Sunday, August 31, 2008

Support the Eco-Prisoners (September 2008)

Spirit of Freedom
(September 2008)
Produced by
EARTH LIBERATION PRISONERS SUPPORT NETWORK

"The whole experience has been tough, but all the kind and strengthening
words and wise thoughts from strangers made it much easier!" (Former
Swedish Animal Rights Prisoner)

Welcome to the September 2008 edition of Spirit of Freedom. As we go to
print a Dutch animal rights activist, Gerben Jan, sits in a Swedish prison
accused of violence towards a police officer. Gerban, along with many other
European activists, attended an anti-vivisection demo in Sweden. Its not
clear why the police went to arrest Gerban, but as the police moved in so
one of the officers slipped and injured himself (we believe the officer
broke his leg). Gerban, who is entirely innocent, has been accused of
causing the officers injuries. Gerban's case has received very little
publicity and many, even in the European animal liberation movement, may be
totally unaware of who Gerban is. However, like all of the prisoners listed
in our newsletter, we encourage everyone to send Gerban letters of support.
Remember, it doesn't matter how famous or well known a person is. It doesn'
t matter what country that person comes from, or where they are jailed.
What matters is a good person has been imprisoned for acting on their
conscience and for trying to help in whatever way they could. So please, no
matter where you are in the world, support the eco-prisoners. And no
compromise in defence of Mother Earth.

ECO-DEFENCE PRISONERS

Tre Arrow, #70936-065, Sheridan Federal Detention Center, P.O. Box 6000,
Sheridan, OR 07378, USA. Serving 78 months for his involvement in two ELF
arsons. 1) an arson on logging trucks 2) an arson on vehicles owned by a
sand & gravel company. (Tre is a raw energy vegan - He has asked that his
letters of support are written on scrap paper or tree-free paper).

Grant Barnes #137563, San Carlos Correctional Facility, PO Box 3, Pueblo, CO
81002, USA. Serving 12 years for setting fire to a number of SUV vehicles.
The letters ELF were spray painted onto all of the vehicles. (Grant is a
vegan).

Nathan Block, #36359-086, FCI Lompoc, Federal Correctional Institution, 3600
Guard Road, Lompoc, CA 93436, USA. Serving 7 years & 8 months for an ELF
arson against a Poplar Tree Farm and an ELF arson against an SUV dealership.
Also admitted his role in an ELF/ALF conspiracy. (Diet unknown).

Marco Camenisch, Postfach 3143, CH-8105 Regensdorf, Switzerland. Serving 18
years. 1) Ten years for using explosives to destroy electricity pylons
leading from nuclear power stations. 2) Eight years for the murder of a
Swiss Boarder Guard whilst on the run. In '02 Marco completed a 12-year
sentence in Italy for destroying electricity pylons in Italy. (Marco is a
meat eater who encourages organic living).

Daniele Casalini, Casa Circondariale, Via Burla 59, 43100 Parma, Italy. Il
Silvestre activist awaiting trial accused of using explosives to damage an
electricity pylon in protest at nuclear energy. (Daniele is a vegan).

Rodney Coronado #03895-000, FCI El Reno, PO Box 1500, El Reno, OK 73036,
USA. Serving one-year imprisonment after he informed people how to make an
incendiary device during a speech at an animal rights gathering. (Meat
eater).

Francesco Gioia, C.C. Sollicciano, Via Girolamo Minervini 2/R, 50142 Firenze
Sollicciano (FI), Italy. Il Silvestre activist awaiting trial accused of
using explosives to damage an electricity pylon in protest at nuclear
energy. (Francesco is a vegetarian and Straight Edge).

Paola Gori, Via delle Macchie 9, 57124 Livorno, Italy. Il Silvestre
activist awaiting trial accused of allowing her house to be used to plan
illegal activity. (Paola is a vegan).

Bryan Lefey #38664-086, FDC SeaTac, Federal Detention Center, P.O. Box
13900, Seattle, WA 98198, USA. On remand accused of an ELF action that saw
the damaging of GM trees and the damaging of US Forestry Service vehicles.
(Diet unknown).

Jeffrey Luers, # 13797671, CRCI, 9111 NE Sunderland Ave, Portland, OR
97211-1708, USA. Serving 10 years for arson on a SUV dealership & the
attempted arson of an oil truck. The original sentence was 22 years & 8
months, but was reduced on appeal. (Diet unknown).

Eric McDavid, 16209-097. FCI Victorville Medium II, PO BOX 5700,
Adelanto, CA 92301, USA. Serving 19 years & 7 months for planning to
destroy the property of the U.S. Forestry Service, mobile phone masts and
power plants. At the point of his arrest no criminal damage has actually
occurred. (Eric is a vegan).

Daniel McGowan, #63794-053, USP Marion, US Penitentiary, PO Box 1000,
Marion, IL 62959, USA. Serving 7 years for an ELF arson against a Poplar
Tree Farm and an ELF arson against an old growth logging corporation. Also
admitted his role in an ELF/ALF conspiracy. (Daniel is a vegetarian).

Jonathan Paul - See details in Animal Liberation Prisoners List.

Briana Waters 36432-086, FCI Danbury, Federal Correctional Institution,
Route 37, Danbury, CT 06811, USA. Serving six years for involvement in an
ELF arson on a University. (Diet unknown).

Joyanna Zacher, #36360-086, FCI Dublin, 5700 8th St.- Camp Parks- Unit F,
Dublin, CA 94568, USA. Serving 7 years & 8 months for an ELF arson against
a Poplar Tree Farm and an ELF arson against an SUV dealership. Also
admitted her role in an ELF/ALF conspiracy. (Diet unknown).

ANIMAL LIBERATION PRISONERS
(All Animal Liberation Prisoners follow a minimum vegetarian diet and most
are vegan).

Jon Ablewhite TB4885, HMP Lowdham Grange, Lowdham, Nottingham, NG14 7DA,
England. Serving 12 years for attempting to blackmail a farmer who supplied
guinea pigs for vivisection. (Jon is a vegan).

Dan Amos VN7818, HMP Exeter, 30 New North Road, Exeter, Devon, EX4 4EX,
England. On remand having pleaded guilty to conspiracy to blackmail
Huntingdon Life Sciences. (Dan is a vegan)

Gregg Avery TA7450, HMP Winchester, Romsey Road, Winchester, SO22 5DF,
England. On remand having pleaded guilty to conspiracy to blackmail
Huntingdon Life Sciences. (Gregg is a vegan).

Natasha Avery NR8987, HMP Bronzefield, Woodthorpe Road, Ashford, Middx. TW15
3JZ, England. On remand having pleaded guilty to conspiracy to blackmail
Huntingdon Life Sciences. (Nat is a vegan).

Mel Broughton TN9138, HMP Woodhill, Tattenhoe Street, Milton Keynes, Bucks
MK4 4DA, England. On remand accused of involvement with an arson and
blackmail campaign against an Oxford University vivisection establishment.
(Mel is a vegan).

Martin Balluch, (JA Josefstadt), Justizanstalt Wr. Neustadt, Maximiliang. 3,
2700 Wr. Neustadt, Austria. One of ten Austrian's held on remand accused of
various animal rights actions. (Martin is a vegan)

Christoph, Antirep 2008, Postfach 101, 1070, Vienna, Austria. One of ten
Austrian's held on remand accused of various animal rights actions. At the
moment Christopher does not wish to have his full name published. (Christoph
is a vegan).

Jacob Conroy #93501-011, FCI Victorville Medium I Federal Correctional
Institution, P.O. Box 5300, Adelanto, CA 92301, USA. Serving 48 months
imprisonment for helping organise the SHAC-USA campaign. (Jake is a vegan).

Donald Currie A3660AA, HMP Parkhurst, Newport, Isle of Wight, PO30 5NX,
England. Serving an Indeterminate Sentence, of not less than six actual
years, for carrying out arsons against targets associated the vivisection
industry including HLS. (Don is a vegan).

Jürgen Faulmann, Justizanstalt Wr. Neustadt, Maximiliang. 3, 2700 Wr.
Neustadt, Austria. One of ten Austrian's held on remand accused of various
animal rights actions. (Jurgen is a vegan).

Lauren Gazzola #93497-011, FCI Danbury, Federal Correctional Institution,
Route #37Danbury, CT 06811, USA. Serving 54 months imprisonment for helping
organise the SHAC-USA campaign. (Lauren is a vegan).

Joshua Harper #29429-086, FCI Sheridan Federal Correctional Institution,
P.O. Box 5000, Sheridan, OR 97378 USA. Serving 36 months imprisonment for
helping organise the SHAC-USA campaign. (Josh is a vegan).

Felix Hnat (JA Eisenstadt), Justizanstalt Wr. Neustadt, Maximiliang. 3, 2700
Wr. Neustadt, Austria. One of ten Austrian's held on remand accused of
various animal rights actions. (Felix is a vegan).

Gerben Jan, Häktet Malmö, Box 3078, SE-200 22 Malmö, Sweden. Dutch
activist, held on remand, accused of injuring a police officer during an
anti-vivisection demonstration. (Gerban is a vegan).

Jan, Antirep 2008, Postfach 101, 1070, Vienna, Austria. One of ten Austrian
's held on remand accused of various animal rights actions. At the moment
Jan does not wish to have his full name published. (Jan is a vegan).

Kevin Kroemmer, Antirep 2008, Postfach 101, 1070, Vienna, Austria. One of
ten Austrian's held on remand accused of various animal rights actions.
(Kevin is a vegan)

Sean Kirtley WC 6977, HMP Stafford, 54 Gaol Road, Stafford, ST16 3AW,
England. Serving four and a half years for running an anti-vivisection
campaign website. (Sean is a vegan).

Kevin Kjonaas #93502-011, FCI Sandstone, PO Box 1000, Sandstone, MN 55072
USA. Serving 72 months imprisonment for helping organise the SHAC-USA
campaign. (Kevin is a vegan).

Leo, Antirep 2008, Postfach 101, 1070, Vienna, Austria. One of ten Austrian
's held on remand accused of various animal rights actions. At the moment
Leo does not wish to have his full name published. (Leo is a vegan).

Daniel McGowan - See details in Eco Defence Prisoners List.

Christian Moser, Antirep 2008, Postfach 101, 1070, Vienna, Austria. One of
ten Austrian's accused of various animal rights actions. Chris is currently
out on bail but still needs our support (Christian is a vegan).

Heather Nicholson VM4859, HMP Bronzefield, Woodthorpe Road, Ashford, Middx.
TW15 3JZ, England. On remand accused of conspiracy to blackmail, in
relation to her involvement with the SHAC campaign. (Heather is a vegan).

