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Jul 6, 25
Filed under: Featured, In Contempt
In this column, we present our monthly roundup of political prisoner, prison rebel, and repression news, happenings, announcements, action and analysis. Packed in as always are updates, fundraisers, and birthdays.
There’s a lot happening, so let’s dive right in!
Interview with Oakland Abolition & Solidarity on California Hunger Strike
A major hunger strike recently took place within the California prison system, after prison officials implemented a harsh lock-down. You can read the full hunger strike statement and demands here.
Commenting on the strike, Oakland Abolition & Solidarity wrote:
Two yards of the four at SVSP are participating in this strike so far – B yard, C-lower and some of C-upper. We don’t have a firm number of strikers but can estimate just from the size of the facility that 500-800 people could be on hunger strike so far.
- Once the pending lockdown was announced inside Wed. 6/11, talk of planning a hungerstrike started circulating. Admin got word of it and expedited shutting down phone calls and tablet communications.
- This is significant and a major event. Hunger strikes happen here and there but usually are undertaken by individuals or small adhoc groups. This is happening on high level GP yards in a mass fashion so that means the inside structures are involved, not just adhoc or desperate groupings.
- This is organized and their statement is clear, targeted and powerful. It is up to people on the outside to meet the moment and organize along with them.
We will be doing what we can to support the hunger strike. Expect calls to action and support requests through our networks, socials and this email list. If you are seeing this and aren’t subscribed our email updates, you can do that HERE.
They also recommend a youtube video from Homie Hangout for further coverage of the strike.
SoCal FTP have re-shared a statement from a prisoner at CSP-Lancaster, which was written in response to a previous statewide lockdown, as well as a kite for the SVSP strike leadership. You can read a detailed account from an earlier California work strike here. Wanting to learn more about what happened, we reached out to Oakland Abolition & Solidarity to get a better understanding about the scope of the strike.
In Contempt (IC): So what happened last week in several dozen prisons in California and why?
Oakland Abolition and Solidarity (OAS): So on June 11th, Wednesday, it was announced by CDCR, the state prison system, that a statewide lock-down would be implemented on all level 3 and level 4 yards. Those are the higher-security yards. They didn’t use the word lock-down, in the typical DOC garbage speak and semantic warfare, they call it “modified program” now, because lock-down has certain associations. But it amounts to no visitation, no programming, that’s no education or movement, no phone calls, no e-messaging on tablets – essentially no packages, no nothing. Being escorted to showers and, at level 4s, you’re escorted in shackles. That’s if you get showers. So it’s a lock-down.
This, in our system, being as big as it is, amounts to at least 34,000 people, which is the size of a fair-sized town, statewide, all restricted to their cells. Like, locked up with their cellie, or by yourself if you’re single-cell. So, in immediate response to this, well let’s first say, CDCR’s claim, again in their DOC garbage speak, they claimed it was due to an “uptick,” quote-unquote of killings, violence, contraband. But of course, when not lying by direct statement, they’re lying by omission – attempting to figure out why they’re doing this is always a task of analysis, and experience with the system, knowing what’s going on in the yards, and a fair amount of speculation and guessing.
One thing that is different, there has been an “uptick,” I don’t want to use their language, but there has been a good number of killings inside, but also, notably, of direct attacks on guards. So, our suspicion is that, in addition to whatever other motives they have, in the perpetual antagonism and warfare against the inmate population that CDCR’s engaged in, that this was also a gesture of not only regaining control, but of essentially making overtures to the guard union, and of trying to re-establish a line, of non-hostility towards the guards. But again, it’s mostly speculation, when you have the state and all its agencies never really engaged in candor or explanation, but instead in deception and obscuring what’s going on, or even worse in re-encoding whatever is going on, into their own idiom and language. It’s still kind of up in the air what exactly triggered this.
PROTIP: Best innoculation against flipping out : Putting in work, levelling up
— Oakland Abolition & Solidarity (@oaklandabosol.bsky.social) 2025-07-04T01:52:25.736Z
IC: Prison officials have stated this is in response to rising violence and contraband, what’s the reality?
OAS: Well, on the 26th, CDCR put out another press release, where they actually, inside of calling it a system-wide shakedown and searches, they call it a “proactive public safety sweep.” A new level of newspeak. And their claims about the violence, there have been a number of fatalities inside, all of it lateral, but I’ll just make a few points about what’s going on, with not only their press release, but these claims.
So, their claims that they make in this press release remain un-interrogated. By any media or any outside body. Except perhaps us, or of course prisoners and prisoners’ families. The number of killings and contraband seized in their sweep, where they’re shaking down cells on lockdown, are un-compared to any kind of baseline or normal level of contraband and violence in the system, which is pretty constant.
All the instances that they claim or point to, are un-moored from any kind of particularity or context, and also are completely disassociated from CDCR’s own decision-making, that helped actually contribute to many of these incidents popping off. Their decisions essentially placed incompatible people in the same cells, or in other particulars, they essentially contributed to many of these other incidents that happened, but that’s kind of normal practice, in a massive bureaucratic prison system.
And also, we have to point to, essentially the CDCR controls nearly all of the variables and all the facets of the inside environment, and essentially engage in all the things that contribute to violence, like isolation, hopelessness, brutality, trauma, neglect, hierarchy, disciplining by violence contributes to responsive violence. They control all that. So in a general sense, when not directly instigating violence, they set the stage for it. So all of this has been un-interrogated by outside media sources, there have been half-hearted attempts by a couple of news platforms that have at least included voices that were supportive of prisoners, or question their narrative, but that’s about it.
IC: How have prisoners in Salinas, CA responded?
