Bloc Party: Fighting the Right and Prison Revolts

Originally posted to It’s Going Down

The Right is on the move once again. Round the Bloc Party we tend not to see our enemies on the Right as very different from our enemies in the State. When looking over the long arc of the relationship between the extreme right and the State, it is too easy to see just how much they openly flirt with each other. Every time the racist bigots gather in public and people gather to resist them, who stands to protect the racists? The police. This only continues to become more obvious today with the rise of Neo-Confederates defending so-called Confederate History and the very public support all stripes of racists have shown for presidential hopeful Donald Trump.

"Go back to Mexico," some yelled at protesters during @realDonaldTrump's Rally in Richmond http://t.co/68pbT9x3xS pic.twitter.com/6UcktnVWHf

— The Collegian (@URCollegian) October 16, 2015

Alas, there’s hope or whatever nihilist version of that you’re into! Resistance to these forces is escalating, as the connections between the mainstream right and the far-right become more apparent in the media. In Richmond, VA last week, a group of assorted protestors disrupted a Trump rally of an estimated 5,000 people. While the counter-demonstrators were mostly students from nearby Virginia Commonwealth University, the largely spontaneous action was also attended by local residents, immigrant activists, hardcore kids and anarchists. During Trump’s speech in which he outlined his desire to build a wall between the US and Mexico, undercover demonstrators set off stink bombs, and students unfurled a banner, beginning to chant “Dump Trump.” Trump supporters got violent, spitting on demonstrators and focusing most of their physical aggression on a few black and latinx students, some of which shouted “Black power!,” as they were dragged out by police.

Trump supporter spits & curses at protester as protesters are escorted from @realDonaldTrump event in Richmond, VA pic.twitter.com/1GunaUweNW

— Jeremy Diamond (@JDiamond1) October 15, 2015

In a not-so-shocking twist, none of their assailants were forced to leave the premises. At least one Trump supporter was caught on camera yelling “White Power” in response. Local anarchists, antifascist punks and queers have since been researching and outing her crypto-fascist supporters in the local music scene. While there have been several incidents of protestors being assaulted at Trump rallies, the Richmond incident seems to have gotten more attention than most, we think largely due to the unprecedented willingness for rebels in Richmond to physically fight back and protect each other during the confrontation. Stories from participants make it seem as if many folks didn’t know each other prior to this action, but folks seemed to still show an impressive willingness to watch each others backs. Go RVA!

The media attention on the melee in Richmond seems to have provoked a response from folks planning other GOP events, as the debates are drawing closer. A GOP debate scheduled for October 28th in Boulder, CO is said to be having strict and limited ticket availability, with only 100 students being allowed to attend on a campus of about 30,000. As you might expect, this has provoked quite the reaction from the student body and folks that were hoping to protest the electoral spectacle. We’re rooting for a win here that propels others towards popularizing these rowdy disruptions of electoral events through the election season. Consider this some pre-season warm ups to next Summer’s Republican and Democratic Conventions.

As for the more fringe right, there have been another series of church burnings in the St. Louis area, with authorities investigating 6 church arsons in the last 10 days. Strangely (but not really) local media has only just begun reporting on the incidents, even going so far as to say “no pattern can be established” despite the fact that every church that has been burned is predominately black, in predominately black areas.

Neo-Confederates are also on the move in Chapel Hill, NC, calling for a demonstration in support of the confederacy and the Silent Sam monument on the University of North Carolina’s campus. An anarchist student group on campus, the UNControllables have called for a counter-demo called “Love the South, Hate Racists” for Sunday, October 25th at 1pm at the Silent Sam monument.

Don’t forget that tomorrow is #O22! While the October 22nd Coalition is a front-group for the vanguardist Revolutionary Communist Party,  it still provides us with an opportunity for action, and where we come from the a-team has made a long habit of fucking shit up on this day. Tradition! Don’t have something going down for #O22 in your town? A little wheat paste can whipped up in a pinch. Just saying. You’re creative and naughty. Embrace it.

While bad kids disguised as Republicans are un-arresting their buds in RVA, all this has been going down on the inside.

Over at the St. Clair Max Prison in Springville, Alabama there is continued struggle occurring. The support site, Anarchy Live!, for Michael Kimble had this to say:

On October 11th at least two handguns were discovered by guards at the St. Clair Max. Prison in Springville, Alabama. St. Clair has been at the center of a major lawsuit and the warden Carter Davenport, a real dyed in wool neo kolonial fascist scumfuck, was arrested and removed from his post after allegations of physical brutality by himself and other high ranking scum pig guards against prisoners at the facility. Since June of this year prisoners at St. Clair have been collectively retaliating against the most brutal pieces of shit scum pig guards by beating the shit and blood out them and stabbing a number of them. St. Clair is now on lock down with the most exceptionally and sadistically brutal riot squad at the facility.

