Sep 11, 2016
This week, we'll be featuring a short roundup of some of the
events inside and outside of the prison walls during the beginning
of the Prisoner Work Strike that started on September 9th in the
United Snakes with the goal of ending Prison Slavery in U.S.
prisons. After that we'll hear the last half hour of Gil
O'Teen's conversation with Guy McGowan Steel Steward, an American
anarcho-communist about his joining the Rojava Revolution alongside
Kurdish and other folks in Northern Syria. This portion, they
discuss nationalism and national identity in Rojava, the draft, the
decision to adopt Federalization within Rojava and more. This is
within the context of recent Turkish incursions into the Kurdish
regions of northern Syria which have led to deaths among civilians
and YPG/YPJ forces of the Kurdish Resistance. These deaths
include foreign fighters who've joined the Rojava struggle.
Happily, Guy is not among those dead. There is an interesting
discussion and an homage to american anarchist fighter
Jordan MacTaggart, an interview with Rojava Solidarity NYC,
plus much much more in the latest episode of The Ex-Worker podcast,
available at crimethinc.com/podcast that
I suggest folks check out and share with friends.
Some further resources
concerning the YJC and YCR.
and
Osman Evcan, Turkish anarchist prisoner who is starting a new
hunger strike. To hear our interview on this matter, visit
us here.
International Brigade reactions to Turkish aggressions video.
And
7 anarchists arrested and accused of being members of FAI.
Additionally, other
arrests around FAI-accused anarchists in news from Italy.
National Prisoner Work
Stoppage
Background and Inside Resistance
As many of you are probably aware, Friday September 9th kicked off
the largest and most coordinated prisoner work stoppage in the US
in all history, on the 45th anniversary of the Attica Prison
uprising. Organized in conjunction with incarcerated members of the
Free Alabama Movement (FAM) and the Incarcerated Workers Organizing
Committee (IWOC), this work stoppage is turning a bright spotlight
on the continuing condition of slavery in the United States, a
slavery upon which this country's economy is cripplingly dependant.
Prisoners are also forced to be responsible for running the actual
prisons themselves, working in the laundry, cafeteria, and so on,
pretty much in any non-administrative capacity you can think of. I
don't think it should go without saying that much of this labor
goes unwaged, though the on average 13 cents an hour that inmates
get paid is nothing compared to the exorbitant costs of goods in
prison stores.
Friday kicked off the actual strike, but resistance from within
prison got started well before then with fires being set at Lincoln
Correctional Center in Lincoln, Nebraska on September 6th, a 4
dormitory wide riot at Holmes prison in Bonifay, Florida on the 7th
which hopped from dorm to dorm in the facility keeping just ahead
of the CO's attemts to quell the rebellion, creating a Whak-A-Mole
type situation that I'm sure the prison officials just loved. Also
on the 7th inmates at the infamous military detention center
Guantanamo Bay remain on hunger strike to protest their indefinite
detentions, many of whom were captured as part of the xenophobic
and racist governmental response to September 11th, 2001, 15 years
ago today.
September 9th at noon saw a complete work stoppage at Holman
Correctional in Atmore, Alabama where our comrade Michael Kimble is
held captive. There is no incidents yet from prison officials, and
guards and COs were forced to perform all tasks. Sit down strikes
and work stoppages were also held in Bonifay, FL in the
aforementioned Holmes Prison, amid the ashes of the fires set only
two days prior. In Troy VA, there was a work stoppage at a women's
facility, and all across this state of North Carolina
prisoners refused to report to their jobs. At a women's facility in
California 10 or so brave souls refused to work and effectively
shut the whole prison down because of fear of a riot. Disturbances
were reported at Gulf and Mayo prisons in Florida, and three guards
were injured in scuffles at Tecumseh Prison in Nebraska.
Yesterday saw a continuation of resistance in Nebraska at a women's
facility, from all over South Carolina, and continuing resistance
in Atmore. Solidarity from overseas has been flying in fast and
furious, with statements from prisoners in Greece, Australia,
Lithuania, and Sweden among many others.
Repression of those who are striking has mostly consisted of prison
lockdowns and targeting of people who have been designated the
"ringleaders". It will be very important for people to recieve
solidarity from those on the outside in order for this resistance
to continue. Keep your eyes on itsgoingdown.org and the live
updates at maskmagazine.com for current info and calls for backup.
You can visit the IWOC at iwoc.org for a list of concrete
anti-repression tactics to share with those who are incarcerated
and otherwise.
Local Events, Arrests, and Donations to the Legal
Fund
Now, let's take a gander at some of the events we were able to find
that took place outside of the prison walls, per se, around the
U.S. and around the world.