OAS: Well, once word got inside that this mass lock-down was taking place across the state, which is particularly notable, these things don’t happen that often, they’ve happened before, but this is by far the most restrictive and widespread restriction or disciplinary action we’ve seen. It’s basically the most restrictive policy instituted since COVID.
But once we learned in Salinas Valley, on a couple yards, they immediately started talking about organizing a hunger strike or response on the yard. They were all about to get lock-down, with no end in sight, and once CDCR, the jailers, essentially heard about this talk, because of 1) surveillance, and 2) probably people telling – snitches, they immediately expedited shutting off all the tablets and phone calls, which was kind of slowly being implemented. But when administration and guards heard that something was cooking, they immediately clamped down.
On the 13th, it was broadcast that half of C Yard and B Yard at Salinas Valley had declared a hunger strike and had gotten a statement out that very clearly and powerfully argued, on primarily legal and constitutional grounds, arguing their case and declaring an indefinite hunger strike. This, by our estimates, considering the population of those yards, would be about 500 people. You know, but it’s just guessing.
We don’t actually know how many people are on hunger strike, because CDCR have so far not admitted that anyone has been put on hunger strike protocol, which happens once you’ve refused 9 meals, and 2 or more people are acting in concert, that’s when you’re put on a hunger strike protocol. Which entails medical supervision and watching, etc. And so we’ve received no other updates through any kind of channels from the inside hunger strikers, largely due to, you know, all phone calls and e-messaging being cut off, but also probably because of the increased surveillance and shakedowns going on right now, that people inside are basically laying low, and not trying to get word out through any other channels.
So as to what’s going on right now, we don’t know. We can only guess.
IC: Do you see these actions spreading to other facilities?
OAS: Um, I don’t know. Again, more speculation. I don’t think so, at this point, at level threes, it’s been over two weeks since the initiation of the lock-down, all the lower-security yards are level threes, have been put back onto normal program, after having all their cells flipped and the searches sweeped through their yards. So they’re being put back on normal program. All level fours are still locked down.
But for these things to spread, then other people have to hear about them, and also organize. And yards and inside structures have their own organizational methods, and kind of mini-society inside. Without comms or ability to circulate or talk to each other, or at least having those means severely restricted, really impedes the ability for other people to organize hunger strikes, or to give the green light for everyone to get to participate.
There have been rumors of small groups here and there in another facility also joining the hunger strike, but those aren’t confirmed.
IC: Are prisoners making any specific demands for support, or do you have any suggestions for how people can add to the pressure on CDCr?
OAS: Well, in the text of their hunger strike, they made kind of a general request for support, in that, quote:
Journalists, prison rights organizations, and the concerned public,… Members of the California legislature… Oversight entities, Legal advocates and civil rights attorneys etc… We urge these bodies to intervene, investigate CDCR’s repeated failure to follow its own regulations and constitutional obligations, and support the restoration of humane and lawful conditions within the California prison system.
So there aren’t specific requests for support at this point, largely because of lack of communication and updates. There’s been a petition circulated by family groups, other groups have called for certain things to be instituted, but we do not organize or speak for prisoners. At Oakland Abolition & Solidarity, we collaborate with people inside, so we’re not gonna pull the trigger except on the most basic support and media work, until we actually speak to folk inside.
So I would stay tuned to our newsletter and our channels to see if there are any calls for support, but I would suspect that the thing to get ready for at this point is for anti-repression work against retaliation for participating in the hunger strike. Because I suspect SVSP, in response to their declaring a hunger strike and getting word out to the outside, are going to face increased repression and retaliation. So I suspect, once other level 4s are coming off lockdown, Salinas Valley will stay on, or people will be transferred, and we need to stay prepared in order to fight back.
In a separate story from the California system, hundreds of parole denials are being reviewed after it was found that almost 6,000 California prisoners were wrongly tested positive for opiates as a result of defective tests.
IC: How can people follow your work?
OAS: The best way to follow our work is to subscribe to our monthly newsletter. But you can also follow us on BlueSky and Instagram, and you can also shoot us an email, and all those details are in our newsletter.
After this interview was completed, the CDCR announced that prison facilities would “resume normal operations and programming at 21 institutions.”
Stop Cop City Trials Begin
On July 7th, the first of the Stop Cop City trials begins in Atlanta, GA, as Ayla King goes to court. A support rally is being planned on July 7th and the day before, a movement defense assembly has been called. From ATL Jail Support:
Ayla King & legal team are the first to face trial in the Stop Cop City RICO case against 61 people. The outcome of this trial will impact the entire RICO case. Ayla & codefendants need your support for the upcoming weeks of trial!
Are you in Atlanta? Don't miss the free punk show at the Fulton County Courthouse at 8 am on July 7—part of a rally supporting Ayla King at their first day of trial.On Ayla's first visit to Atlanta, police randomly arrested them at a music festival and charged them with violating the RICO act.
— CrimethInc. Ex-Workers' Collective (@crimethinc.com) 2025-07-06T22:16:07.692Z
For more updates, be sure to follow Fire Ant Movement Defense and ATL Jail Support. As this column was being put together, CrimethInc. also published a call to support Ayla King. From the report:
The prosecution is terrorizing these defendants in order to enable police departments to preserve their stranglehold on public funds. This is a classic example of judicial persecution.
The RICO cases will be tried in groups of five, which means that twelve more trials are scheduled to follow. The outcome of these cases will contribute to shaping the prospects for protest of all kinds in the second Trump era.
Wherever you are, you can act in solidarity with Ayla King and the other 60 RICO defendants. Drop a banner; put up posters; host a fundraiser. Circulate information about the RICO case.
