Thursday, September 2, 2021

In Contempt #8: #ShutEmDown2021; Running Down the Walls 2021; Biden Expanding Repression; Kinetik Justice on Hunger Strike

This month’s column comes out right in the middle of two separate ongoing calls to action. Across the so-called US, Jailhouse Lawyers Speak have put out a call for abolitionist demonstrations under the banner of “Shut ‘Em Down 2021,” running from the 50th anniversary of George Jackson’s killing on August 21st to the 50th anniversary of the Attica uprising on September 9th. IGD have collected a round-up of actions so far, and they also have a full listing of all events, including those that are still upcoming.

Internationally, various ABC groups have called for August 23rd-30th to be observed as a week of solidarity with anarchist prisoners, with the date of August 23rd being chosen to commemorate the day that Italian-American anarchist prisoners Sacco and Vanzetti were murdered by the state. At time of writing, the week has so far been marked by a statement from German anarchist prisoner Thomas Meyer-Falk, a Spanish-language podcast from the Cruz Negra Anarquista/Anarchist Black Cross de Asturies, a presentation from the Belarus Anarchist Black Cross about repression there, and a German-language radio show/podcast from Dresden.

Political Prisoner News

There’s a lot of political prisoner news to report. One of the big ones is that long-time political prisoner David Gilbert has had his sentence commuted, meaning that he is now eligible for parole.

Elsewhere, supporters of anarchist prisoner Eric King have held a phone zap demanding that his mail ban be lifted. Greg Palast has a report on the case of Steven Donziger, a lawyer who’s just been convicted of contempt of court for refusing to hand over information on South American indigenous activists to the Chevron oil company, and is now facing prison time for his refusal to cooperate. There’s now a full profile up of the recently-sentenced anti-pipeline prisoner Jessica Reznicek. Another pipeline-related case has just finished, with anti-Line 3 protester Brock Hefel being sentenced to 30 days. See Giniw Collective or Pipeline Legal Action Network for more on those cases.

Lowell Lawrence ABC will shortly be releasing a new fundraiser compilation for the ABCF prisoners’ warchest, a vital piece of prisoner support infrastructure. Supporters of Russell Maroon Shoatz have held an emergency rally after his request for medical transfer to a hospice was denied.

Former antifascist prisoner David Campbell has written a new article describing his experiences on Rikers Island during his time there.

Drone whistleblower Daniel Hale has been sentenced to 45 months for exposing the secretive US drone program. You can read about why he did it in a letter he sent to the judge, and learn more at his support site, as well as reading coverage from The Intercept and Jacobin.

Ohio

As previously mentioned in this column, Kevin “Rashid” Johnson, a long-time incarcerated organizer, has been transferred to Ohio, and is now in the infamous prison at Lucasville. You can read a statement on his situation here, and he has now published a new article on staff abuses at Lucasville.

Florida

Southerly Magazine has published a new article on the Manatee County Jail, where nearly 800 inmates were locked inside to face the threat of toxic floodwaters in April.

Texas

In Texas, the new formation Tx Team One have announced a hunger strike, starting on August 21st, against the use of solitary confinement and new prison censorship guidelines. You can keep up with them at their new twitter account, @TxTEAMONE. Meanwhile, incarcerated writer Jason Renard Walker has published a new article exposing staff brutality at the Polunsky Unit.

IWOC report that:

Inside IWOC organizers in Darrington, TX are facing retaliation on H line including bogus cases being written and assault.

Risk management refuses to report misconduct on the officers for assault and retaliation. Furthermore, Officers Gilbert and Irvin are retaliating on all workers refusing to work due to being sick with H-Pylori and who are being denied medical access.  Senior warden Bridgette Hayes claims that they are unaware of any of the conditions described.

Alabama

Alabama prison organizer Kinetik Justice is on hunger strike, having been held in segregation for the past nine months. His supporters have called a protest at the Alabama Department of Corrections headquarters in Montgomery for September 1st.

