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Jan 21, 23

This Is America #180: An Antifascist Got 20 Years in Prison For Defending Counter-Protesters on J20; Report from Rural PNW

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Welcome, to This Is America, January 20th, 2023.

On today’s episode, first we speak with autonomous organizers in the rural Pacific Northwest town of Aberdeen, WA.

We then talk to a supporter of antifascist political prisoner Alex Stokes, who has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for standing up to protect his friends from a group of violent Proud Boys who were attacking counter-protesters at the state capitol of New York on January 6th, 2021. We speak on how Alex’s politics were put on trial, how the far-Right was treated as victims, and how people can support Alex while on the inside.

We then switch to our discussion, where we look at a recent story about social media companies in the lead up to J6 and what it means now that the GOP has established control over the House of Representatives.

All this and more, but first, let’s get to the news!

Living and Fighting

In Texas, prisoners remain on hunger-strike in protest of solitary confinement. As the Guardian reported:

Scores of Texas prisoners have entered the second week of a hunger strike in protest at being kept indefinitely in solitary confinement, a form of incarceration in the US that human rights groups have denounced as torture.

Inmates across the Texas prison system have been refusing food since 10 January in an organized outcry against being held in isolation in some cases for decades. Estimates of the numbers of prisoners involved differ. The Texas department of criminal justice (TDCJ) puts it at 72, but outside advocates liaising with the strikers say it is at least 138.

Across the US, antifascists continued to rally in defense of LGBTQ+ and drag events, as far-Right rallies have only continued into the new year. In recent weeks, antifascists have held large rallies in Dallas, Texas, Vancouver, British Columbia, Fall River, Massachusetts, and New York City. Check out our roundup of recent actions at This Week In Fascism.

Lastly, across the US and beyond, people are organizing rallies and vigils in solidarity with the ongoing struggle in Atlanta to resist the construction of ‘Cop City,’ which threatens to destroy the Weelaunee forest. On Wednesday, January 18th, police carried out a violent raid on the forest, killing one forest defender, a 26 year old anarchist who went by the name Tortuguita. Currently not much is known about the raid and local activists are demanding an independent investigation into the shooting.

On the ground, people are encourage folks to sign on to a solidarity statement, donate to the local bail-fund as many face trumped up “terrorism” charges, put pressure on companies helping to build cop city, and also organize a solidarity vigil and event.

Upcoming Events

  • January 22nd – 26th: East Coast Book-tour with Shane Burley and Daryle Lamont Jenkins. More info here.
  • January 28th: Solidarity Share Fair: Eugene, OR. More info here.
  • January 28th: Film Showing: “The Wobblies.” Silverdale, WA. Silverdale, Library. More info here.
  • February 12th: Online Discussion. 6:00 PM / EST. “We Go Where They Go: The Story of Anti-Racist Action,” a book discussion hosted by IWW GDC with former ARA members. Use link to register.
  • March 10th – 13th: Weelaunee Food Autonomy Conference. Atlanta, GA. More info here.
  • May 2023: Healthcare Autonomy Conference. Durham, NC. More info here.

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In search of new forms of life. It's Going Down is a digital community center and media platform featuring news, opinion, podcasts, and reporting on autonomous social movements and revolt across so-called North America from an anarchist perspective.

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