You can donate to Ayla’s trial fund here and to the Stop Cop City RICO defendants as a whole here.
For more background on the Stop Cop City RICO cases, start here. For updates, follow Fire Ant Movement Defense.
You could also call the office of Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr at (404) 458-3600 and let them know what you think about their behavior.
Read the full article here.
June 11th: International Day of Solidarity with Long-Term Anarchist Prisoners
The annual day of solidarity with long-term anarchist prisoners was observed on June 11th. Statements for the day were shared by Marius Mason, Michael Kimble, Ryan Roberts, and Sean Swain, along with some art from Malik Muhammad. You can find a zine collecting all of them here.
Reportbacks have been shared from Cincinatti, Ohio, and Eugene, Oregon, and internationally from Toulouse, France, Semarang, Central, West, and East Java in Indonesia, along with an animal liberation action from the Midlands in the UK.
ABC Belarus marked the day with a reminder about the number of long-term anarchist prisoners in Belarus. The occasion was also marked by the Final Straw Radio putting out an episode about the history of anarchist prisoner support and a new issue of the Fire Ant anarchist prisoner journal.
The next big date in the prisoner support calendar is the day of solidarity with antifascist prisoners on July 25, and you can learn more about that in this interview on the Beautiful Idea.
Political Prisoner News
Little Beirut Prisoner Support have produced a new zine on writing to political prisoners.
New Political Prisoner recognized by the ABCFHridindu is on a 7 year sentence for taking a non cooperating plea that is now on pause as he is being held in contempt for resisting a federal grand jury. Write him at:Hridindu RoychowdhuryColumbia County Jail403 Jackson StreetPortage, WI 53901
— Lowell/Lawrence ABC (@llabc24.bsky.social) 2025-07-02T22:48:56.933Z
The ABC Federation have published a new profile of Hridindu Roychowdhury. They write:
Hridindu Roychowdhury is an anarchist from Madison, Wisconsin who was sentenced to 90 months in federal prison for attacking a building with a Molotov cocktail in the wake of the leak of the draft opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, overruling Roe v. Wade.
He targeted the building because it was occupied by an anti-choice organization (Wisconsin Family Action). Roychowdhury acknowledged spray-painting the message “If abortions aren’t safe then you aren’t either” on the outside of the building. No one was in the office at the time. Roychowdhury pleaded guilty on Dec. 1, 2023. He was was ordered to pay nearly $32,000 in restitution and was serving his sentence at FCI Marion. He received a 7.5 year sentence.
In May 2025, he was shipped to Wisconsin to go before a grand jury. Hridindu is currently being held in federal civil contempt of court for refusing to cooperate/snitch at a federal grand jury proceeding. After the judge recently found him in contempt for refusing to answer questions within the grand jury room, he sits in this county jail without earning any good time—in essence his federal time is frozen until contempt is purged.
He is currently housed in a county jail in Wisconsin after being transferred there from the federal prison he was assigned after he took a non-cooperation plea deal and was sentenced. Hridindu is currently being held in federal civil contempt of court for refusing to cooperate/snitch at a federal grand jury proceeding. After the judge recently found him in contempt for refusing to answer questions within the grand jury room, he sits in this county jail without earning any good time—in essence his federal time is frozen until contempt is purged.
For more info on how to support and instructions for writing to Hridindu, go here. Write to Hridindu here:
Hridindu Roychowdhury
Columbia County Jail
403 Jackson Street
Portage, WI 53901
Eric King recently appeared on the This Is Actually Happening podcast to discuss his experiences in the Federal Supermax, and he is also due to appear in Chicago on July 10th to give a talk at Pilsen Community Books and in Lake Station, IN on July 11th.
Former political prisoner Eric King speaks on 'This is Actually Happening,' about his experiences on survival "in the Federal Supermax prison…confronted with unimaginable and dehumanizing conditions of cruelty." www.thisisactuallyhappening.com/podcast/epis…
— It's Going Down (@igd.bsky.social) 2025-06-22T19:16:11.900Z
A call-in campaign was recently organized for Chicano anarchist prisoner Xinachtli, resulting in him being able to access much-needed medical care, and a letter-writing and discussion event was held in Houston, Texas, to mark his recent birthday.
Rolling Stone recently interviewed long-term Black Liberation prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal.
The Free Peppy and Krystal site has now moved over to noblogs, and has shared a new poem from Peppy, along with reflections on reaching the two-year mark in Peppy’s incarceration and updated info on how to write to Peppy. Send letters to Peppy at:
Brian DiPippa #66590-510
FCI Elkton
Federal Correctional Institution
P.O Box 10
Lisbon, OH 44432
Much has happened in the last two years, locally and globally. The journey toward freedom can be marked by great acts of solidarity, grief, defiance, and rebellion. Encouraged by our community’s commitment to care and the radical legacies we walk in, we have come this far because we never walked alone.
Your collective efforts and generosity have given us the ability to pay off our restitution. And your widespread and consistent letter writing has meant that Pep has not gone a day without company. We offer our deepest gratitude and reflect back the strength of your collective power, Thank You!
As we recognize this marker in time, we ask that you show solidarity by extending our work and writing a letter to Jaia Cruz, the 24-year–old transgender woman convicted of first degree manslaughter after defending herself against a transphobic attack in a Harlem deli. She is currently serving a 15 year sentence in the New York State prison system.
As well as donating to Queer Fight Club PGH. The struggle for trans liberation and the celebration of trans lives continues.