A full narrative of outside support events would take a very long
time, which is a good thing, so we're going to read through some
highlights starting local to get the attention of the folks locally
on this. We'll be giving precedence to two local struggles in
which arrests occurred. If folks from elsewhere have an
experience they want to share, send us an email at
thefinalstrawradio@riseup.net or add it to the growing lists of
solidarity by emailing info@itsgoingdown.org.
First off, let's begin with Western North Carolina.
This text is from a fundraising site to cover legal costs :
"In the early afternoon of Septmeber 9th, comrades held a banner
outside of the Avery Mitchell Correctional Facility in Spruce Pine,
North Carolina. This was an attempt to offer support to any of the
816 prisoners at the facility involved in prison functions who may
have chosen to withhold their labor as part of the wider strike
against prison society. 5 arrests were made and trespassing charges
were issued.
Later that afternoon in downtown Asheville, and following a #NoDAPL
solidarity march and protest at TD Bank, there was a march through
downtown in support of striking prisoners. 60-70 folks banged
pots and pans, held banners and signs, passed out leaflets and
chanted "Brick By Brick, Wall By Wall, We Will Make Your Prisons
Fall" and other classics. Police followed the march blaring
requests to get out of the street and eventually attempted to push
the marchers onto the sidewalk with their vehicles. Attempts
to engage the Friday night drum circle into hitting the pavement
fell on deaf ears as folks made their way towards the Buncombe
County Detention Facility. While passing by the local Goombay
festival, flyers were distributed and a group of folks backstage
answered our chants of "Our Passion for Freedom..." with their own
melodious note of "Freedom". A few minutes later and a few
blocks away, 3 of ours were arrested, accused of blocking traffic
and one with an additional charge of resisting arrest. By
midnight the 3 were out.
Everyone is out and no more money for bail is required, but support
for legal defense, court fees and lawyers is necessary, and we are
asking for your help
At moments like these it is so crucial that we support people doing
work to sustain the struggle for racial justice & prison abolition.
This allows us to create stronger movements where we can all
continue to be leaders in these fields and help a build stronger
sense of community, especially in the south. We are all in
this together and we need to continuously show up for each other,
not just in the streets but in ways that allow us to continue to
sustain our lives and our passions for the movement.
We believe that no one should go through this alone, especially
marginalized folks who are brave enough to put themselves in these
front lines. We are so proud of the North Carolina communities
right now."
You can connect to that fundraiser at:
https://actionnetwork.org/fundraising/legal-support-for-wnc-sept-9-solidarity-activists
--------------------------
Folks in Atlanta took the streets on Friday, September 9th, in the
face of serious police repression. From atlblackcross.org comes
this information:
"Today marks the beginning of the national prison strike.
Prisoners all over the country are going on strike and refusing to
cooperate with the unjust prison system. They are demanding
decent pay for work, decent food and living conditions, and an end
to inhumane practices like solitary confinement.
In Atlanta, supporters marched through Midtown and disrupted
several corporations which profit from prison slavery.
Wendy’s, McDonalds, Aramark, and Starbucks all got a visit.
When the march got to Starbucks, police made several violent
arrests, using pepper spray and slamming people to the
pavement. At one point, police even tried to run marchers
over with a squad car.
We are working hard to make sure all the protesters get free as
soon as possible, so everyone can continue doing the important work
of supporting the ongoing prison strike." As of this morning,
Sunday, September 11th (make a wish!), all defendants are out but
are facing some stupidly hefty charges. One demonstrator
apparently was taken during their arrest to a police precinct
women's bathroom and choke slammed against the wall for being a
part of copwatch in Atlanta. FTP!
More on the Atlanta cases and how to support them can be found at
https://actionnetwork.org/fundraising/bail-out-prison-strike-supporters
International Solidarity
International solidarity with the strike has been tremendous, with
banner drops, graffitti and actions ranging far and wide. Here are
a few instances of international solidarity, this is by no means a
complete list. You can see more information about this, plus photos
and full statements at
It's Going Down.
* Horgoš, Serbia: Banner drop in support of prison strike.
* Brisbane, Australia: Solidarity action with US prisoners.
*Melbourne, Australia: Info table with literature about US prisons
and the prison strike, along with collected donations.
* Melbourne, Australia: Anarchist demonstration outside US
Consulate.
* Malmö, Sweden: Solidarity demonstration.
* Athens, Greece: Demonstration outside Korydallos women’s
prison.
* Leipzig, Germany: Rally outside US Consulate.
* Montreal, Canada: Dinner and film screening in solidarity with
prisoner rebellion.
* Melbourne, Australia: Noise demo at youth jail.
* Barcelona, Spain: Graffiti messages of support written on
McDonald’s.
Playlist is here: http://www.ashevillefm.org/node/17496