For more information on the situation in Alabama, check out a recent interview The Final Straw conducted with Swift Justice, one of Kinetik’s comrades.

Pennsylvania

Unicorn Riot have an article on the case of Arthur “Cetewayo” Johnson, a friend of legendary political prisoners like Joe-Joe Bowen and Russell Maroon Shoatz, who has finally been released after 51 years in prison.

Arizona

Following the collapse of the Phoenix police’s trumped-up “ACAB gang” charges, the Department of Justice has begun an investigation of this notoriously brutal police department. A critical article published on It’s Going Down examines the role of this investigation in trying to re-legitimize the State.

Virginia

Sean Swain, the anarchist prisoner currently held in Virginia after being exiled from Ohio, has come up for parole and been rejected. He is now raising money for a legal appeal. For more on Sean’s situation, check out the podcast that he and his partner Lauren recently recorded with the Prisons Kill project, which is also available as a written transcription.

California

Sacramento IWOC and Fight Toxic Prison have been raising funds to help Malik, a recently-released abolitionist writer and organizer, find stable housing. Sacramento IWOC have also organized a phone zap in support of Andrew Renger, an inmate in the Placer County Jail facing liver failure and life-threatening medical neglect.

Louisiana

Inmates at David Wade Correctional Center were still on hunger strike against restrictive conditions at the end of July, continuing a strike that Perilous Chronicle has previously covered.

Canada

The Canadian Tire Fire column continues to report on Canadian prison news, including Prisoners Justice Day and deaths in Saskatchewan prisons.

International

Belarus ABC continues to publish regular monthly updates on the repression facing anarchists, antifascists and other dissidents there. Following the riot in Bristol, UK, earlier this year, several people have now been convicted and started prison sentences, while other cases are ongoing – Bristol Anarchist Black Cross and Bristol Defendant Solidarity have issued a joint statement on the situation, and solidarity noise demonstrations have been held outside the prisons where the defendants are held. A prisoner support fund has been set up for those facing the charges.

Repression News and Abolitionist Media Projects

Aaron Miguel Cantu has a new article, published by the Intercept and Type Investigations, exploring how the Biden administration is expanding Trump’s war on “domestic violent extremism”, with serious consequences for those facing charges from the George Floyd uprising. Writing in Vice, Ella Fassler explores how HDR Inc, an architecture and design firm involved in building jails and prisons, has been spying on those opposed to their projects.

Recent episodes of the Final Straw Radio Show have included one on Asheville’s policing crisis and an interview with Mwalimu Shakur, an IWOC member at Corcoran State Prison in California. Meanwhile, recent episodes of Kite Line have included one on outside solidarity with prisoners, including an interview with a defendant from the recent Florida prison protest case, another interview with former antifascist prisoner David Campbell, a collection of various messages from prisoners, and a two–part conversation on art in the age of mass incarceration.

Upcoming Events

As mentioned above, Shut ‘Em Down events will continue to run until September 9th. September 11th-12th will see various Running Down the Walls events, with locations including Austin, TX, Lawrence, KS, Philadelphia, PA, Pittsburgh, PA, New York, NY, and Chicago, IL confirmed so far.

Uprising Defendants

Everyone should support the defendants facing charges related to their alleged participation in the George Floyd uprising – this list of our imprisoned comrades needs to be getting shorter, not longer. The status of pre-trial defendants changes frequently, but to the best of our knowledge they currently include:

Isaiah Willoughby 49960-086
FDC SeaTac Federal Detention Center
PO Box 13900
Seattle, WA 98198

Desmond David-Pitts 49970-086
FDC SeaTac Federal Detention Center
PO Box 13900
Seattle, WA 98198

Kelly Jackson 50288-086
FCI Sheridan Federal Correctional Institution
P.O. BOX 5000
Sheridan, OR  97378

Montez Lee
Sherburne County Jail
13880 Business Center Dr. NW
Suite 200
Elk River, MN 55330-1692

Matthew White
Sherburne County Jail
13880 Business Center Dr. NW
Suite 200 Elk River, MN
55330-1692

José Felan
Sherburne County Jail
13880 Business Center Dr.
NW Suite 200 Elk River, MN 55330-1692

Matthew Rupert
Sherburne County Jail
13880 Business Center Dr. NW
Suite 200 Elk River, MN 55330-1692

David Elmakayes 77782-066
FDC Philadelphia
PO BOX 562
Philadelphia, PA 19105
You can donate to David’s legal funds here.