Letters to Jaia Cruz can be sent to:
Jaia Cruz #3492500039
Rose M Singer Center
19-19 Hazen street
East Elmhurst, NY 11370
There’s still an ongoing need to organize support for Ferguson Rebellion prisoner Joshua Williams as he approaches his release date. Anyone who can help provide him with support is encouraged to reach out to:
Joshua Williams #1292002
C/O Digital Mail Center-Missouri DOC
PO Box 25678
Tampa, FL 33622-5678
Josh can also be reached via Securus.
Repression against Palestine Solidarity Movement
Mahmoud Khalil was finally released from immigration detention in late June. Check out this recent interview he did with his wife, Dr. Noor Abdalla on MSNBC.
The Trump administration has brought in new sanctions targeting the Palestinian prisoner solidarity group Addameer.
Three car marshals facing misdemeanor traffic charges for defending a Palestine solidarity protest in Minneapolis have now been acquitted in court.
Ward Sakeik has lived in the U.S. since she was eight. She has never failed to check-in, nor has she ever violated any immigration laws. Yet ICE jailed her for five months. I have no doubt that this is one among thousands of horror stories just like this. www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025…
— Abbey Rhodes (@abbeyr28.bsky.social) 2025-07-04T19:54:46.884Z
Ward Sakeik has been released from an ICE prison. A recent report from the World Socialist Website writes:
Ward Sakeik, a 22-year-old stateless Palestinian newlywed, was released late Tuesday from the Prairieland Detention Center in Texas after enduring nearly five months in US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody.
Sakeik, a stateless Palestinian born in Saudi Arabia, had lived in the US since age eight after her family’s asylum claim was denied. Though she had a deportation order from 2011, she was allowed to stay in the US under supervision, regularly checking in with immigration authorities and fully complying with all requirements.
Despite her compliance and a pending green card application, Sakeik was detained and transferred to several ICE facilities, including Prairieland Detention Center in Texas. ICE then attempted to deport her twice without warning.
On June 12, ICE officers brought her onto the tarmac at Fort Worth Alliance Airport and told her they were deporting her to “the border of Israel,” despite the government’s knowledge that she is stateless and has no path to citizenship in Israel or in the West Bank.
Her deportation was only halted due to the launching of a war against Iran by Israel. Sakeik’s family has described her situation as a “procedural black hole,” with no bond eligibility and no clear path to legal status.
Sakeik’s husband, Taahir Shaikh, has been at the forefront of the campaign to secure her release, organizing public protests, media outreach, and petition drives. His tireless efforts kept her case in the public eye and mobilized support from immigrant rights groups and the broader community.
Ward Sakeik’s release is a victory for her family, her legal team, and all of those fighting for immigrant rights. But her case is also a warning: the Trump administration’s immigration apparatus is openly defying the courts and targeting and trampling on the rights of the most vulnerable. As long as this administration remains in place, and with the complicity of the Democratic Party, thousands remain at risk of indefinite detention, deportation, and family separation.
Read the full article here.
Immigration Raids and Detention News
The past month has been marked by mass resistance to ICE, most notably in Los Angeles, but also in Chicago, IL, Minneapolis, MN, Seattle, WA, Austin, TX, Phoenix, AZ, Portland, OR, Philadelphia, PA, and many more locations. In Newark, NJ, protests outside a detention center coincided with an uprising by inmates who were able to break out, with four people managing to escape.
Uprising and escape at GEO Group's Delaney Hall immigration detention center in Newark, New Jersey.Uprising reportedly sparked by inadequate food and inhumane conditions. All detainees being evacuated due to security concerns. gothamist.com/news/4-migra…
For more analysis from LA, check out Fire and Ice on Ill Will, as well as reports from Ediciones Ineditas, Anarchy in South-East LA, and Heatwave Magazine. The Final Straw, The Beautiful Idea, and The Dugout all have episodes discussing the ICE raids and resistance. It’s Going Down has also just published an interview with People’s City Council on organizing on the ground following the rebellion on June 6th, along with a call to stand in solidarity with those fighting back in Los Angeles. Black Rose Anarchist Federation have a statement on the need for organization in the fight against ICE, as well as a guide to anti-ICE organizing in the workplace.
The mass protests in LA responding to violent ICE raids + attacks by the LAPD have been followed by a wave of grassroots mobilization: from community defense hubs to mutual aid campaigns. We spoke with @pplscitycouncil.bsky.social about this groundswell of activity. itsgoingdown.org/interview-lo…
— It's Going Down (@igd.bsky.social) 2025-07-02T20:01:25.879Z
In Atlanta, Mario Guevara was arrested while reporting on a demonstration, and is now held in ICE custody.
Immigration attorney Aaron Reichlin-Melnick has a new interview published in Jacobin about the recent budget bill passed by Republicans that will give massive amounts of money to ICE and private prisons to build concentration camps. Aaron offers up some sobering analysis about the potential bottle necks that ICE will face in implementing this strategy. From Jacobin:
Depending on how you count them, there are currently only around six thousand ICE officers. If you actually look at the deportation forces specifically, the staff is even smaller than that: more like three to four thousand officers. So if they were able to hire ten thousand new deportation officers, it really would be a major increase.
But I’m actually quite skeptical of their ability to hire that many, just because there is a law enforcement officer shortage everywhere. Every police department in the country is having trouble hiring right now, so it’s unclear how many people they could get through the federal hiring process in four years, especially because that process is quite slow. A lot of people who seek these law enforcement jobs have problems passing drug tests and clearing background checks, which are issues you’d be very wrong to think people who apply for these types of jobs don’t have.