Jonathan Paul, #07167-085, FCI Phoenix, Federal Correctional Institution,
37910 N 45th Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85086, USA. Sentenced to 51 months for an
ALF arson on a horse meat plant. Also admitted his role in an ELF/ALF
conspiracy. (Jonathan is a vegan).

Nathan Pope (also known as Nathan Knoerl). Address unknown. Held on remand
accused of involvement in anti-vivisection activity. (Nathan is a vegan)

Sabine, Antirep 2008, Postfach 101, 1070, Vienna, Austria. One of ten
Austrian's held on remand accused of various animal rights actions. At the
moment Sabine does not wish to have their full name published. (Sabine is a
vegan).

Andrew Stepanian #26399-050, USP Marion, P.O. Box 1000 Marion, IL 62959,
USA. Serving 36 months for helping organise the SHAC-USA campaign. (Andrew
is a vegan).

Elmar Völkl (JA Eisenstadt), Justizanstalt Wr. Neustadt, Maximiliang. 3,
2700 Wr. Neustadt, Austria. One of ten Austrian's held on remand accused of
various animal rights actions. (Elmar is a vegan).

Kerry Whitburn TB4886, HMP Lowdham Grange, Lowdham, Nottingham, NG14 7DA,
England. Serving 12 years for attempting to blackmail a farmer who supplied
guinea pigs for vivisection. (Kerry is a vegan).

Sarah Whitehead, VM7684, HMP Bronzefield, Woodthorpe Road, Ashford, Middx,
TW15 3JZ, England. Serving two years for: 1) rescuing a puppy from horrific
conditions. 2) rescuing over 100 animals from a pet breeder who was later
prosecuted for animal abuse. Also awaiting trial for SHAC activity. (Sarah
is a vegan)

PLOUGHSHARES PRISONERS

Helen Woodson, 03231-045, FMC Carswell - Admin. Max. Unit, POB 27137, Ft.
Worth, TX 76127, USA. Serving 8 years 10 months for actions that focused
on the interrelationship of war & the destruction of the natural world. The
actions included pouring red paint over the security desk of a federal court
and making threatening communications. Previously Helen had served 20½
years for: 1) Using a hammer to disarm a nuclear missile silo. 2) Burning
$25,000 on the floor of a bank whilst denouncing war, environmental
destruction & economic injustice. 3) Mailing warning letters with bullets
attached to Government & corporate officials. (Diet unknown).

THE LECCE FIVE
The Lecce Five have been charged with "subversive association" accused of
damaging Esso petrol pumps to oppose the War on Iraq; sabotaging the cash
machines of a bank which funds an immigration centre; and targeting the
multinational company Benetton in support of Mapuche land rights activists
in Chile. All of the defendants are currently either under house arrest or
released on bail.

ANTIFA PRISONERS

Vahtang Devitlidze, ul. Libbedova 42, UO 68/2, otryad 14, brigada 142, g.
Hagyshensk, Krasnodarskiy Kray, 352680 Russia. Serving 2½ years for
stabbing a neo-nazi in the leg whilst defending himself from attack. (Diet
unknown).

Augustin Kraus, Vazebni veznice, PP-1, Litomerice, 41 201, Czech Republic.
Serving 14 months for his participation in attacks against local neo-nazis.
His charge was "bodily harm". He speaks Czech, Slovak and Polish. You can
also write him short postcards in English. (Diet unknown).

Fabio Milan, C.C. via Pianezza 300, 10151 Torino, Italy. On remand accused
of fighting with the police after an anti-fascist protest. (Diet unknown).

Andrea Neff, Bnr: 746/07/2, Justizvollzugsanstalt fur Frauen in Berlin,
Arkonastrasse 56, 13189 Berlin, Germany. Serving 14 months for anti-fascist
activity. (Diet unknown).

Christian Sümmermann, Bnr: 441/08/5, JVA Plötzensee, Lehrterstr. 61, 10557
Berlin, Germany. Serving 40 months for breaching the peace whilst serving a
suspended sentence issued for anti-fascist activities. (Diet unknown).

Tomasz Wiloszewski, Zaklad Karny, Orzechowa 5, 98-200 Sieradz, Poland.
Serving 15 years for accidentally killing a neo-nazi whilst defending
himself. (Tomasz is a vegetarian).

Yuri Yurevich Milevskiy, SIZO #7 kamera 38, g. Brest, ul. Karla Marksa 86,
224000 Belarus. On remand for fighting with neo-nazis. (Diet unknown).

OTHER PRISONERS

Olga Aleksandrovna Nevskaya, UU163/5, 7 Otryad, pos. Dzerzhinskiy, Mozhaysk
140090 Moskovskaya oblast, Russia. Eco-activist serving 6 years for arson,
criminal damage and causing explosions in protest at the war in Chechnya.
Due for release in 2009. (Diet unknown).

Vaggelis Botzatzis, Komotini Juridical Prison ("Dikastikes Fylakes
Komotinis"), T.K. 69100, Greece. On remand accused of setting fire to two
company cars owned by a energy/power company. It is believed that the
person or persons unknown who carried out the arson did so in protest at the
destruction of the natural environment and in support of two workers who
died at the power plant. Vaggelis is also accused of setting fire to a bank
and starting a fire inside a car yard. (Meat Eater).

Richard Sills (Address Unknown, USA). Serving 15 months for bomb hoaxing a
University saying they would be targeted by the ALF if they didn't stop
their animal experiments. (Diet unknown).

Michael W. Sykes, 696693, 3855 Cooper St, Jackson, MI 49201, USA. Youth
held on remand accused of anti-sprawl arsons, criminal damage,
spray-painting an anarchist sign and burning the American flag. (Diet
unknown)

Fran Thompson, #1090915 HU 1C, WERDCC, PO Box 300, Vandalia, MO 63382, USA.
Serving Life for killing, in self-defence, a stalker who had broken into her
home. Before her imprisonment Fran was an eco, animal & anti-nuke
campaigner. (Fran is a vegan).

MOVE
MOVE is an eco-revolutionary group who carried out protests in defence of
all life. All move prisoners describe themselves as vegetarians. There are
currently eight MOVE activists in prison each serving 100 years after been
framed for the murder of a cop in 1979. 9th defendant, Merle Africa, died
in prison in 1998.

Debbie Simms Africa (006307), Janet Holloway Africa (006308) and Janine
Philips Africa (006309) all at: SCI Cambridge Springs, 451 Fullerton Ave,
Cambridge Springs, PA 16403-1238, USA.

Michael Davis Africa (AM4973) and Charles Simms Africa (AM4975) both at SCI
Graterford, PO Box 244, Graterford, PA 19426-0244, USA.

Edward Goodman Africa (AM4974), SCI Mahanoy, 301 Morea Rd, Frackville, PA
17932, USA.

William Philips Africa (AM4984) and Delbert Orr Africa (AM4985) both at SCI
Dallas Drawer K, Dallas, PA 18612, USA.

Mumia Abu Jamal, (AM8335), SCI Greene, 175 Progress Drive, Waynesburg PA
15370, USA. In 1981 Mumia, former Black Panther and vocal supporter of
MOVE, was framed for the murder of a cop. He was originally sentenced to
death but is currently awaiting re-sentencing following a court hearing in
2001.

STATEMENT ON VIOLENCE
Some people listed in this newsletter have carried out violent actions.
'Spirit of Freedom' does not condone violence. But we are also against
censorship & believe people can decide for themselves who they wish to
support.

ABOUT E.L.P. SUPPORT NETWORK
ELP is an international eco-prisoner support network founded, in Britain, in
1993 to support jailed eco-activists. We support the prisoners by producing
various regular prisoner lists:

Spirit of Freedom is ELP's international monthly prisoner listing which is
circulated by e-mail.

Urgent ELP! Bulletin is an e-mail service that distributes the names of any
new eco-prisoner as soon as ELP gets their details. For more info e-mail
ELP4321@hotmail.com

On-Line Newsletters - ELP has a number of websites that provide news,
prisoner lists and additional info about ELP & the prisoners.

English language ELP Website
www.spiritoffreedom.org.uk

Greek language ELP Website
http://greekelp.blogspot.com

North American ELP Website
www.ecoprisoners.org

Turkish language ELP Website
www.geocities.com/yesilanarsi/elp.htm

ELP Extra is an e-mail group that circulates the details of political
prisoners, ELP learns about, who do not fall within the remit for support by
ELP. To subscribe to the list e-mail ELP4321@Hotmail.com

Australian ELP.SN is our Australian contact. For more info e-mail
elp4321@hotmail.com

Belgium ELP.SN is our Belgium contact. For more info e-mail
elp_bel@hotmail.com

German ELP.SN is a prisoner led initiative run by eco-prisoner Marco
Camenisch. For more info contact Marco Camenisch, Postfach 3143, CH-8105
Regensdorf, Switzerland.

Greek ELP.SN is our Greek contact. For more info e-mail greekelp@yahoo.gr

North American ELP is our North American contact. For more information
e-mail naelpsn@mutualaid.org

Turkey ELP.SN is our Turkish contact. For more info e-mail
yesilanarsi@yahoo.com

More on Santa Cruz raid/arrest

http://www.mercurynews.com/centralcoast/ci_10345169

Article text:

Tenant of FBI-raided home arrested on fake ID warrant

SANTA CRUZ - A 24-year-old man whose home police and the FBI raided twice after UC Santa Cruz researchers' homes were targeted by animal rights activists was arrested in Southern California Friday on a warrant for felony perjury.

Cabrillo College student Nathan Pope, also known as Nathan Christopher Knoerl, was booked into Vista Jail in San Diego County on a felony charge of obtaining falsified identification, according Santa Cruz police Capt. Steve Clark. He is being held in lieu of $100,000 bail.


Santa Cruz police said the arrest was for a separate issue that developed during the animal rights investigation. Santa Cruz police were working with a joint terrorism task force on the animal rights investigation that included an investigator from the California Department of Motor Vehicles, Clark said. That investigator developed the case that led to Pope's arrest Friday.


"Our position is this is a separate violation," Clark said.


Clark said police still have no suspects in the animal rights incidents and no idea when it might be wrapped up.


"We are optimistic we will solve the case," Clark said, however.


FBI spokesman Joseph Schadler said that though the FBI helped serve the search warrant Friday, it was for a state charge and "unconnected with what we were searching for" in the animal rights case.


"Apparently we helped because we help with these things sometimes," he said.
The Riverside Avenue house in Santa Cruz was raided earlier this month after animal rights activists firebombed the home of a UCSC researcher and a car parked in the driveway of another researcher. The house also was raided after a Feb. 24 incident at a Westside researcher's house. In that attack, six animal rights activists - five wearing masks and one with a bullhorn - protested in front of the home. The demonstration turned violent when the masked protesters banged on the front door and were confronted by the researcher's husband.