Keep checking Anarchy Live! for further updates as well as ways to support Michael Kimble’s upcoming parole hearing in December. He needs all the support he can get and dropping a line to the parole board can be helpful at times. Be sure to follow Michael’s requests and guidelines in regards to contacting the parole board.

Mumia Abu Jamal’s support folks held a press conference to further pressure the prison to provide appropriate HEP C treatment to Mumia. Hepatitis C has an incredibly high rate of infection in the U.S. prison system. Recently there have been significant improvements in treatment of the disease with 95% rate of fully eradicating the virus. Prison officials (otherwise known as horrendous pieces of shit) are denying not only Mumia the right to such medical care, but all prisoners. This is beyond bullshit. You can find out more about the call to action for Mumia as well as the full press release over here. You can also watch the stream of the press conference over here.

If you haven’t already checked out NYC ABC’s dope bi-monthly Political Prisoner & Prisoner of War Update newsletter, do it already. These updates are sent out to pp/pow’s across the U.S. and are, for many of them, the only means they have of regular news with comrades. This last update from 10/13/15 has some great writing from Russell Maroon Shoates. Check out the description and then hop on over and read the full essay at NYC ABC’s site:

Maroon recently penned a brief essay reflection on some of the latest literature he’s had an opportunity to read. He explores the current political realities in the Rojava region of Syria, celebrating the civil and political organizations that have led to an anti-state and anti-capitalist experiment valuing feminism, direct democracy, ecological stewardship, and ethnic, linguistic, and religious pluralism in the midst of ongoing military threat, as explored in the book A Small Key Can Open A Large Door, published by the Strangers In A Tangled Wilderness collective. He then touches on the dystopia of Octavia Butler’s Parable Of The Sower, assessing the extent to which the current crises of climate change, late capitalism, and “sci-fi biotech” have made the landscape of Butler’s novel far more factual than fictitious.

Speaking of the incredible Octavia Butler… Octavia’s Brood. Have you read this shit yet or not? Seriously, do that now. Scoot on over to AK Press  and pick up this collection of radical sci-fi. Then send Maroon a letter and tell him about your favorite short story from the collection. While you’re over at AK Press snagging a copy of Octavia’s Brood go ahead and treat yourself to one of those hoodies. Because it’s getting cold out there. (This is not a sponsored column, but if you sent these two bad kids some hoodies, like we’ll totally sell out.)

You can learn more about Maroon at his site and send him a letter to:

Russell Shoats #AF-3855

SCI-Graterford

P.O. Box 246 Route 29

Graterford, PA 19426 – 0246

Other giant pieces of shit at the Terre Haute prison where Doug Wright of the Cleveland 4 is being held have put Doug in the SHU again. Fuck that. Doug wrote a letter asking for support for himself, muslim prisoners and his cellie who is being denied necessary medical access:

Comrades,

I’m wanting to update everyone on my situation here in United States Penitentiary – Terre Haute, in Terre Hate, Indiana.

I’m in S.H.U. (Special Housing Unit) AKA “The Hole”, again. I’ll probably be in here a while, too. USP Terre Haute has a MAJOR problem discriminating against the Muslim population. they just beat up one of my muslim brothers back here in SHU on 9-25. when I came in SHU they gave me a mattress that’s only about 1/4 of a mattress thick. Just a small piece of foam. My back is killing me from it, too. I came in SHU Sunday September 20th. The program statement for the mattress is 5270.10 ss 541.31 part “d”. If anyone can make it happen, I need a “Noble Quran” (might be spelled Koran). No other Quran.

I also need a massive call-in campaign to target the administration here and BOP central office in Washington D.C. about the discrimination of Muslim inmates and us being given mattresses that don’t stand up to BOP policy. I’m going to give the mattress situation until next Friday (October 9th) then I’ll begin a hunger strike and will NOT end it until I get a transfer to where I want to go. I have the BOP program statement on hunger strikes. Program statement #5562.05.

Also, they have me and my cellie on a disciplinary segregation range, but neither of us have an incident report and they’re keeping my cellie (who has asthma) from posessing his inhalers.

If anyone would like to write me the address here is:

Doug Wright

#57973-060

USP Terre Haute

PO Box 33

Terre Haute, IN 47808

Also, the Cleveland 4 support folks have put a call for winter support:

Any Donations from October 16, 2015 to December 10th will be put into a ‘Holiday Gift’ fund for the Cleveland4. Right now Connor and Doug will need warm clothes to keep warm through the cold months. You can also donate to them directly!

We’re all broke. Bad kids have never been too good at climbing that corporate ladder. But, even a few dollars sent to this fundraiser, or others, adds up quickly. Though now that we think about it, while we aren’t great ladder climbers, damn if we can’t smash some glass ceilings.