So on the question of contractors, yes, the overwhelming majority of this funding would go to private contractors. ICE only directly operates a small handful of facilities, and the rest are either directly contracted with private prison operators or contracted with state and local governments that are likewise operating facilities through private prison contractors. So overall, over 90 percent of ICE detention centers right now are operated by private contractors.
And when you look at the actual transportation and removal side, nearly all of that is also done by private companies. ICE’s aircraft are not owned by ICE. They are owned by private charter services. (The biggest is Omni Air, a subsidiary of private prison company GEO Group.)
Nearly all of ICE’s transportation removal budget goes to contractors already, because ICE doesn’t want to have its own dedicated transportation staff. They’re happier spending their budget on private charter services, and there’s no reasons to think that would change.
So we can presume that the lion’s share of this more than $70 billion for ICE, with the exception of funding that goes directly toward its infrastructure improvements and hiring, will be going to private contractors.
NOW: Disgraced Proud Boy leader Enrique Tarrio attempted a brief publicity stunt appearance at the “Alligator Alcatraz” immigrant concentration camp. Tarrio and his sad two person crew scurried away as they were confronted and pushed out by protesters. 1/
— Miami Against Fascism (@miaagainstfash.bsky.social) 2025-07-02T17:02:54.822Z
Local organizing continues against CoreCivic’s plan to re-open a closed prison as an ICE facility in San Diego, as well as the plan to build “Alligator Alcatraz” to hold detainees in the Everglades. Check out reports by Luke from DC on ongoing demonstrations against the facility and analysis from Anarchist Black Cross South Florida.
Arturo Gamboa Released Without Charge in Salt Lake City
NEW: A protester was shot and killed at the Salt Lake City 'No Kings' march. A man is in police custody, booked on suspicion of murder—but not the one who fired the gun. From video, witnesses and interviews, @schotthappens.com and I tried to piece together what really happened Saturday.Our report-
— Marisa Kabas (@marisakabas.bsky.social) 2025-06-18T13:22:31.326Z
In Utah, hired protest police “peacekeepers” at a No Kings rally in Salt Lake City shot and injured long-time racial justice organizer Arturo Gamboa, who was legally open-carrying at the demonstration, along with fatally shooting another demonstrator, Arthur Folasa Ah Loo, after opening fire on Gamboa.
Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Dept in Utah is railroading this man instead of arresting the actual shooter who actually murdered somebody.Please consider contributing to his legal fund if you can.givebutter.com/gamboafundra…
— 𝑲𝒂𝒔𝒔𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒓𝒂𝑺𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏 (@kassandraseven.bsky.social) 2025-06-20T14:32:43.514Z
Following the shooting, police arrested Gamboa, releasing him several days later without charges. Local 50501 organizers also attempted to paint Gamboa as potential far-Right mass-shooter; claims which quickly fell apart in the face of eye-witness testimony and footage of the shooting. You can donate to Gamboa’s legal funds here, and see a full report on Unicorn Riot and the Handbasket for more background.
Stop Cop City, Uprising Defendants, and Other Ongoing Cases
The most recent version of the George Floyd Uprising defendants support zine is now available here. A new zine of poems by Portland Uprising defendant Malik Muhammad has also been produced.
In Kansas City, 19-year-old Owen McIntire is facing up to 30 years on federal charges after allegedly vandalizing Tesla Cybertrucks. Attorneys have argued that a defendant who committed the same alleged acts against other cars not associated with the Trump administration would be looking at very different charges, and might well be let off with probation if convicted. At time of writing, we are not aware of any organized defense campaign for McIntire, but one is definitely needed.
A number of people have been arrested for resistance to ICE raids recently, most prominently California SEIU local president David Huerta. Others facing charges include Isabel Lopez in St Paul, while journalist Anthony Ordenoff was arrested in LA and held for several days before being released without charge.
As a general note, the spread of militant resistance to ICE raids is likely to lead to more defendants facing criminal charges in the near future, so now would be a very good moment to start thinking about a project along the lines of Uprising Support, which continues to help coordinate support for defendants serving time after the 2020 uprising.
For more insights into this kind of work, you can listen to interviews the Uprising Support crew have done with outlets such as The Final Straw and Millennials are Killing Capitalism, as well as reflections such as those that were shared by the Richard Hunsinger Defense Committee.
As #Pride month kicked off, hundreds rallied to oppose far-Right, anti-LGBTQ+ rally, only to have dozens violently arrested by police and denounced as "infiltrators" by the Mayor. We talked to @1312press.bsky.social about the context of recent clashes in #Seattle. itsgoingdown.org/interview-se…
— It's Going Down (@igd.bsky.social) 2025-06-24T17:18:07.645Z
It’s Going Down has an interview on recent events in Seattle, where 23 people were arrested while countering a far-right anti-LGBTQ rally.
In Frederick, MD, four people are facing charges from a May Dally event, with their next court date set for July 3rd. You can donate to their legal funds here.
Cara & Celeste, who are facing charges for alleged participation in an animal liberation action, have their next court date on July 21st at the Northumberland Courthouse in Sunbury, PA.
Kevin “Rashid” Johnson and UPROAR Campaigns
The newly-formed prisoner support network UPROAR continues to call actions in support of Kevin “Rashid” Johnson, along with other prisoners held throughout the Virginia system and nearby states. You can read Rashid’s account of solitary confinement in South Carolina here, along with a phone zap script, and a tool for sending mass emails. For further information on Rashid’s case, see the general campaign page here.
Along with supporting Rashid, UPROAR are working with a number of Virginia prisoners. Austin Arocho is facing new felony charges after setting himself on fire at Wallens Ridge, and UPROAR are organizing to support him at his next court date in Wise County in September. They are also running a general campaign over the crisis in the VA prison system.