He was struck on the hand by an unknown object, then chased the activists off his property while his wife hid their two children and two of their friends in the kitchen. The family had been hosting a birthday party.


The group ran to a waiting car and drove off. Later that day, police traced the car back to the house on the 700 block of Riverside Avenue and raided the home.


Several people connected to the house were considered "persons of interest" by police but none was ever arrested. Police seized computers, cameras and cell phones from the home. Police said last month that the hard drive on one of the computers had been erased several times, which was suspicious but not illegal.


No one has been arrested and no charges have been filed in connection with that attack. The FBI is offering a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the firebombs targeting UCSC biomedical researchers, the largest reward for a crime in city history.


UC Berkeley police seized 14 computers from a home on Shattuck Avenue that served as an activist co-op on Wednesday morning. UC Berkeley spokesman Bob Sanders wouldn't say if the home was raided in connection with any of the animal rights activities in Berkeley or Santa Cruz, but Schadler said there was no connection to the Santa Cruz cases.
Sanders said the raid was in response to e-mails sent to faculty and staff from those computers. Sanders said the e-mails were threatening in nature but wouldn't reveal any details.

Saturday, August 30, 2008

FBI raids in America - One person jailed

Urgent ELP! Bulletin (30th August 2008)

Dear friends

News is coming in of a raid/arrest in America. Below is information compiled by American activists....


This is pieced together from scattered sources:
At approx. 2pm PST, an FBI agent posing as neighbor knocked at the door of a home in Oceanside CA, lured a Santa Cruz resident from his mother's house, and arrested him. The only known charge at this point is felony perjury. He is being held on $100,000 bond. The person arrested is a resident of the house on Riverside Ave. in Santa Cruz that has been raided twice in the past 6 months, most recently immediately following the attempted arson of a vivisector's home several weeks ago.
After arresting the person, the FBI attempted to question his mother and friend, unsuccessfully. The FBI told the arrestees mother he is being transferred to the Vista jail, and will be extradited to Santa Cruz Tuesday.
While a charge of "perjury" would indicate there were statements / testimony given to the FBI by the defendant at some point, it is speculated perjury here *may* refer to some minor name discrepancy (such as a person having received a recent legal name change, or legitimately going by a middle name in place of one's legal last name, etc), and that this is a flimsy pretext to take this person into custody.
The following was received by someone close to the situation. It is not known if the arrestees vegan diet is being accommodated, but as a pre-emptive move they are asking people to call the jail:
*******
CALL VISTA JAIL!!! demand vegan food SUPPORT NATHAN POPE

NATHAN POPE, arrested under the name NATHAN CHRISTOPHER KNOERL (he has two legal last names b/c of step dad) was arrested in Oceanside, California today. The F.B.I. arrived with an arrest warrant and the warrant says something about FELONY/PERJURY and is an arrest warrant from Santa Cruz. $100,000 dollars bail.
CASE NO. F17048
DEPT #3
He will be extradited to Santa Cruz on/or by Tuesday.

PLEASE CALL Vista Detention Facility (760) 940-4473
-DEMAND VEGAN FOOD FOR NATHAN KNOERL/POPE !!!
*****

+++++++

Earth Liberation Prisoners Support Network
BM Box 2407
London
WC1N 3XX
England
www.spiritoffreedom.org.uk

Police break down doors in night-time raid on anarchist meeting


By Mary Turck, TC Daily Planet August 30, 2008

“I heard somebody saying, ‘They’re coming, they’re coming!’ And feet pounding on the back stairs, pounding on the door saying they had a search warrant. They busted through the door. They’ve got their guns cocked at people.” Sammy Schutz held tightly to five-year-old Gabe, who had been watching a video with his mother and father and about 20 other people when the police stormed into 827 Smith Avenue in St. Paul, ordering everyone down on the floor.

“All I could feel was Mama Bear—do whatever you want to do to me, but I need to get my son out safe. He was watching his dad get handcuffed. And he’s saying, ‘Mommy, mommy, why did they crash through the door?’”

Gabe’s question remained unanswered. Ramsey County sheriff’s deputies said they were executing a search warrant, but would not show a copy of the warrant to lawyers or reporters. More than a dozen police vehicles , almost all unmarked, and more than 20 sheriff’s deputies and St. Paul police arrived at the building about 9:45 Friday night and were still there at 1 a.m., when I left.

After handcuffing the people in the building (occupants said there were about two dozen on the second floor and “about 40 or 50” on the first floor), police processed them one by one. Each person was asked for identification, name and address, and then photographed.

People who had been inside the building told similar stories of police entering with guns drawn. They said police rushed past the security desk on the first floor, and used a battering ram to crash through the second floor back door.

“They said if you don’t show us ID and get your picture taken, we will arrest you and take you away,” said Michelle Gross, president of Communities United Against Police Brutality, who had arrived five or ten minutes before the raid began, planning to attend a meeting. “They never said what the basis for arrests would be. We were waiting for a meeting, for God’s sake! I cannot tell you how much like a police state that felt to me.”

After each person was released after being photographed, exiting the building and crossing between police cars to a crowd of cheering friends on the sidewalk across from the building. No one was arrested, but sheriff’s deputies remained inside the building.

Eventually, a city contractor arrived to board up the building, allegedly for unspecified code violations.

St. Paul City Council member Dave Thune said he was trying to find out who ordered the building locked up and on what grounds. “This isn’t the way we do things in St. Paul,” Thune said. “I don’t want the city to get sucked into something that the sheriff’s office is concocting.”

Thune said that someone had called in the city contractor and ordered him to secure the building, but this was not done according ot St. Paul city procedures.

“Normally,” said Thune, “we only board up buildings that are vacant and ramshackle. The fire inspector has no idea what’s going on. He hadn’t been called. The person who is on 24/7 call was not called. I talked to him trying to fid out who did issue that order and why.”

The building at 827 Smith Avenue had been rented by the RNC Welcoming Committee as a “convergence space,” open to activists for meetings, eating, and just hanging out. Earlier in the week, a large downstairs room in the former theater held tables of literature and about a dozen computers, set up for free wi-fi access for visitors. Large maps showed downtown St. Paul streets. The kitchen was spotless, with stainless steel refrigerators and a gas range, looking like a commercial kitchen in a church basement. The second floor room, where Sammy and her family were watching a video on consumerism Friday night, had comfortable theater seats and space for meetings.

Prisoners of New Orleans need your help now

From: "Political Prisoner News"
Date: Fri, August 29, 2008

To All CR members, Allies, and Comrades of New Orleans,

Prisoners and Families of New Orleans needs your help immediately!
If you haven't heard already Hurricane Gustav is headed for New Orleans
and is predicted to be a category 3 hurricane, the same as Hurricane
Katrina. There will possibly be a mandate for all people (outside of
prisons and jails) of New Orleans to evacuate starting tomorrow
August 29th, the three year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. It is
predicted that hurricane Gustav will pose great flooding potential
regardless of its category rating, the levee that broke by elected
official's decisions during Hurricane Katrina has not been fixed to
it's potential, or replaced.

The over crowding Orleans Parish Prison, located in New Orleans,
holds 2, 500 prisoners (this count is not certain, due to lack of
information given to the public.) Although not official, we have
information that the Prisoners of Orleans Parish Prison will be
evacuating to Angola Prison and Hunt Prison in the next coming days
and are also prisons that can be affected by Hurricane Gustav due to
overcrowding.

During Hurricane Katrina there were prisoners able to evacuate and
others who remained locked in their cells with a minimal chance of
survival. Prisoners were left in flooded cells, with no food, and had
minimal ventilation, to say the least. Family members, of prisoners
who were held at Orleans Parish Prison, are still in the fight to
locate their loved ones who had been evacuated to other prisons
during Katrina. Due to the flooding, lack of organization and care
from New Orleans Department of Corrections and elected officials,
prisoner's records were also missing. As a result, prisoner's
constitutional rights have been violated.
This abuse can not happen again!

What will happen to the prisoners of Orleans Parish Prison located in
New Orleans this time?

Critical Resistance (CR) is demanding that the elected officials of
New Orleans will not create the same devastating wrongs as they did
to the prisoners of Orleans Parish Prison during hurricane Katrina.

1. we demand a full and safe evacuation of all prisoners
2. we demand to know what the evacuation plan for prisoners is
3. we demand to see a public document about that plan immediately
4. we demand information about how we can find people after an evacuation

We are urging every member, ally and comrade of New Orleans across
the country, to make at least one call to:

Sheriff Malrin Gusman: 504.827.8505
(James Carter's secretary said "Orleans Parish Prison is Gusman's prison")
James Carter: 504.658.1030
(Criminal Justice Council Member who is able to put pressure on the
sheriff even if they say they can't)
You can also send an email: JCarter@cityofno.com

please put in your email subject: How will you protect prisoners this time?

Please call as many times as you can to put pressure on them and let
them know our demands and it is their job to be accountable to us!!!!!!!!

For further information from us please contact Critical Resistance New
Orleans:
Mayaba: 917.385.5472 or mayaba@criticalresistance.org
Koolblack: 504.813.4714 or koolblack@criticalresistance.org

(If you can't get through due to evacuation please contact:
pilar@criticalresistance.org

for further information)

In solidarity,
Critical Resistance



Freedom Archives
522 Valencia Street
San Francisco, CA 94110

415 863-9977

www.Freedomarchives.org Questions and comments may be sent to
claude@freedomarchives.org

Write to Daniel McGowan

From: "Family + Friends of Daniel McG"
Date: Thu, August 28, 2008

Hi again,

As we recently reported, Daniel was moved last Friday to his designated
facility in Marion, Illinois. He has been placed in the Communications
Management Unit and will be serving the rest of his time here. We have not
been given any official information on why Daniel has been moved here but
we do know that this unit was created to heavily monitor communications of
the prisoners it holds. We truly hope that his time passes as quickly as
possible here.

If you would like to write some funny, uplifting, silly things to Daniel,
please write him at his new address:

DANIEL McGOWAN #63794-053
USP MARION
U.S. PENITENTIARY
P.O. BOX 1000
MARION, IL 62959

Please be mindful of what you write. All mail is assumed to be read and
copied. Do not use any initials or anything that can be construed as code.

Also, if you'd like to send pictures, he is allowed to receive up to 25
photos per envelope - no polaroids.

If you are interested in sending Daniel a book, please contact us and
we'll be able to give you a book title from his wish list. He can receive
books from publisher and large online stores like Barnes & Noble and
Amazon.