Lore-Elisabeth Blumenthal 70002-066
FDC Philadelphia
PO BOX 562
Philadelphia, PA 19105

Andrew Augustyniak-Duncan 176417
Allegheny County Jail
950 2nd Ave
Pittsburgh, PA 15219

Christopher West 161218
Allegheny County Jail
950 Second Ave
Pittsburgh, PA 15219

You can also buy fundraiser clothing for Christopher “Brother Hush” West here.

Lavier Pounds 194234
Allegheny County Jail
950 2nd Ave
Pittsburgh, PA 15219

Alvin Joseph 99529156 (POSTCARDS ONLY)
Gwinnett Co Jail
2900 University Parkway
Lawrenceville, GA 30043

Develcho Waller 73223019
Robert A. Deyton Detention Facility
PO BOX 730
Lovejoy, GA 30250

Judah Bailey 73219019
Robert A. Deyton Detention Facility
PO BOX 730
Lovejoy, GA 30250

Bruce Thompson 73220019
Robert A. Deyton Detention Facility
PO BOX 730
Lovejoy, GA 30250

Ellie Brett 14822509
Robert A. Deyton Detention Facility
PO BOX 730
Lovejoy, GA 30250

John Wade 14762509
Robert A. Deyton Detention Facility
PO BOX 730
Lovejoy, GA 30250

Joseph Jett 1910905 (POSTCARDS ONLY)
Clayton County Jail
9157 Tara Boulevard
Jonesboro, GA 30250

Shamar Betts
Champaign County Jail
204 E. Main St.
Urbana IL 61801

Andrew Carlisle 1902379
C/O Securus Digital Media Center- Fulton County Jail
PO Box 989
Lebanon, MO

Dashun Martin 73222019
Metropolitan Detention Center
PO BOX 1500
Los Angeles, CA 90053

Upcoming Birthdays

In starting this section, I wish to take a moment to honor the memory of Brian McCarvill, a longterm Oregon anarchist prisoner who died of Covid-19 on his 68th birthday this time last year.

John Bramble

A former Vaughn 17 defendant and contributor to the Vaughn zines, “Live from the Trenches”, and “United We Stood.” While the state has now dropped its attempts to criminalize John in relation to the uprising, he, like all of the Vaughn 17, deserves respect and support for making it through the entire process while staying in solidarity with his co-defendants and refusing to co-operate with the prosecution.

Pennsylvania uses Connect Network/GTL, so you can contact him online by going to connectnetwork.com, selecting “Add a facility”, choosing “State: Pennsylvania, Facility: Pennsylvania Department of Corrections”, going into the “messaging” service, and then adding him as a contact by searching his name or “NT0282”.

Birthday: September 1

Address:

Smart Communications / PA DOC
John Bramble – NT0282
SCI Phoenix
PO Box 33028
St. Petersburg, FL, 33733

Aleksandr Belov

An anarchist from Belarus who was detained on 29 July 2021 and arrested on charges of organisation of actions that disrupted public order during post-election protests in Belarus.

Belarusian prisons will usually only accept letters in Belarusian or Russian, so if you don’t speak one of those languages your best bet is to email your message to belarus_abc(AT)riseup.net or use this online form and they should be able to translate your greetings and pass them on.