Aubrey McKay died on June 4th after being beaten by officers at Wallens Ridge, and you can find a campaign page about his death here.
Other campaigns are being organized for Guilford Lee, a gay prisoner facing staff abuse at Wallens Ridge, Raven Blackheart, a trans prisoner on suicide watch at Red Onion, Lawrence La’Stylez, a Black queer prisoner facing repression for defending himself against homophobic attacks at Harnett CI in NC, and Shaka Shakur, a long-term prison organizer in Illinois who could be freed after decades behind bars by a sentence modification.
For more information about UPROAR’s work, people who have a loved one in the Virginia system can sign up to a support circle here, and they have a grievance and incident report form to enable prisoners and those close to them to report abuse.
Sundiata Jawanzaa Parole Campaign
Jailhouse Lawyers Speak have shared an update on the campaign to free Sundiata Jawanzaa:
To Sundiata’s community of unwavering supporters,
Thank you. Your voices, letters, and belief in Sundiata’s transformation have sent a powerful message not only to the Parole Board, but to the broader public watching this case unfold.
Although the South Carolina Parole Board denied parole on June 18, 2025, acknowledging but ultimately dismissing overwhelming community support, this is not the end of the road. It’s a turning point.
Sundiata is officially appealing to the South Carolina Administrative Law Court, challenging the denial on the grounds of due process violations caused by a flawed COMPAS risk assessment. This flawed report ignored decades of positive programming in the prisons, falsely inflated his risk level, and contradicted the very principles of an evidence based risk assessment. And yes, this very well could have been intentional to set him back.
For more info on the campaign, go here. To donate to the campaign, go here.
Phone-Zap Against Extreme Heat at Vaughn Prison
As of late June, Prison Riot Radio were circulating a call for action over extreme heat at the James T Vaughn prison in Delaware. They write:
Right now, over 300 people are trapped in the W Building at James T. Vaughn Correctional Center – no air conditioning, no ventilation, no relief – in 100°+ heat.
Many are sick. The building is overcrowded. There’s black mold on the walls. And DOC is leaving them to suffer during a deadly heat wave.
This is a life-or-death crisis.
There’s an air-conditioned gym on site. They could be moved today. But Delaware DOC hasn’t done a thing.
CALL DOC NOW
Delaware Department of Correction
(302) 739‑5601
️Say this:
“I’m calling about the W Building at Vaughn. Over 300 people are trapped with no AC in extreme heat. There’s an air-conditioned gym – they need to be moved immediately. This is inhumane and unacceptable.”
You can also listen to accounts from the Vaughn SHU here and here.
Courtroom News
A new federal civil rights lawsuit has been filed against the guards who killed 22-year-old Messiah Nantwi in the New York state prison system earlier this year.
A family in Atlanta who were wrongfully raided by the FBI are continuing with a lawsuit against the Federal government. A court had previously ruled that the case couldn’t be heard, but that has now been overruled by the Supreme Court.
In Mississippi, Marcus Taylor is continuing a fight to be freed, after the Mississippi courts found that his sentence for selling opiods is ten years longer than that permitted by law, meaning his sentence should have ended in 2020, but they have refused to order his release.
An inmate who was wrongfully placed in solitary confinement for almost two years has won an important victory in the Supreme Court, after another court had tried to block his lawsuit from proceeding on the grounds that he failed to file paperwork in time. The case could set an important precedent for other prisoners whose claims are blocked for similar bureaucratic reasons.
In a separate case, the Supreme Court has also ruled that prisoners have the right to a jury trial on questions about whether they had access to a prison’s grievance process when those questions are closely tied to the main issues in their civil rights cases. This is important due to law requiring that a prisoner exhausts the prisons’ grievance process before being able to access the courts, meaning that the grievance process is another way that prisons can shut claims down and prevent them reaching the outside world.
The Supreme Court is also set to hear another important prison case, that of Damon Landor, a Rastafarian who was forcibly shaved by staff in the Lousiana prison system.
General Prison News
Lucasville Uprising prisoner Tommie Blackmon is still looking for donations to help him replace food that was lost in a recent move. You can reach out to him at:
Tommie Blackmon #185-291
Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction
Mail Processing Center (OMPC)
884 Coitsville-Hubbard Road
Youngstown, Ohio 44505
Fellow Lucasville prisoner Greg Curry has shared a short Juneteenth message, and is also recommending that everyone check out Eric King’s new book, A Clean Hell.
Jailhouse Lawyers Speak have been fundraising for Sulaiman, a 76-year-old Ohio prisoner who has been given six months to live. Donations can be sent to arebelsworld on CashApp or Venmo. They’re also selling copies of The Organizer’s Tactical Blueprint, a new guide to abolitionist strategy, with all funds raised going to support JLS organizing. You can read an update on the current status of the JLS Housing and Resource Center here.
In the Belly zine have held a party in Columbus, Ohio, to mark five years of their project.
TruthOut has a new article on the difficulties of parenting while incarcerated.
Mongoose Distro recently published a report by Comrade Z on a death by medical neglect on the Darrington Unit, as well as new artwork by Kit Brixton and another report from the California mental hospital system by Ronin Grey.
Texas prison writer Jason Renard Walker has shared a new article on the experience of meeting the white supremacist mass shooter who carried out the El Paso shooting in 2019.
The San Francisco Bay View has published a story on the fight to free Jeffrey Walker, a wrongfully convicted prisoner held in California.
International
In Iran, prisoners including political prisoners held for their opposition to the regime, have been affected by Israeli airstrikes on Evin prison. Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a former prisoner who spent five years in Evin prison, has written an article denouncing the bombing, and four feminist prisoners currently held in the prison have also written a collective statement against both the Iranian regime and imperialist attacks on the country.