As mentioned by a prison official, any materials sent to Daniel, whether
books, photos or letters, should not promote violence of any kind in any
way.

Thanks so much for your continued support,
Family & Friends of Daniel McGowan


-------------------------------------------------------------------
Support Daniel McGowan: http://www.supportdaniel.org
Daniel on MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/danielmcgowan

Family and Friends of Daniel McGowan
PO Box 106, NY, NY 10156
friendsofdanielmcg@yahoo.com

Donations:checks or money orders can be made out to "Lisa McGowan" and
sent to the above PO Box or online at http://tinyurl.com/8blde
-------------------------------------------------------------------

40ft mosaic for incarcerated Black Panthers

From:    "Political Prisoner News" <ppnews@freedomarchives.org>
Date: Mon, August 25, 2008
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2008/08/25/18529675.php

40ft mosaic for incarcerated Black Panthers.
by carrie reichardt ( info@freezulu.co.uk>info [at] freezulu.co.uk )
Monday Aug 25th, 2008 9:48 AM
A spectacular mosaic has been unveiled on the
outside wall of a house in the west London suburb
of Chiswick to raise awareness of
African-American men confined in the notorious Angola prison, Louisiana.

<http://www.indybay.org/uploads/2008/08/25/the_revolution_is_now__mural.jpg>
640_the_revolution_is_now__mural.jpg original image ( 2667x2000

640_the_revolution_is_now...
<http://www.indybay.org/uploads/2008/08/25/the_revolution_is_now__mural.jpg>original
image ( 2667x2000)

A spectacular mosaic has been unveiled on the
outside wall of a house in the west London suburb
of Chiswick to raise awareness of
African-American men confined in the notorious Angola prison, Louisiana.

The artwork, which took four months to create by
a dedicated group of activist artists, decorates
The Treatment Rooms, home of street artist Carrie
Richards, aka The Baroness, and her partner Mr. Spunky.

The mosaic depicts the so-called Angola 3 –
Herman Wallace, Albert Woodfox and Robert King –
men wrongfully convicted of murder at Angola
prison in the 1970s and who subsequently spent
decades in solitary confinement. Though Woodfox’s
conviction has been overturned, and Wallace’s
recommended for such, both men remain behind bars.

The extensive work is also dedicated to Kenny
‘Zulu’ Whitmore, who has similarly spent 33 years
in solitary confinement at Angola, where the
majority of inmates are black and will die inside its walls.

“Zulu is a true warrior, Panther, a servant of
the people. Like Herman, and I he has fought a
good battle, for so long, unrecognized,
unsupported! This must stop, just as all of the
many freedom fighters, fight everyday, just to
breathe, without any support, this must stop
now!!! So many political prisoners, prisoners of
war, and prisoners of conscious, have sacrificed
their lives, and freedoms, because they believed
in the people but somehow, the people have stopped believing in them!”

Albert Woodfox
July 9th 2008


The only freed member of the Angola 3, Robert
King – released in 2001 after his murder
conviction was overturned – attended the
unveiling on June 21. One of the purposes of his
stay in London was to launch the Free Zulu
campaign. He spoke to a crowd of 150 artists and
activists from the UK, Europe and North America
who have rallied around the causes of the Angola 3 and Zulu.

Robert King spoke to Zulu after the unveiling and
Zulu said he now had hope in his heart. He has
since seen pictures of the unveiling and is
overjoyed by the support reaching him from the UK.”

Zulu is at a critical point in his legal case,
but is currently without a lawyer. Those wanting
to reach out to help him can go to his new
website for information and you could always
simply write to him and show the world you know he is there;

Kenny Zulu Whitmore
86468 CCR, Upper C#11
LA State Prison
Angola
LA 70712
USA

<http://www.freezulu.co.uk>http://www.freezulu.co.uk
http://www.angola3london.org
<http://www.thetreatmentrooms.org>http://www.thetreatmentrooms.org


http://www.freezulu.co.uk
Zulu detail
by carrie reichardt Monday Aug 25th, 2008 9:48 AM
<http://www.indybay.org/uploads/2008/08/25/zulu_detail.jpg>
640_zulu_detail.jpg original image ( 5334x4000)

640_zulu_detail.jpg
<http://www.indybay.org/uploads/2008/08/25/zulu_detail.jpg>original
image ( 5334x4000)

http://www.freezulu.co.uk
Angola 3 detail
by carrie reichardt Monday Aug 25th, 2008 9:48 AM
<http://www.indybay.org/uploads/2008/08/25/angola_3_detail.jpg>
640_angola_3_detail.jpg original image ( 1280x960)

640_angola_3_detail.jpg
<http://www.indybay.org/uploads/2008/08/25/angola_3_detail.jpg>original
image ( 1280x960)

http://www.freezulu.co.uk
Robert King
by carrie reichardt Monday Aug 25th, 2008 9:48 AM
<http://www.indybay.org/uploads/2008/08/25/king_speaking_at_the_treatment_rooms.jpg>
640_king_speaking_at_the_treatment_rooms.jpg original image ( 4

640_king_speaking_at_the_...
<http://www.indybay.org/uploads/2008/08/25/king_speaking_at_the_treatment_rooms.jpg>original
image ( 467x701)

Robert King Speaking at unveiling of the mosaic
<http://www.freezulu.co.uk>http://www.freezulu.co.uk
The whole back of The Treatment Rooms
by carrie reichardt Monday Aug 25th, 2008 9:48 AM
<http://www.indybay.org/uploads/2008/08/25/back_of_house.jpg>
640_back_of_house.jpg original image ( 960x1280)

640_back_of_house.jpg
<http://www.indybay.org/uploads/2008/08/25/back_of_house.jpg>original
image ( 960x1280)

http://www.freezulu.co.uk
© 2000–2008 San Francisco Bay Area Independent
Media Center. Unless otherwise stated by the
author, all content is free for non-commercial
reuse, reprint, and rebroadcast, on the net and
elsewhere. Opinions are those of the contributors
and are not necessarily endorsed by the SF Bay
Area IMC.
<http://www.indybay.org/news/2003/12/1665905.php>Disclaimer
|
<http://www.indybay.org/news/2003/12/1665906.php>Privacy
| <http://www.indybay.org/news/2003/12/1665899.php>Contact
Piwik




Freedom Archives
522 Valencia Street
San Francisco, CA 94110

415 863-9977

www.Freedomarchives.org Questions and comments may be sent to
claude@freedomarchives.org

Friday, August 29, 2008

Austrian Animal Rights Activists 3 months incarcerated – and no end in sight!

ELP Information Bulletin (29th August 2008)

Dear friends

Below is the latest "Message to the International Animal Rights Movement" from Austrian prisoner, Martin Bullach.

Vienna, 26th August 2008
Message to the International Animal Rights Movement
3 months incarcerated – and no end in sight!

Mid-May, the largest police operation ever in Austria against a social justice movement saw dawn raids in 23 houses and offices of animal rights folk across the country. Masked officers pulled more than 30 people at gun point out of their beds and ransacked their places. Seven animal rights groups had all their stuff removed – till today.

And equally till today, 10 activists are still being held on remand in prison cells without charge and without evidence.

Slowly during these last 3 months, ever more information has been revealed about this police operation. We now know that 17 people had their phones tapped and their emails read over one and a half years, 3 houses had their entrances filmed, 2 cars had tracking devices put on them and at least 7 homes and offices were bugged. In addition, 20 people had their bank accounts monitored and 17 people were watched and followed for months. Further, police agents infiltrated animal rights groups, among them VGT.

All this massive operation at taxpayers’ expense of way beyond 1 million Euros, i.e. much more than the damage by the crimes they were supposedly out to solve, lead NOWHERE. No evidence of any criminal offence.

But we are still in prison. Instead of being suspected of some sort of concrete criminal offence, we supposedly form a big criminal organisation. For that, the prosecution says, there does not need to be any evidence for a criminal offence. The suspects do not even need to know each other. It is supposedly sufficient to keep running your animal rights campaign while at the same time accepting that other people unknown might act criminally for the same or a similar goal. Would you believe that you could be locked up for that?

I have just been interrogated for 20 hours by police. They have put all their “evidence“ before me to comment on. This is what they claim:

* I encrypt emails
* VGT is meeting in private places without public access
* VGT is not openly planning actions on the phone
* Taken out of context, some 5 emails of those 5000 I wrote in the last 11 (!) years sound radical
* I have international contacts
* I organise many conferences and meetings for recruiting new activists to the cause
* I write books and run radio and TV shows on animal rights, which use occosionally radical brochures and which occosionally mention the ALF

That is it. That is the “evidence“ against me. There is nothing more to it. According to state prosecution and remand judges, this justifies locking me up for god knows how many months on remand, and possibly putting me on trial. For the prosecution and police, most activists in Austria abroad are part of a giant criminal organisation, which is responsible of all ALF actions ever made anywhere. Their interpretation of the term “organisation“ allows for that. It means “being of the same mind-set“. Anybody, who is animal rights minded, and who remains so, after someone somewhere with the same ideology committed an offence, belongs to this organisation.

It is so ludicrous that I would laugh my head off, had somebody told me before. Now, in prison, I do not laugh anymore. It has become serious.

What is going on here? Well, I have a good guess. It is clear, I believe, that those in power, who formed the special police unit and started it all, had only one thing on their agenda: smash the animal rights movement, smash the VGT, and especially shut this bloke Balluch up.

There is a lot of evidence that this is exactly what they were out for. For example, we have a report of a meeting of the police special unit, solely debating how they could damage and destroy VGT. They debated a number of ways how to attack and arranged a next meeting with the same topic 5 days later. And that meeting took place 1 month into my incarceration. That proves that it is not criminal offences they want so solve. They are after blood. They want to destroy VGT and its successful networks and infrastructure. They just use the fact that there were criminal offences committed, albeit on a very low level, as an excuse to construct this “criminal organisation“ to justify large scale police operations and many months if not years in remand.

As time goes on, this unbelievable nightmare is becoming more and more a gigantic scandal of massive proportions! What an outrageous abuse of power! What a totalitarian attack on democracy and human rights! I hope you agree that we cannot let them get away with this. If such police state behaviour becomes the norm, who will dare to stand up and criticize the system? Who will continue animal rights campaigns? After all, NOTHING I have done that landed me in prison was out of the ordinary or in any way strange for animal rights activities. If I can be locked up for it, anybody can. To campaign for animal rights in any form means being with one foot in prison already.
I can only reiterate: Folks, we are at a historic moment in time. Animal rights has become an issue that seriously challenges the system. The powerful have decided to smash it with brute force. We have to stand together firm now and fight this decisive battle. We cannot let them get away with that. We must win this one. No further repression. No silencing of legitimate activism anymore. If we do not manage to Stop this operation and hold these responsible accountable, we won’t be able to be active for animal rights any longer. No further retreat. This is about all or nothing.