We mentioned NYC ABC already, but they are busy little bad kids out there! They finished the latest version of the NYC ABC “Illustrated Guide to Political Prisoners and Prisoners of War” and it’s available for viewing and download. Print some out, send some letters and share with all your friends. You know what we’re talking about.

Back on September 18th Jalil Muntaqim wrote this powerful piece for the SF Bay View:

The hunger strike victory – settlement of the class action suit against solitary confinement – is fantastic, but now, more hard work confronts them all. They will continue to be in a relentless fight to prevent COs (correctional officers) from destroying the unity and continued political determination of the vision for prison reform in California.

Obviously, there will come a time in which the prisoners will need to essentially rebrand, identify and complete what they started – the five demands – and to ensure the sustainability of organizing as well as build capacity to grow the work into a substantial statewide political campaign for prison reform. I sincerely hope they will consider this victory as a tactical victory, not a strategic one – especially when parole decisions continue to be constricted and there is an ongoing need for more programs that serve to support prisoners for their return to the community.

In fact, I hope they will begin the process of floating a proposal to broaden the overall campaign for prison and parole reform and ultimately end mass incarceration – demand abolition. If they can successfully make this transition, they will certainly create the paradigm for the country to replicate.

One of the first things that must be done as part of the transition and to move the prison-cultural-psychological determinant forward would be to educate the prison and public about how the state will seek to undermine their success. For example, publications should have issues solely devoted to incidents in which state officials (COs) attempt to undermine the Agreement to End Hostilities.

I hope they will begin the process of floating a proposal to broaden the overall campaign for prison and parole reform and ultimately end mass incarceration – demand abolition. If they can successfully make this transition, they will certainly create the paradigm for the country to replicate.

It is these testimonies and examples of fight-back that can serve to strengthen the capacity to build unity and uniformity in the fight. Secondly, this would broaden the future vision of the campaign from the inside out and then the outside in. I imagine family members and loved ones will want to concentrate on parole issues and prison medical and health concerns as the next major issues to be tackled.

Jalil has been imprisoned since 1971 when, at the age of 19, he was active in the Black Panther Party and the Black Liberation Army. He spent from 1975-77 in San Quentin before being sent to New York state prisons. Send Jalil a letter at:

Anthony Bottom

77A4283

Attica Correctional Facility

P.O. Box 149

Attica, NY 14011-0149.

You should probably print out some of these glorious PP/POW birthday posters from the Prison Books Collective. Once you’ve printed them out, go ahead and plaster the town. Then you can make lovely birthday cards and send them to everyone on the list. Happy birthday to all our stolen comrades. May we all bring these fucking walls down and open the cages before your next one rolls around.

So, we haven’t been too much in the business of sharing communiques here at Bloc Party. But, when something delightful rolls our way how could we resist?

It’s been an exciting few months over here in the battlefield of the blogosphere. We’ve had infos dropped about the home addresses of various public officials, prison employees, and even profiteering CEO’s (Shout out to Ryan Shapiro!) Our presence has caused some squirming on all sides. We thinks that it is completely paramount to ask ourselves why. Why would people who claim to desire the destruction of the prison system and capitalism be uncomfortable with doxing the people who have been doxed on our site? Why would people who seem so secure in their power and moral righteousness feel threatened by the presence of their home addresses on our website? Posted by bonafide punk ass trolls no less? Why would anarchists and jailers share the same opinons? Most importantly: What side are you on?

The purpose of this communique, however, is not to prod you about how hardline – or how liberal(HA!) – you are or aren’t. No, the purpose of this is to inform you and invite you to participate in a new offensive we’ve heard murmurs about. It seems that certain elements of the internet, ourselves included, think that there’s been a bit of lull in activity on our blog. This is a little dangerous when one considers the low intensity standoff happening between some of anons who like to pay visits to us and the ohio department of rehabilitations and corrections.(see: http://seanswain.org/prisons-drones-and-blastblog/ and http://seanswain.org/sean-requesting-support/ ) We, and some other treacherous trolls, think we need to keep our hand strong and make sure the odrc and various other institutions feel our pressure.

On the hitlist are some people whose names have been dropped on our site but emblishments have been nill. These include various pigs of the alabama department of corrections, members of the ohio parole board(important!), and staff at fmc carswell (maybe you should do that at a more strategic time). The list of potential targets doesn’t stop there. Lets not forget the hunger strike that just happened at menard. Recent updates from the strike have mentioned Warden Butler but not the names of other correctional officers and leiutentants whose names were certainly dropped somewhere sometime and whose information is as available as everyone elses. They deserve it and you know it. Beyond that the possibilities are endless. Have at it.

We’re calling this the “Lulz Not Lulls Dox Campaign” and we understand the intention of the trolls who brought this to our attention is to participate in and incite a protracted doxing rampage over the course of the next month. So, if you got no dox juice get reay to pull out the popcorn. If your computer is your weapon, get to it. We’ll bein seein ya at the flagpole!