The British state has launched a major attack on the Palestine solidarity movement, and has been successful in designating Palestine Action as a terrorist group, which automatically criminalizes any support for them. An article on the ban in Freedom News described it as “criminalising effectiveness.” The British state is also attempting to prosecute the rappers Kneecap and Bob Vylan for their support of Palestine, with Bob Vylan also having their US tour visas cancelled.
"The State’s repression should be met with solidarity across movements. In the group’s impact, there is inspiration—and a reminder that even in an age of authoritarianism, small, determined collectives can still shift the ground." Via @freedompress.bsky.social freedomnews.org.uk/2025/06/30/p…
— It's Going Down (@igd.bsky.social) 2025-07-06T07:24:44.088Z
As Freedom News reported:
Throwing paint into jet engines is symbolic, but the threat the State responds to is the potential for replication. The government fears that if these tactics go unchecked, they might signal a broader refusal: permission-less revolt, viral sabotage, and the spread of generalised dissent. The occupation of a factory or breach of an airbase is less dangerous than the contagious idea that such things can and should be done. As Palestine Action put it: “When our government fails to uphold their moral and legal obligations, it is the responsibility of ordinary citizens to take direct action. The terrorists are the ones committing a genocide, not those who break the tools used to commit it”.
Palestine Action’s example has already inspired offshoots abroad. In the US, a group formerly called Palestine Action US rebranded as Unity of Fields, aiming to apply similar tactics to disrupt the U.S. military-industrial complex. They’ve staged demonstrations at Elbit-linked sites in Massachusetts and were removed from social media as their messaging intensified. In Belgium, a pro-Palestinian group known as “Stop Arming Israel” vandalised an Elbit-affiliated warehouse, causing significant damage to equipment.
The State isn’t only targeting disruption, however. It’s trying to discipline public consciousness. Palestine Action has become a symbol of courage. The group’s actions and social media presence have helped demystify direct action by restoring its ethical imperative and framing it as an accessible, effective method of struggle. Against this, Labour is pursuing a broad strategy of dissent management, where surveillance and legal frameworks merge into pre-emptive criminalisation. This is governance by threat projection: people are punished not only for what they do, but for what they might inspire.
Finally, the proscription takes place against the wider backdrop of far-right resurgence in the UK, Europe, the US and elsewhere. The governments are adopting reactionary logics like border control, militarism, and nationalism that have become bipartisan policy. Starmer’s Labour has fully embraced securitised nationalism, promising tougher borders, hedging on arms embargoes, and reinforcing British militarism.
The mainstream left, in favour of ineffective mass protests, has consciously failed to defend disruptive action. By drawing lines between “legitimate dissent” and “extremism”, repression has been legitimised. Yet historically, this often backfires. UK state overreach can galvanise popular support: from Bloody Sunday swelling IRA ranks, to recent juror acquittals of Palestine Action activists affirming their actions as justified.
The State’s repression should be met with solidarity across movements. In the group’s impact, there is inspiration—and a reminder that even in an age of technocratic authoritarianism, small, determined collectives can still shift the ground.
Palestine Action prisoner Yulia now has a support site at freeyulia.com. An email zap is being organized in support of fellow PA prisoner Quesser Zuhrah, and Quesser recently wrote her own statement on the proposed ban. Francesca Nadin, who was recently released, has been able to record a video about her experiences and the importance of prisoner support. Audrey Corno, another prisoner connected to the group, recently recorded an audio statement on her application for bail being denied, and you can read more writing from Palestine Action prisoners here.
There’s also a request for people to contact Lowdham Grange prison in support of anarchist prisoner Ryan Roberts, and the Bristol ABC site has now been updated with Ryan’s new address. Another email zap is being organized for Karook Abdullah, a prisoner facing abuse at Swaleside prison.
The International Anti-Fascist Defence Fund have shared their 2024-25 annual report, and you can hear more about the group’s work in this recent interview on the Beautiful Idea. The “Budapest antifa” case against European antifascists continues, with one defendant, Maja T, recently having launched a hunger strike. Days of action in solidarity with Maja were held from June 20-22, and Dresden ABC have a list of ways to support Maja’s hunger strike here.
The French Court of Appeal is currently considering whether to release Lebanese revolutionary prisoner Georges Abdallah, with a decision due on 17 July. You can read a message from Georges to a recent solidarity demonstration here, and Samidoun have a list of suggestions for how you can join the campaign for his freedom.
The protest on Sunday drew around 8,000 people, according to the organisers, and demonstrated their rejection of the prison sentences imposed on the union members. Various unions and organisations joined the protest, demanding a pardon from the central government.freedomnews.org.uk/2025/07/01/t…
— Freedom Press (@freedompress.bsky.social) 2025-07-01T07:54:52.638Z
Unoffensive Animal have an update on the Presos Caso Susaron, vegan anarchist prisoners in Chile who have now served about half of their sentence.
Sardinian anarchist prisoner Paolo Todde has launched a hunger strike.
Moscow ABC are fundraising for anarchist Ruslan Siddiqui, after he was given a 29-year sentence for his anti-war actions. Donations can be sent to firesoffreedom@protonmail.com via paypal. You can read more about Ruslan’s case in this Freedom News article. In other news from the Russian prison system, you can read an article on anarchist prisoner Alexey Rozkkov here, Alexander Snezhkov has now been transferred to a stricter detention unit after three months in solitary confinement, and the Tyumen Case support group are still fundraising for the legal costs of the defendants.