I count on you lot!


Martin Balluch, political prisoner, JA-Josefstadt Vienna

++++++

Earth Liberation Prisoner Support Network
BM Box 2407
London
WC1N 3XX
England
www.spiritoffreedom.org.uk

British man jailed for accidentally killing neo-fascist

BBC Friday, 29 August 2008

Prison for BNP activist's killer

An Asian man who killed his British National Party activist neighbour in
a fight has been jailed for eight years.

Habib Khan, 50, of Stoke-on-Trent, was convicted in May of the
manslaughter of 52-year-old Keith Brown who he stabbed with a kitchen
knife in July 2007.

The two men had been involved in a long-running dispute over land.

Khan said living for five years next door to Mr Brown had been "hell"
and his family had been subjected to "racial hostility" by his neighbours.

Stafford Crown Court was told Khan had killed Mr Brown in a fight
outside their homes in Uttoxeter Road, Normacot.

The dispute started when Khan put in a planning application to build a
house on his land several years before.

Mr Brown objected to it and when it was granted and work began, he "took
steps to obstruct it".

I think what we've witnessed here is an outrageous betrayal of justice
Martin Coleman, BNP councillor

The court heard that in the incident last July, Khan held a knife
against his neighbour "to scare him" when he saw him trying to strangle
his son Azir.

A post-mortem examination found Mr Brown died from a single stab wound.

Judge Tonking said: "What became obvious as the evidence unfolded,
however, is that from time to time, despite denials to the contrary,
both Mr Brown and his son Ashley Barker were involved in acts of racial
aggression towards members of Mr Khan's family."

He added that Khan had acted "in the honest belief that he needed to
protect his son" but in doing so had killed Mr Brown.

Khan, described by a Muslim colleague as a respected, religious and
helpful person, was also found guilty of wounding Mr Brown's son, Ashley
Barker, during the fight.

Khan's other son, Kazir Saddique, was sentenced to a year in prison and
a year on licence after admitting unlawful wounding but Azir, 24, was
found not guilty of wounding.

At a news conference outside the court, Mr Brown's widow Julia said she
felt justice had not been done.

She said: "At the end of the day, it should have been murder not
manslaughter.

"If he did not have the intention to go out and murder he should not
have taken the knife out.

"Everybody feels sorry for that family but what have we been through?"

Julia Barker states that justice has not been done

Local BNP councillor, Martin Coleman, told reporters the party would
start a campaign to "expose what has gone on today in court" and said he
viewed the case as "insanity and madness".

He added: "It bears no relationship with any form of justice that I
understand, can understand recognise or accept.

"We've got a man who has been murdered in the street.

"Someone has ran out into the public street with a knife and murdered a
man and the judge says there's literally no case to answer.

"I think what we've witnessed here is an outrageous betrayal of justice."

Khan denied murdering Mr Brown but was convicted of manslaughter on 23 May.

A spokesman for Staffordshire Police said the investigation into Mr
Brown's death had been handled in a "thorough and impartial" way.

In a statement, the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) said
the force had had repeated contact with both families during the dispute
and investigated complaints made on both sides.

A spokesman said they were unable to substantiate any of the claims made
about the way the families were treated by the force but one officer
received advice from officials.

Khan's barrister, Simon Drew, said police investigations into the
various incidents often "came to nothing" because of "generous failures
by the system".

Seattle presentation on use of prisoners in medical experiments

Prison Guinea Pigs

Allen M. Hornblum, author of Acres of Skin and Sentenced To Science will be addressing the Western IRB’s 24th Annual Training Seminar on Friday, September 12, 2008 at Seattle’s Bell Harbor Conference Center.

Hornblum’s books illuminate the sad history of the use of prison inmates as test subjects for the American medical community and Holmesburg Prison’s (Philadelphia) long history of incorporating inmates in a quarter-century of experimentation including; radioactive isotopes, chemical warfare agents, and dioxin studies.

Edward “Yusef” Anthony will be joining Hornblum in the presentation. Anthony is the subject of Sentenced To Science and will provide a first hand account of what it was like to be repeatedly used as an incarcerated test subject during the Cold War.

Paul Wright, Editor
Prison Legal News
P.O. Box 2420
West Brattleboro, VT 05303
802-257-1342
pwright@prisonlegalnews.org
www.prisonlegalnews.org


Seattle Office:
Prison Legal News
2400 NW 80th St. # 148
Seattle, WA 98117
206-246-1022

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Campus Police Raid Long Haul; Seize Computers, Disks, Drives


By Richard Brenneman Berkeley Daily Planet August 27, 2008

Campus Police, guns drawn, raided the Long Haul Infoshop Wednesday morning, seizing 13 computers and other gear, but the reason remains a mystery.

The building, which houses a collection of individual organizations ranging from the Needle Exchange to the East Bay Prisoner Support, was targeted by a team of at least seven officers.

According to the search warrant obtained by UC Berkeley Police Detective Bill Kasiske, officers believed the computers inside the officers at 3124 Shattuck Ave. contained evidence of felonies.

The document did not describe the alleged crimes nor did it name any perpetrators, and no arrests were made at the time of the raid.

In addition to computers and data storage media, the warrant targeted all written, typed or electronically stored documents containing information of people who used the computers inside the building.

Pattie Wall, an attorney for the Homeless Action Center (HAC), was working in her office next door at 3126 Shattuck when police knocked at the door. “They asked me if I had a key, and I said no.”

Wall told the officers to check with the landlord, the Northern California Land Trust, but the trust’s director wasn’t in, so the officers returned, telling Wall they didn’t need a key.

After they asked if there was a rear entrance, the officers went down the center hallway at HAC, drawing their pistols as they neared the rear door, said Wall.

Then the officers walked out the door and to the back door of Long Haul and made their entry.

Meanwhile Wall called staff at the Long Haul, who rushed to scene, also bringing civil rights attorney James B. Chanin, who has an office in the block to the north.

Chanin said he was surprised by the warrant, since it didn’t identify any specific organization.

“I can’t imagine the judge knew that the building housed many different organizations,” he said. “It would shock me if the judge knew that.”

Chanin said that a warrant that targeted a specific group wouldn’t allow police “to go into a building and take everybody’s stuff. But that’s what I believe happened, and that’s not right.”

Ian Winters, executive director of the land trust and Long Haul’s landlord, said the raid was the first in his memory, “and we never had any problems even while Long Hail had the marijuana club here.”

In addition to offering a home to individual groups, Long Haul board member Greg Horton said the building’s Internet room provided computers to give on-line access for those otherwise unable to afford it.

By the time the raid was over, only monitors, keyboards and disconnected cables were left.

Kathryn Miller, another board member, said the seizure would prevent publication of the next issue of the radical newspaper Slingshot, given that all the material for the edition was stored on the computers.

The Slingshot is produced by one of four collectives that are listed on the Long Haul’s web page. The others are the Long Haul Infoshop, the bicycling advocacy group Cycles of Change and the Anarchist Study Group.

The raid drew a small crowd, with many of the observers taking pictures of the officers through the building’s front windows and later as they carried out the computer hardware.

Soul, a long-time broadcaster on Berkeley Liberation Radio, said the underground radio station had been impacted by the raid. “We had some of our stuff there,” she said. “They got our hard drive, and that really concerns us.”

“This is really amazing,” she said. “During all the resistance to the Gulf War and other times they never raided the Long Haul. It’s the church we go to. It’s the heart of anarchy in Berkeley.”

Soul said she believed the raid stemmed from the UC Berkeley campus police pressure on the treesit at the Memorial Stadium oak grove. “They know we’ve been associated with the treesitters.”

She also pointed to a Feb. 17, 2004, City Council resolution urging federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to refrain from taking any action to interfere with Berkeley Liberation Radio.

Chanin said he had contacted the National Lawyers Guild on behalf of the Long Haul tenants.

“I’m a neighbor, so they came to me,” he said.

The raiders were comparatively neat, taping severed locks and screws removed from lock hardware neatly on the walls next to the place where they’d been removed.

Several items, including a petty cash envelope, had been left neatly arranged in a doorway, apparently after officers had photographed them.

At the end of the raid, Detective Kasiske decline to say what police were seeking, and referred question to Assistant Chief Mitch Celaya, who had not returned calls by deadline time.

Dan Mogulof, the university’s executive director of public affairs, said he was unaware of the raid.

Zachary Running Wolf, the first of the treesitters at the Memorial Stadium Grove, was at the scene later in the morning, declaring that he believed he may have been a target.

The building had once housed a medical marijuana clinic, but that facility had closed months earlier, leaving many at the scene to speculate that the raid may have stemmed from animal rights activism.

The UC chancellors recently signed a joint letter deploring attacks on researchers who conduct animal experimentation in the wake of two Aug. 2 firebomb attacks aimed at UC Santa Cruz researchers.

Berkeley researchers have also been targeted by protesters, including confrontations at their homes and vandalism.

For more information on Long Haul see their web page.

UCPD And Feds Ransack Berkeley Activist Community Center

From:    "Political Prisoner News" <ppnews@freedomarchives.org>
Date: Wed, August 27, 2008

<http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2008/08/27/18530389.php>UCPD and
Feds Raid Long Haul Infoshop
Wed Aug 27 2008

UCPD And Feds Ransack Berkeley Activist Community Center
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2008/08/27/18530407.php
<http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2008/08/27/18530389.php>
p1010043.jpg
At around 10:30am, 5-6 Officers made there way into the Long Haul
Infoshop and broke down every door and stole every single computer on
the property. Computers taken including those used by the
<http://slingshot.tao.ca/>Slingshot collective and
<http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=317722886>East
Bay Prisoner Support. The police also raided cabinets, cut locks and
scattered sorted mail.

People arrived after being informed of the situation, and demanded
that the police show a warrant. The police said they would show one
once they were done, and they did. Both
<http://www.berkeleycopwatch.org/>CopWatch and
<http://www.berkeleydailyplanet.com/>The Berkeley Daily Planet were
there to cover the incident. The departments involved were 4 UC
Berkeley cops, 1 Alameda County Sheriff, and 1 Federal agent. The
police never explained the reason for the raid other than that the
computer equipment "may have been used to commit a felony". This is
the first time the infoshop has been raided.