-Blast Blog Brigade, 3BS

Also, be sure to stay up on anarchist prisoner Eric King’s case, as he has been having ongoing problems with his mail being censored. Check out his support website here. The latest dispatch writes:

We have just received word that Eric’s trial is likely to be continued yet again. Eric’s public defender has entered a motion to continue his trial date until March 8^th, so that we can have more time to prepare for trial or otherwise resolve the case. We expect that the judge will grant the motion.

As you may know, it’s been over a year since Eric’s arrest and pre-trial incarceration at CCA Leavenworth (a private prison operated by the Corrections Corporation of America) in Leavenworth, Kansas.  Although for Eric and the rest of us it feels like it’s been a very long time, for a trial of this caliber, it’s pretty standard to spend a couple years in prison awaiting trial.

Many warm thank you’s to all those who have been making preparations to come to Kansas City for the trial. We hope to be able to give plenty of notice so that people can make clear plans to attend trial and show their support. We hope that, should Eric’s case go trial, friends and comrades will fill the courtroom.

We are also happy to report that Eric’s mail situation seems to be improving! Thanks to all of the efforts of people across the country to pressure the CCA mailroom to abide by the laws it purport to uphold.  Although we dream of a world without “laws” or “rights,” in the meantime we’ll do what we can to keep our friend’s mail out of the trash. Thanks to all those who were willing to join in the effort!

For now, you can help by writing a letter to Eric, hosting a letter-writing night for him, donating money to his legal fund or buying a t-shirt.  The road before us is long and expensive and it’s going to take a lot of support to get through it. Again, many thanks to all of you who have continued to show your support throughout this arduous process.

Eric’s Fundraiser

Erics Address:
Eric King
27090045
CCA Leavenworth
100 Highway Terrace
Leavenworth, KS 66048

Not sure what write Eric about? Tell him to stop trying to play it so cool and just read Harry Potter already. No, really.

A few more brief updates and mentions:

Antistate STL has put out another Missouri Prison Newsletter. Don’t let the newsletter name fool you! This shit is relevant whether you’re in the rust belt or not. Beautifully written and designed to boot. Good job, St. Louis.

In Oakland, Jayne Waller is facing chargers stemming from the anti-police rebellion that happened there late last year. Check out the FireWorks site for more information.

Are you in the Chicago area? Well, Tyler Lang of Kevin & Tyler has his sentencing on November 9th. Tyler’s support crew had this to say:

On November 9, Tyler Lang has his sentencing hearing for his charges under the AETA for releasing thousands of animals from a fur farm. If you can be in Chicago, please attend the hearing to show support for Tyler. It is important that on this difficult day for Tyler that he feel surrounded by love and solidarity, and that the judge see that Tyler is part of a community that is there for him.

What: USA v. Lang, Sentencing Hearing
When: Monday, November 9, 9:15am
Where: Courtroom 1241, Judge Amy St. Eve
U.S. District Court, Northern District of IL
Everett McKinley Dirksen U.S. Courthouse
219 South Dearborn Street
Chicago, IL 60604

To attend, please wear court-appropriate attire and behave respectfully. Please also be aware that you will likely have to show ID and be subject to search to enter the courthouse. Arrive early as the courthouse may be busy.

Kevin’s sentencing will be scheduled for a later date. He is currently in federal custody, so please continue to write him at:

KEVIN JOHNSON 47353-424
MCC Chicago
Metropolitan Correctional Center
71 West Van Buren Street
Chicago, IL 60605

Joseph and Nicole have support shirts up for sale. They’re perfectly cute while still totally dope. Buy one and support your friends, okay?

Check out the new issue of 4 Struggle magazine #25! It is edited by comrades in Toronto and political prisoner Jaan Laaman. This issue features articles on Mumia Abu-Jamal, Marius Mason, released prisoners, the death of Hugo Pinnell, Eric King, Jericho, Peter Collins and more. Having personally packed dozens upon dozens of these to ship and having the papercuts to prove it, we’re reppin’ this issue hard. All issues of 4 Struggle are FREE to any prisoner. Free people can sponsor subscriptions or donate over here.

We told you last round that we’d be back with all the updates from all the corners of the internet. This being our longest roundup yet, we feel confident we’ve delivered. But, we know that there is always something going down and it can be hard to keep up with everything. Good news for us that you all know the corners of the internet too! Be sure to send us anything that should be included in the future.

We’re going to sign off with a reminder that Octavia’s Brood has an excellent essay included by Mumia on the, wait for it, epic tale of Star Wars. Read that shit, watch the new trailer and then send a letter to one of our many comrades telling them about it. Fuck the empire amiright?

Tags: Far Right, Trump, White Nationalism