Around 8,000 people joined a solidarity protest in Astrurias, Spain for the “Suiza 6,” members of the anarcho-syndicalist CNT union facing prison sentences for their activity.
Uprising Defendants
See Uprising Support for more info, and check out the Antirepression PDX site for updates from Portland cases. You can also check With Whatever Weapons for regularly-updated zines listing current prisoners. To the best of our knowledge they currently include:
Tyre Means 49981-086
USP Victorville
US Penitentiary
P.O. Box 3900
Adelanto, CA 92301
Margaret Channon 49955-086
FCI Tallahassee
P.O. Box 5000
Tallahassee, FL 32314
Malik Muhammad #23935744
Snake River Correctional
777 Stanton Blvd
Ontario, OR 97914
Montez Lee 22429-041
FCI Petersburg Medium
Federal Correctional Institution
PO Box 1000
Petersburg, VA 23804
Matthew White #21434-041
USP Terre Haute
PO Box 33
Terre Haute, IN 47808
Matthew Rupert #55013-424
USP Big Sandy
US Penitentiary
P.O. Box 2068
Inez, KY 41224
José Felan #54146-380
FCI Terre Haute
Federal Correctional Institution
P.O. Box 33
Terre Haute, IN 47808
David Elmakayes 77782-066
FCI McKean
Federal Correctional Institution
P.O. Box 8000
Bradford, PA 16701
Khalif Miller #QQ9287
Camp Hill
PO Box 33028
St. Petersburg, FL 33733
Mujera Benjamin Lunga’ho #08572-509
08572-509
FCI Beaumont Medium
FEDERAL CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION
P.O. Box 26040
Beaumont, TX 77720
Christopher Tindal 04392-509
FCI Cumberland
PO Box 1000
Cumberland, MD 21501
Upcoming Birthdays
Evgeny Rubashko
An anarchist from Belarus who was sentenced to 5 years in prison on charges of “disrupting public order” during post-election protests in Belarus. The criminal case was opened under the Article 342.1 (gross violation of public order) for participation in protests and the Article 361-1.1 (participation in an extremist organization). He reported tortures (plastic bag on the head, beatings, etc.) You can read his speech to the court here.
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: July 9
Address:
(Belarusian or Russian letters only – use this form for English messages)
Rubashko Evgeny Alexandrovich
ST-8, ul. Sovetskaya, 22A
Zhodino, 222163
Belarus
Samantha Faulder
Samantha Faulder was wrongfully sentenced to a life in prison, she has served over 15 years while fighting for an appeal despite huge barriers in the legal system. She is an anarchist who constantly supports other prisoners through their sentences.
Her birthday is the 10th July, the day after she lost her life partner, Taylor, to suicide. Sam has a big, beautiful defiant heart and is currently trying to prepare for parole, so it’s a tricky time for her.
UK prisoners can also be contacted via emailaprisoner.com
Birthday: July 10
Address:
Samantha Faulder A1209CF
HMP Drake Hall
Stafford
ST21 6LQ
UK
Dakota Moss
Ferguson-related prisoner sentenced to 20 years during the non-indictment riots in November 2014. 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 Dakota then you’re best off just sending him a card or a letter.
Birthday: July 17
Address:
Dakota Moss #11400-025
USP Beaumont
P. O. BOX 26030
BEAUMONT, TX 77720
Derek Cannon
Derek Cannon is serving life without parole after being wrongly convicted of murder during the 1993 Lucasville Uprising, based on the testimony of jailhouse witnesses who have since confessed to lying about the case. For more about Derek’s case, see “Let Lucasville Uprising Prisoners Tell Their Own Stories!” in the NLG Review. Due to his connection to the uprising, he is still a frequent target for staff harassment, even decades later.
Ohio uses Connect Network/GTL, so you can contact him online by going to connectnetwork.com, selecting “Add a facility”, choosing “State: Ohio, Facility: Ohio Department of Rehabiliation and Corrections,” going into the “messaging” service, and then adding him as a contact by searching his name or “221663.”
Birthday: July 21
Address:
Derek Cannon #221-663
Lebanon CI
PO Box 56
Lebanon, OH 45036
Jessica Reznicek
Jessica is a land and water defender who has worked with and lived in the Des Moines Catholic Worker community for 10 years. In 2016, Jessica took a stand against the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline. In 2017, Jessica and another person took direct action and disabled construction machinery in order to protect the land. No one was injured by their actions, and the land was protected from the flow of oil for an additional six months.
On February 6th, 2021, Jessica pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to damage an energy facility and on June 30, 2021, was sentenced to 8 years in prison. She received the ‘federal crime of terrorism’ enhancement and was ordered to pay over 3 million dollars in restitution and three years of supervised release. She reported to federal prison on August 11, 2021. Jessica has a deep love for nature, camping, swimming, hiking, theology, music, gardening, laughter and eco-sustainability, as well as a commitment to self-discovery through deep relationships cultivated in intentional faith-based community living.
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 Jessica then you’re best off just sending her a card or a letter.
Birthday: July 25
Address:
Jessica Reznicek #19293-030
FCI Waseca
Post Office Box 1731
Waseca, Minnesota 56093
Dzmitry Dubovski
Dzmitry Dubovski is a Belarusian anarchist, sentenced to 18 years in prison after he was arrested late last year and charged with vandalizing government buildings. He previously spent 10 years on the run after being accused of some direct actions that took place in 2009-2010.
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: July 29
Address:
(Belarusian or Russian letters only – use this form for English messages)
Dubovski Dmitry Nikolaevich
ST № 4
ul. Krupskoy, 99A,
Mogilov, 212011