Freedom Archives
522 Valencia Street
San Francisco, CA 94110

415 863-9977

www.Freedomarchives.org Questions and comments may be sent to
claude@freedomarchives.org

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

update on 3 arrested comrades in greece

Update 25th august

Today on the 25th of august Vasilis Palaiokostas was brought to pre-trial
court, where where was decided he will go to prison indeed until the real
trial.
About 25 solidarious people had gathered around the court house between
9:30 and 10:00 to show their warm feelings to Palaiokostas and their anger
against the system he has been sabotaging so fierce and rebellious for the
last decades, but has now captured him for to burry in their rotten
dungeons.
He defended himself, even though a lawyer was there for him, but not
present in the courtroom.
after about 3 hours he was taken out through the back entrance, with lost
of 'Ekami' (special elite forces) around him and bourgeois press jumping
on him. The people in solidarity couldn't come any closer then about 200
m. due to an aggressive line up from different kinds of police, but
shouted many slogans, which he certainly must have heard.
Someof these slogans (translated):

-"Cops, Pigs, Murderers!"
-"The passion for freedom is stronger then all prisons!"
-"Politicians, Industrialists, Kapitalistst; Hangings and kidnaps are
coming!"
-"Hate, Hate, Hate, Class-hate,
Kicks and punches to every employer!"

Until now, nothing is known what was said in the court by either
Palaiokostas, or the judges.
We will be back tomorrow morning for the trial of Vagelis and Polikarpos.

...

Update 26th august

Further details of the case:
Today, Polikarpos and Vagelis were sent to the court, but declared
ofcourse nothing. They said they will make a statement at the trial.
Also the fourth man, Asimakis Lazarides, who was arrested on Crete was
send there today, seperately from the two comrades. When he got arrested
earlier, he already made a declaration to the police and it is clear that
he was the one that gave the crucial info to the cops concerning the
whereabouts and identity of the reast of the group. There was some
expectations he would change his testimony in court today, but this did
not happen. For the reason of this man being not only a bastard for
spending the money on luxury cars, casino's and prostitutes, but mainly
for being a snitch, the rest of the people have taken clear distance from
him.
The other four people are the family of Giorgos Haralabidis, another
famous Greek bankrobber, serving a prisontime at the moment of 16 years
for doing what he does; robbing banks. This friday he will go to pre-trial
as well, for his accused role in the kidnapping. In the meantime his time
in prison does not count for the sixteen years (of wich he has served 3,
years now). His family is accused for playing a minor role in the
kidnapping, and unfortunately, they have made statements to the police
while being under 24 hours secret arrest. The psychological pressure was
to much for them, and also they were obviously not very aware of the risks
of this case. It is not clear if they will stay in prison for a long time.
Yesterday Palaiokostas was send to prison of Korfu,
Kerkyra, which is known to be one of the worst and brutal prisons and more
difficult to escae from.
Vagelis today was send to the prison of Domokos and Polikarpo was send to
the prison of Loannina (Stavraki) wich is a prison with mostly long
senteced people.
For all of them counts that the pre-trial detention can take upto a
maximum of 18 months, if there has not been a trial by then thy should be
let out. It is of course in their case very unlikely that they will come
out any time soon, at least Palaiokostas is going in for a very long time.
Today the police announced to have also found a house in Peraia, where
Palaiokostas had kept 3 million euro's and a big stash of guns.


--
for anarchy!

Tre Arrow & Daniel McGowan moved

ELP Information Bulletin (26th August 2008)

Dear friends

ELP has received two bits of American news, both Tre and Daniel have been moved again. Below are the e-mails from their respective support campaigns.....

FROM TRE'S SUPPORT GROUP

Tre has been moved to Sheridan Prison. He is currently in their Federal
Detention Center (FDC). Eventually he will move to Sheridan's Federal
Correctional Institute (FCI), where he will serve his time. If you would
like to write to Tre, you may do so at the address below. We will let you
know when he is moved and what his new address will be. Remember that all
correspondences are read and copied. Tre would love to hear from you!

Tre Arrow #70936-065
Sheridan Federal Detention Center
P.O. Box 6000
Sheridan, OR 07378
USA

+++

FROM DANIEL'S SUPPORT GROUP

Daniel was moved this past weekend so we wanted to quickly get out his new (and long-term) address:

DANIEL McGOWAN #63794-053
USP MARION
U.S. PENITENTIARY
P.O. BOX 1000
MARION, IL 62959
USA

Please be mindful of what you write. All mail is assumed to be read and copied. Do not use any initials or anything that can be misconstrued as code.

More to come.

Thanks!

+++

Both Tre (a raw energy vegan) and Daniel (vegetarian) are both well known dedicated, compassionate, caring individuals and ELP encourages everyone to send them letters of support. However please remember, Daniel is doing a 'Tour of Grand Juries' at the moment, so think about it and don't write anything that could be misunderstood by the authorities.

+++++++++++++++++

Earth Liberation Prisoners Support Network
BM Box 2407
London
WC1N 3XX
England
www.spiritoffreedom.org.uk

Sixth Issue of UNTIL RETURN Now Available Online!

For Immediate Release
August 26, 2008

Sixth Issue of UNTIL RETURN Now Available Online!

The International Committee of Al-Awda's Media Center is pleased to announce that the Sixth Issue of Until Return is now available online.

Among the items in this issue are:

Contents

A-Awda Handala

Sustain Al-Awda!
Monthly or Annually

Danger Ahead
Mahmoud Darwish 1941 - 2008
Um Amer by Khairyeh Zubaidi
Important Dates in Palestinian History: June, July, August and September by Nader Abuljebain

To view the entire Sixth Issue of our newsletter, please go to:
http://www.al-awda.org/until-return/6.html

As always, we invite our readers to write to us at media@al-awda.org with their comments, suggestions and submissions for future issues. We depend on your input!

Until Return,

Al-Awda Media Center
The Palestine Right to Return Coalition
2734 Loker Avenue West Suite K
Carlsbad, CA 92010, USA
Tel: 760-918-9441
Fax: 760-918-9442
E-mail:
media@al-awda.org
WWW: http://al-awda.org

Al-Awda, The Palestine Right to Return Coalition (PRRC) is the largest network of grassroots activists and students dedicated to advocacy for the restoration of full Palestinian human, national, legal, and historical rights with particular emphasis on the right of Palestinians to return to their homes and lands of origin. PRRC is a not for profit tax-exempt educational and charitable 501(c)(3) organization as defined by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) of the United States of America. Under IRS guidelines, your donations to PRRC are tax-deductible. To donate, please go to http://www.al-awda.org/donate.html and follow the instructions.

ENDORSE THE FREE THE CUBAN 5 MONTH

Endorsers:

  • The Popular Education Project to free the Cuban 5
  • EL Frente Socialista-Comite de NYC
  • International Committee for the Freedom of the Cuban 5
  • Al-Awda Right to Return
  • The Malcolm X Grassroots Movement
  • Brigada Vilma Guillois Espin
  • The ProLibertad Freedom Campaign
  • New York Anarchist Black Cross Federation
  • The Philadelphia Cuba Solidarity Coalition
  • Nicaragua Solidarity Committee Chicago
  • The Cuba Solidarity Committee in Houston
  • Puerto Rican Alliance Of Los Angeles
  • Radical Women
  • Freedom Socialist Party
  • The Venceremos Brigade
  • December 12th Movement
  • The Orange County KPFK Support Group
  • International Action Center
  • Troops Out Now Coalition
  • Worker’s World Party
  • MarVellAlliance
  • Fuerza de la Revolucion
  • NYC Jericho Movement
  • Cuba Solidarity New York
  • Peace and Freedom Party
  • All African People’s Revolutionary Party
  • African Awareness Association
  • DC metro Committee to Free the Cuban Five
  • Cuban en focus WBAI radio 99.5fm
  • Alliance for Global Justice
  • Nicaragua Network
  • Venezuela Solidarity Network
  • Rev. Luis Barrios, St. Mary’s Episcopal Church
  • Amigos de CLARIDAD
  • October 27th Committee
  • The Nationalist Party of Puerto Rico-New York
  • The Puerto Rican Independence Party/NYC
  • Critical Resistance Baltimore Chapter
  • Baltimore Nonviolence Center

To Endorse the Free the Cuban 5 Month and organzie an event please contact: freethecuban5@gmail.com

FREE THE CUBAN 5 MONTH CALENDAR OF EVENTS:

Sat. Sept. 13th-All out to Malcolm X Park in Washington DC at 10am! 10th anniversary of the arrest of the Cuban 5! For ticket information in NYC contact: 917-887-8710

Sat. Sept. 13th-CINCO ESTRELLAS Y UN CANTO/ FIVE STARS AND ONE SONG Featuring DANNY RIVERA VICTOR VICTOR, The Dynamic CHUCHITO VALDÉS PUERTO RICAN GOLDEN JAZZ ALL STARS 7:30 PM, Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture, 450 Grand Concourses at 149th Street, Bronx, New York , Admission: $35.00 – VIP $100 (Group, senior and student rates available) Box Office and Information: 718-518-4455

Tues. Sept. 16th-LETTER WRITING NIGHT IN BROOKLYN at 7pm with the New York Anarchist Black Cross Federation, In Brooklyn 123 Tompkins Avenue, between Myrtle & Vernon Avenues www.123communityspace.org/directions

Sun. Sept. 21st-People’s Mass with La Iglesia San Romero de Las Americas at 12:30pm at La Iglesia San Romero de Las Americas/UCC at 2410 Amsterdam Avenue 4th Floor New York , NY 10040 Telephone #: 212 - 237-8747

Fri. Sept. 26-Boricuas for the Cuban 5 event at Cemi Underground at 6:30pm 1799 Lexington Avenue @ 112th St. Special Film on the Cuban 5 will be shown: Against The Silence in our own Voices: The Family of the Cuban 5 Speak out! For more information call 212-860-2820

Sun. Sept. 28th-Poetry/cultural Event at Sista’s Place 456 Nostrand Avenue Brooklyn, NY A or C train to Nostrand (corner of Nostrand & Jefferson Aves., entrance on Jefferson) Sponsored by the December 12th Movement. For more information contact: 718-398-1766

Fri. Oct 3rd-Venceremos Brigade Galeria Cubana: Report back from the 39th Contingent to Cuba Summer 2008 at 6pm! Featuring art, video footage, photos, and memories and more! 235 w23rd St (7th-8th Avenues) Food, drinks for sale! For more information contact: Vbrigade@gmail.com or call 212-560-4360

Wed. Oct. 8th-Concert for the Cuban 5 at 9pm in Durham, NC 119 West St. Durham, NC

Fri. October 10th- 10th Anniversary Jericho March in NYC for all Political Prisoners and Prisoners of War in New York City at 12pm! Check the Jericho Website: www.jerichony.org and Contact GET INVOLVED! For more information: 718-853-0893, 206-888-4001, and nycjericho@gmail.com

Sun. Oct. 12th-Free the Cuban 5 event in Baltimore, sponsored by the Critical Resistance Baltimore Chapter; Baltimore Nonviolence Center at 4pm Cork Factory Building Cork Gallery 4th Floor Doorbell #9 302 E Federal. For more information call 443-850-2840

Sat. Nov. 1st-Cuban 5 event with the Radical Women and the Freedom Socialist Party at Freedom Hall in Harlem at 6:30pm! Freedom Hall 113 w128th St. (Between Malcolm X Blvd./Lenox Ave. and Adam Clayton Powell Blvd. Take subways #2 or 3 to 125th St.; #4,5 or 6 to 125th St. and walk west four blocks; A,B, C or D to 125th St. and walk east three blocks. For more information call 212-222-0633

*IN SEPTEMBER CUBAN EN FOCUS WILL FEATURE AN INTERVIEW WITH THE POPULAR EDUCATION PROJECT TO FREE THE CUBAN 5 ABOUT HE FREE THE CUBAN 5 MONTH

IRA prisoners seek jail time compensation

Hundreds of former IRA prisoners are attempting to have their convictions overturned and sue the Government for compensation.

