory classes cover
safety and handling, as well as mechanics and history of tactical
firearms. DARC members also participated in and led several live fire
trainings, as well as a direct action tactical training, focused on
unarmed, but militant, street demonstrations.

Throughout 2010, DARC members and others from Denver ABC tabled at Denver
area gun shows with anti-white supremacist and anti-Minutemen materials,
as well as self defense related materials written from an anarchist
perspective.

CHILD AND FAMILY SUPPORT:
One important note about Denver ABC is that we put a lot of emphasis on
building a multigenerational movement. This emphasis is manifested in a
variety of ways, from providing childcare at every DABC meeting to
ensuring that anyone that DARC instructs in firearms use can change a
diaper before they are allowed to fire a gun. Over half of the members of
the collective are parents or find themselves in parental roles, and this
certainly is a large motivating factor in our desire and need to include
children and families in our organizing work, and to provide support to
families and kids active within the movement.

The Nurturing Liberation working group has been the primary organizing
body for childcare or other forms of family support. Last year, Nurturing
Liberation held a free kids clothing and toy swap, provided childcare at
several movement events hosted by other organizations, and helped organize
a reading of the book, “My Baby Rides the Shortbus” about the experiences
of parenting kids with disabilities.

Denver ABC also helped provide childcare for the weekly meetings of local
participants of the Black Mesa Caravan, a group providing material and
direct support for indigenous people resisting coal mining at Big
Mountain.

DENVER BASED ORGANIZING AND SUPPORT EFFORTS:
DABC is an active member organization of the 27 Social Centre, an
anti-capitalist and revolutionary community space in Denver that provides
space to a host of organizations, including the Denver Zine Library,
Sent(a)mental Studios, the Bread and Roses Workers Cultural Center, Build
Up Books, the Denver IWW, Comite Defensa del Pueblo, P&L Printing, and
many other initiatives and programs.

DABC and its members support the center financially, help staff and
organize events, and also live in and work out of the space.

Denver has had a busy year in the streets in 2010. Denver ABC members were
present and helped organize several demonstrations in response to
increased police violence, and the murder of a homeless street preacher,
Marvin Booker. Though neither demonstration was organized directly by DABC
as an entity, members were heavily present and involved in outreach,
security, and logistics for the events.

Along with various allies, including Resistencia Mexicana, and Comite
Defensa del Pueblo, DABC helped to organize a Mayday demonstration that
saw over 500 people march for social justice and anti-capitalist
revolution.

In October, a local organization that works in solidarity with the
Coalition of Immokalee Workers, Denver Fair Food, hosted an encuentro
(gathering) of organizers from across the midwest organizing for justice
for agricultural workers. DABC helped cook food and provide housing for
the event.

P&L PRINTING
Members of Denver Anarchist Black Cross co-own and run a collective
printshop: P&L Printing. The printshop has been providing commercial
printing to radicals, non-profits, and unions for over three decades.
Utilizing offset, digital, and screen printing, P&L functions as a worker
collective that provides direct employment for 4 members of ABC as well as
print support for a variety of radical and revolutionary projects.

In 2010, P&L Printing offered free or discounted work to many movement
groups including:
-The Asheville 11
-The Jericho Movement
-Black Mesa Support Caravan
-Rob Will/DRIVE and the Texas Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty
-Denver Food Not Bombs
-Bash Back
-4StruggleMag
And of course, Denver ABC...

OTHER SUPPORT WORK
Other work that DABC was involved in over the course of 2010 included
organizing a solidarity demonstration against the verdict in the Oscar
Grant murder trial, organizing a local event for the Isreali based group
Anarchists Against the Wall, screening the film “Bloody Sunday” on the
anniversary of the Bloody Sunday massacre that took place in Ireland,
hosting a talk about the Greek anarchist movement by Peter Gelderloos and
organizing an emergency demonstration in solidarity with Georgia prisoners
in revolt.

THE FUTURE:
2010 was a busy year for the Denver ABC, and 2011 is shaping up to be even
busier. The attacks on our movements will not relent as long as our
movements remain vibrant and consistent threats to domination. In 2011, we
will maintain our usual work and role within the Denver anarchist
movement, and will also continue our several annual events, including
Running Down the Walls, our Political Prisoner Art Show, Martyr's Ball,
and our monthly political prisoner letterwriting events.

Several larger initiatives are also underway, including planning for a
North American Anarchist Black Cross conference to take place this summer,
in which we hope to have ABC collectives from across the continent
represented to meet, form social bonds, and strengthen our collective work
to support social movements and their prisoners.

SUPPORTING DENVER ABC
You can support the work of Denver ABC in a variety of ways.

-Buy our annual calendar! For a second year, DABC has released a high
quality, full color calendar featuring scenes of social revolt from around
the world. The sales of this calendar directly benefit DABC's Mutual Aid
Fund, and our own stipend program for prisoners.

-Buy a Martyr's Ball poster print! Each year before Martyr's Ball, DABC
releases a limited run of three color screen printed posters featuring
three fallen icons of liberatory social movements. This year's print
features Emiliano Zapata, Marilyn Buck, and Harriette Moore. The posters
measure 19x27 and are hand signed by the artist, DABC's own Matt Verges.

-Donate to the DABC Mutual Aid Fund DABC's Mutual Aid Fund is always in
need of donations! The money is well spent and goes a long way to offer
meaningful financial support to Denver based comrades in urgent economic
need.

-Subscribe to our email announcement list and our Emergency Response
Network Details are available on our blog at
http://denverabc.wordpress.com

-Get involved! DABC hosts open meetings every other week at the 27 Social
Centre in northwest Denver. For details, check out our blog.

-Print with P&L Printing Supporting P&L directly benefits the 27 Social
Centre (for which P&L pays most of the rent and bills) and Denver ABC. For
information, email P&L at plprinting@msn.com

-Support your local ABC or other anti-authoritarian projects!

To inquire about purchasing posters, calendars, or making a donation, drop
us a line at denverabc@rocketmail.com or visit
http://plpress.bigcartel.com

In love and solidarity! Your comrades at Denver Anarchist Black Cross
2727 W. 27th Ave Unit D
Denver, CO 80211
http://denverabc.wordpress.com
denverabc@rocketmail.com