Birthday: September 1

Address:

(Belarusian or Russian letters only – use this form for English messages)

Aleksandr Andreevich Belov
ul. Volodarskogo 2, SIZO-1
220030 Minsk
Belarus

Andrei Kazimirov

Andrei Kazimirov, an anti-fascist from Brest, was detained on January 14, 2021 in Moscow and arrested with the intention of extradition to Belarus, where he is charged under Article 293.2 of the Criminal Code (participation in mass riots).

Russian prisons will usually only accept letters in Russian, so if you don’t speak one of those languages your best bet is to email your message to belarus_abc(AT)riseup.net or use this online form and they should be able to translate your greetings and pass them on.

Birthday: September 6

Address:

(Russian letters only – use this form for English messages)
SIZO-4 Medved,
127081,
4 Vilyuyskaya St.,
Moscow,
Russia
Andrei Sergeyevich Kazimirov

Mark Colville

Mark Colville is one of the King’s Bay Plowshares 7, serving a short prison term for taking direct action against nuclear weapons.

Birthday: September 9

Address:

Mark Colville #03610-036
Metropolitan Detention Center
PO Box 329002,
Brooklyn, NY 11232
(Expected release to home confinement September 10, 2021)

Leonard Peltier

American Indian Movement activist jailed since 1977 after being framed for shooting two FBI agents. Prosecutors and federal agents manufactured evidence against him (including the so-called “murder weapon”); hid proof of his innocence; presented false testimony obtained through torturous interrogation techniques; ignored court orders; and lied to the jury.

The Federal system uses Corrlinks, a system where a prisoner must send a request to connect to someone on the outside before they can exchange emails, so if you’re not already connected to Leonard then you’re best off just sending him a card or a letter.

Birthday: September 12

Address:

Leonard Peltier
#89637-132
USP Coleman I
P.O. Box 1033
Coleman, FL 33521

Sean Swain

Long-term anarchist prisoner and contributor to projects such as the Final Straw Radio and Fire Ant zine. Sean was recently transferred to Virginia after 27 years in the Ohio prison system.

Virginia uses Jpay, so you can send him a message by going to jpay.com, clicking “inmate search”, then selecting “State: Virginia, Inmate ID: 2015638.” Although be aware that Sean is a frequent target for censorship so his jpay access may be unreliable.

Birthday: September 12

Address:

Sean Swain #2015638
Buckingham Correctional
PO Box 430
Dillwyn, VA 23936

Abdul Maumin Khabir

Black/New Afrikan liberation prisoner suffering serious medical issues and receiving inadequate treatment.

As with Leonard, Maumin is held in the Federal system, so you can only contact him via Corrlinks if he’s added you as a contact.

Address:

Abdul Maumin Khabir (aka Melvin Mayes) #09891-000
Federal Medical Center Rochester
P.O. Box 4000
Rochester, MN 5590

Greg Curry

Falsely convicted in the aftermath of the historic Lucasville prison uprising. You can learn more about Greg by reading his writings or listening to his interview with the Final Straw. And check out his fundraiser masks here. Greg is currently working on an appeal against his wrongful conviction, so if you know a good attorney then please hit him up!

Ohio uses Jpay, so you can send him a message by going to jpay.com, clicking “inmate search,” then selecting “State: Ohio, Inmate ID: 213-159.”

Birthday: September 26

Address:

Greg Curry #213-159
Toledo C.I.
2001 East Central Ave.
Toledo, OH 43608

Jorge P. Cornell (King Jay)

Inca of the North Carolina Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation, community organizer who worked to broker truces and end gang violence and was given 28 years on a racketeering charge. You can learn more about King Jay by reading this profile of him. The Final Straw also broadcast two interviews with supporters, Sara Lee and Savannah, involved in solidarity efforts at the time of his trial.

Again, King Jay is held in the Federal system, so you can only contact him via Corrlinks if he’s added you as a contact.

Birthday: September 29

Address:

Jorge P. Cornell #28152-057
FCI Fort Dix
Federal Correctional Institution
P.O. Box 2000
Joint Base MDL, NJ 08640


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