By Jon Swaine Telegraph
26 Aug 2008

The republican party Sinn Féin has said that former inmates will allege that confessions were extracted from them under duress, amid mistreatment in security force holding centres in Northern Ireland.

About 300 former inmates of the Maze prison and other jails have consulted lawyers and prisoner campaign groups over potential claims, it has emerged.

Many of the former prisoners say they cannot find jobs, insurance or loans because of their convictions. They are also barred from entering some countries, including the US.

Carál Ní Chuilín, a Sinn Féin Assembly member, said that many of the IRA convicts spent time in prison for crimes they did not commit.

"The issue about this is it affected republicans and loyalists," she said. "People from unionist and nationalist working-class areas were in the wrong place at the wrong time and ended up spending their lives in jail."

Michael Culbert, the director of Coiste na n-Iarchimi, a republican prisoners' lobby group, said: "So many of them were in jail for things they actually had nothing to do with. Many were convicted by signing false statements under torture or under the flimsiest of evidence and were locked away for years."

Earlier this year Danny Morrison, a former prisoner and Sinn Féin publicity director, successfully challenged a 1991 conviction he received for falsely imprisoning an IRA informer. The case of Morrison, who is now expected to receive substantial compensation, is set to be used as a precedent by new claimants.

Some relatives of those killed by the IRA have expressed their anger at the claims. Willie Frazer, of the pressure group Families Acting for Innocent Relatives, whose father James was shot dead by the IRA in 1975, said: "These people are terrorists who maimed and murdered innocent people. They want to rub salt in the wounds of the victims of their terrorist crimes."

"People must realise how sick these people are. Wanting compensation from the Government is one sickening step too far. We don't want to hear IRA men telling us they are entitled to compensation because they were locked up for their crimes. They must not succeed."

Friday, August 22, 2008

Briana Waters moved

ELP Information Bulletin (22nd August 2008)

Dear friends

ELP has just learnt that American prisoner, Briana Waters, has been moved. Briana is serving a six year sentence for allegedly acting as a look-out during an ELF arson. There was no evidence to support the case against Briana other than the words of two police informants who lied to the police to try and get a lighter sentence. Briana's new address is:

Briana Waters 36432-086
FCI Danbury
Federal Correctional Institution
Route 37
Danbury, CT 06811
USA

+++++++

Earth Liberation Prisoners Support Network
BM Box 2407
London
WC1N 3XX
England
www.spiritoffreedom.org.uk

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Sean Kirtley moved

ELP Information Bulletin (21st Agust 2008)

Dear friends

ELP has just learnt that British animal rights prisoner, Sean Kirtley, who is jailed for running a website which encouraged LAWFUL protest, has been moved. His new address is:

Sean Kirtley WC 6977
HMP Stafford
54 GAOL RD
Stafford
ST16 3AW
England

Sean's supporters have also asked ELP to remind everyone that Seans Birthday is on the 11th of December. Please do send Sean a card on the 11th.

+++++++++

Earth Liberation Prisoners Support Network
BM Box 2407
London
WC1N 3XX
England
www.spiritoffreedom.org.uk

Michael Sykes moved

ELP Information Bulletin (21st August 2008)

Dear friends

The young American anarchist, Micahel Sykes, who has been jailed for a number of activities including an anti-urban sprawl arson, burning the American flag, spray painting an Anarchist symbol and criminal damage, has been moved to a new address. His new address is

Michael Sykes 696693
3855 Cooper St
Jackson, MI 49201
USA

+++++++++++++

Earth Liberation Prisoners Support Network
BM Box 2407
London
WC1N 3XX
England
www.spiritoffreedom.org.uk

New Grand Jury Subpoena, Erie PA

An Activist in Athens, Georgia named Kevin Tucker has announced that
today he was served a subpoena to appear in front of a federal grand
jury in Erie, Pennsylvania on September 9th. He has released no other
information, but plans to as soon as he knows more and is able to get
legal consultation.

Another UW arsonist sentenced to federal prison

From the Seattle Post Intelligencer:

Another UW arsonist sentenced to federal prison
By PAUL SHUKOVSKY

A Spokane woman was sentenced Tuesday to three years in federal
prison in the May 2001 firebombing of the University of Washington
Center for Urban Horticulture.

Lacey Phillabaum, 33, of Spokane, is one of five people -- members of
a domestic terrorist group called the Earth Liberation Front -- who
were accused by federal prosecutors of the arson attack that
destroyed the building along with precious samples of rare and
endangered plants species being cultivated for reintroduction into
the Cascades. The ELF cell, dubbed "The Family," acted on the
erroneous belief that a scientist at the center was doing the kind of
genetic engineering work that they reviled as being dangerous to the
environment.

Phillabaum cried in court, but composed herself to apologize to her
victims. "When I think about the damage I did to you my heart is
heavy," she said. "I acted as a bully and a tyrant, and I am ashamed
that I tried to strong-arm social change."

Phillabaum pleaded guilty in October 2006 in an agreement with the
U.S. Attorney's office in Seattle that called for a 36-month sentence.

Her sentence is the second lowest of a dozen members of The Family
sentenced in the last two years for either the UW arson, other arson
attacks, or both. It reflects the government's acknowledgment that,
unlike several other members of The Family, she was involved in only
one arson and that she has done everything that she can to atone for
her crime, including testifying against other ELF members, Assistant
U.S. Attorney Andrew Friedman told the court.

Her role in the arson involved helping to haul the firebomb to the
Urban Horticulture Center, located near the University Village mall.
She also helped draft a statement of responsibility released after
the attack which said such genetic engineering would unleash mutant
genes into the environment that is certain to cause irreversible harm
to forest ecosystems. "I know there are people out there who are
being pulled into the same radical subculture that glamorized arson
for me," Phillabaum told the court Tuesday. "Radical activists who
are cheering you on from the sidelines cannot know how it feels to
have tried this, how your ideals might change afterwards. So listen
to me: No matter your commitment today, when you bind to a crime like
this, you spit on the rich experience of life."

Jennifer Kolar, another member of the ELF cell, pleaded guilty to the
UW arson at the same time as Phillabaum. She was sentenced in July to
five years in prison. Kolar played a role in an ELF rampage of arson
over several years that included not only the UW, but also an Oregon
meat packing plant, a Colorado gun club whose members killed prairie
dogs for sport and a federal wild horse and burro facility where the
animals slated to be killed for grazing on federal land were freed
before the place was torched.

Briana Waters was sentenced in June to six years in prison after
being found guilty at trial of the UW firebombing. Federal
prosecutors allege that Waters -- like Kolar -- participated in other
arsons.

Two other alleged ELF members accused of firebombing the Urban
Horticulture Center have evaded justice. William Rodgers killed
himself in a county jail in Prescott, Ariz., in December 2005 shortly
after being arrested for the UW arson. And Justin Solondz, of
Jefferson County, is a fugitive.

U.S. District Court Judge Franklin Burgess, in handing down the
sentence, said: "Without her participation, and without her
substantial assistance in this matter, this case might not have
gotten off the ground."

He also ordered three years of supervised release for Phillabaum,
who, like others convicted in the arson, is also on the hook for
nearly $6.1 million in restitution.

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

Spotlight on Incarcerated Women: Conditions, Profiteering and Resistance NYC Bookstore event September 17

If you will be in New York City on September 17 you may want to attend the below event. Please let folks know about it.

http://women.prisonersresistance.org/node/21

Wednesday, September 17th!

Spotlight on Incarcerated Women: Conditions, Profiteering and Resistance

a joint benefit for Prison Legal News and Books Through Bars--NYC

Wed, Sept 17th, 7 pm

The number of women in prison has nearly tripled within the past 2 decades.
Join investigative journalist and author of Women Behind Bars Silja Talvi,
founding editor of Prison Legal News (and co-editor of Prison Profiteers) Paul
Wright, former drug war prisoner Yraida Guanipa, and Books Through Bars
co-founder (and author of the forthcoming Resistance Behind Bars) Victoria Law
for a discussion on who profits from this increase, conditions
inside and resistance both inside and out.

Paul Wright is the editor and co-founder of Prison Legal News, the longest
publishing independent prisoner rights magazine in US history. He co-edited The
Celling of America: An Inside Look at the US Prison Industry; Prison Nation:
The Warehousing of America's Poor,
and Prison Profiteers: Who Makes Money
from Mass Imprisonment
. Both during and since his 17-year incarceration, he has
successfully litigated a wide variety of censorship and public records issues
against prison systems around the country both pro se, as a plaintiff, on
behalf of other prisoners and on behalf of Prison Legal News.

Silja J.A. Talvi is an investigative journalist, essayist, and author of Women
Behind Bars
: The Crisis of Women in the U.S. Prison System
. Her work has
appeared in nearly a dozen book anthologies, including Prison Profiteers, and
in over 75 publications nationwide. Silja is the recipient of 12 regional
awards for excellence in journalism from the Society of Professional
Journalists
(in the Pacific Northwest); five awards for excellence in criminal
justice reporting from the National Council on Crime and Delinquency; and a
national award for immigration reporting from the New American Media
Foundation
.

Yraida L. Guanipa was sentenced to nearly 11 years as a first-time non-violent
offender under the federal sentencing guidelines. While incarcerated, she
fought for programs to maintain family bonds and abolish the prison/slave labor
system. She was released in 2006. She continues fighting for more just systems
and is working to reestablish the bonds with her now-teenage sons.

Victoria Law (facilitator) has been involved with prisoner issues for the past
15 years and has focused specifically on incarcerated women's issues since
2000. She is the co-founder of Books Through Bars—NYC and the editor of the
zine "Tenacious: Art and Writings from Women in Prison." She is the author
of the forthcoming Resistance Behind Bars: The Struggles of Incarcerated Women.

Bluestockings Bookstore
172 Allen Street (between Stanton and Rivington Streets), LES
www.bluestockings.com
212-777-6028

$5 to $10 suggested donation. No one turned away for lack of funds.

F or V train to 2nd avenue. Exit on the 1st Avenue side.

Paul Wright, Editor
Prison Legal News
P.O. Box 2420
West Brattleboro, VT 05303
802-257-1342
pwright@prisonlegalnews.org
www.prisonlegalnews.org

Running Down the Walls - This Saturday!

Run for their lives!

Support United States Political Prisoners and Prisoners-of-War at the 7th RUNNING DOWN THE WALLS!

On Saturday, August 23, 2008 join in the community effort to support and raise awareness of those who have been targeted and punished for their political actions and beliefs.

RUNNING DOWN THE WALLS is a 5k non-competitive run/walk/bike in the beautiful Whittier Narrows Regional Park. Registered participants will receive food and entertainment and there will be water available at rest stops along the route. Registration entry fees are: $12 for pre-registration, $15 for registration at the run site. Supporters who wish not to run, walk or bike may make a donation. Registration will begin at 9:30 a.m. Further games, entertainment, and speakers will continue after the run and will last until 2:00 p.m.

Proceeds from this 5K run will benefit the ABCF Warchest. Founded in 1994, the program has provided consistent and reliable financial aid to Political Prisoners held within the US prison system. Since its creation, it has raised over $50,000 for these prisoners and will continue in these efforts. A portion of the proceeds will also go to El Centro Cultural de Mexico, a community center in Santa Ana dedicated to developing a cultural and educational bridge that brings together a variety of cultural projects from Mexico, Central and South America. Proceeds will also go to the Committee to Free Chip Fitzgerald, a support group dedicated to the release of Romaine 'Chip' Fitzgerald. Chip is the longest held Black Panther political prisoner in the United States.

In the previous years, we have had solidarity runs in several cities and over ten US prisons, including USP Leavenworth and Walpole State Prison. For this year, we currently have solidarity runs in various prisons and cities including: Humboldt (CA), New York (NY), Phoenix (AZ), Tucson (AZ), Missoula (MT), Inez (KY), Walpole (MA), Navasota (TX). We hope to add more cities and prisons in the coming weeks.

This year’s Running Down the Walls is taking place on August 23rd in honor of former political prisoners, Sacco and Vanzetti. On this day in 1927, both men were executed by the state of Massachusetts for being anti-war, immigrants and anarchists. Today, there are over 150 Political Prisoners and Prisoners-of-War in the United States. These prisoners have been unfairly incarcerated while fighting for social justice and self-determination. They are our generation’s Sacco and Vanzetti. Show them you care for and support their efforts by RUNNING DOWN THE WALLS!

When: August 23, 2008 9:30am-2pm

Where: Whittier Narrows Recreation Area, 750 Santa Anita Ave South El Monte, CA 91733-4300

For more information, please check out our website: www.abcf.net/la

LA-ABCF

PO Box 11223

Whittier, CA 90603

la@abcf.net

(562) 777 8450

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Sea Shepherd activists put on international wanted list

ELP Information Bulletin (18th of August 2008)

Dear friends

ELP has just learnt that Japan has named three Sea Shepherd activists on an international wanted list following last years anti-whaling protests. Below is a mainstream media article about Japan's actions.

As always, subject to ELP's normal guidelines, ELP will be supporting any Sea Shepherd activist arrested as a result of Japan's actions and we will bring you more news on this as we get it.


http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/aug/18/japan?gusrc=rss&feed=networkfront

# Justin McCurry in Tokyo
# guardian.co.uk,
# Monday August 18 2008


Japan seeks to arrest Sea Shepherd anti-whaling activists
Police to place men - including one Briton - on international wanted list
after clashes last year

Japan today said it would take legal action against three members of the
Sea Shepherd conservation group, including one Briton, whom it accused of
obstructing its whaling fleet during clashes in the Antarctic in February
2007.

In a further sign of Japan's hardline stance against anti-whaling
activists, police will place the men, a Briton named by sources as Daniel
Bebawi, 28, from Nottingham, and two Americans on an international wanted
list as soon as arrest warrants are issued.

"It's only natural to seek an arrest warrant as we've determined that a
crime was committed," Nobutaka Machimura, the government's chief
spokesman, told reporters.

"Regardless of the differences of opinion, it is unacceptable that those
involved (in whaling) get injured … or have their lives put in danger."

Sea Shepherd was unavailable for comment this afternoon.

Last month, police charged two Greenpeace activists with stealing a
consignment of whale meat. The protesters intercepted the meat to support
allegations that Japanese whalers were selling it on the black market.

Junichi Sato and Toru Suzuki, both members of the group's Japan branch,
are accused of stealing a box containing 23kg of whale meat from a postal
company warehouse in April.

Japan claims the three men involved in the Sea Shepherd case illegally
obstructed the whaling fleet by jamming the propeller of the Kaiko Maru
with a rope and throwing flares on to its deck.

Police will not pursue allegations that two whalers were injured by
containers of butyric acid - rancid butter - hurled by Sea Shepherd
activists.

The environmental group says the Kaiko Maru twice rammed one of its ships,
leaving gashes in its hull, and denies whalers were hurt in the acid
attacks.

Japan's recent hunt in the southern ocean was frustrated by protests from
Sea Shepherd and Greenpeace. The country had planned to catch 850 minke
whales but returned with 551.

Sea Shepherd has vowed to disrupt the next whaling expedition, due to
start at the end of the year.

The International Whaling Commission banned commercial whaling in 1986 but
allows Japan to conduct "lethal research" into the cetaceans' migratory
and breeding habits.

The moratorium requires that meat from the hunts be sold on the open
market, although domestic consumption is at an all-time low.

++++++++++++++++

Earth Liberation Prisoners Support Network
BM Box 2407
London
WC1N 3XX
England
www.spiritoffreedom.org.uk

Sept 13 for the cuban 5

International Committee for the Freedom of the Cuban Five

(www.thecuban5.org)

In collaboration with the

The Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture

Presents

CINCO ESTRELLAS Y UN CANTO/ FIVE STARS AND ONE SONG

Featuring

DANNY RIVERA

“La Voz de Puerto Rico”

Singer-Songwriter

VICTOR VICTOR

The Dynamic

CHUCHITO VALDÉS

PUERTO RICAN GOLDEN JAZZ ALL STARS

Featuring Eric Figueroa, Endel Dueño, Ramón Vázquez

Ritchie Flores and Alfredo De La Fe

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 13TH AT 7:30 PM

Hostos Center for the Arts & Culture

450 Grand Concourses at 149th Street, Bronx, New York

Admission: $35.00 – VIP $100

(Group, senior and student rates available)

Box Office and Information: 718-518-4455

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 13

WASHINGTON, DC

PROTEST 10 YEARS OF INJUSTICE!

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!

FREE THE CUBAN FIVE!

10 am: Morning Rally, Malcolm X Park

12 noon: March to the White House

2:30 pm: Indoor Rally, Location TBA

*The Cuban Five are five Cuban men who are in U.S. prisons serving four life sentences and 75 years collectively after being arrested in September 1998 and wrongly convicted in U.S. federal court in Miami in 2001. They are: Gerardo Hernandez, Ramon Labanino, Antonio Guererro, Fernando Gonzalez and Rene Gonzalez.
*They were falsely accused by the U.S. government of committing espionage conspiracy against the United States. and related charges. But the Five pointed out vigorously in their defense that they were fighting terrorism- they were monitoring the actions of CIA-backed Miami-based terrorist groups, in order to prevent attacks on Cuba.
*The Five's actions were never directed at the U.S. government. They never harmed anyone nor ever possessed nor used any weapons while in the United States.
*On 9 separate occasions, the U.S. government has denied entry visas to the Adriana Perez and- Olga Salanueva to visit their imprisoned husbands. It has been almost 10 years since they last embraced.

Their visitation rights must be respected!


For more information, visit

www.thecubanfive.org

National Contact Information:

(917) 887 8710 (NYC)

www.freethefive.org * www.freethecubanfive.com * www.nyfreethefive.org

Washington 202 340 5623

Local Contact Information:

Contact local organizers for information on transportation to Washington, DC and to volunteer

&nbs p;
For information in Detroit, MI
US-Cuba Labor Exchange 313 587 9285 Email:
laborexchange@aol.com

Sunday, August 17, 2008

LA-ABCF Study Group/Letter Writing Night - Tonight!

On Sunday, August 17, the LA-ABCF will be hosting a study group/letter writing night. We encourage all allies of our imprisoned comrades to join us for this evening of education and solidarity.

The study group/letter writing night will begin at 5 pm, where we will be discussing the cases of some of the less recognized political prisoners and the movements from which they came. We will also discuss material for future study group nights.

After six, we will begin a letter writing session with an emphasis on specific prisoners. Information will be provided regarding the case history of much of the prisoners supported by the LA-ABCF.

We hope that people will understand the importance of solidarity and mutual aid with our comrades in the inside and join us for this night of food, discussion and solidarity.

Where:

1315 Bush Street Santa Ana, ca 92701

(Off the 5 freeway and seventeenth street.

When:

Sunday August 17,2008 @5pm-on*

*From 3:30-5:00 there will be an ABCF meeting regarding our next event (Running Down the Walls). All are welcome!

What you should bring:

Vegan potluck food, some food will be provided but the more the merrier.

Pens, writing paper, envelopes and stamps will be provided just bring an open mind an a strong will.

Saturday, August 16, 2008

Certain Days 2009


REDUCED PRICE! NOW ONLY $12 ($8 for bulk copies)!

Visit www.certaindays.org to order the 2009 Certain Days: Freedom for
Political Prisoners Calendar now!

42 GORGEOUS FULL-COLOUR PAGES OF ART AND WRITINGS! A GREAT FUNDRAISER
FOR GROUPS! AN IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTION TO GRASSROOTS ORGANIZING! AND A
GREAT GIFT!

Featuring DRUM (Desis Rising Up and Moving), Philly's Pissed, Incite!,
Sumoud, Alvaro Luna Hernandez, Inside Books Project, Laura Whitehorn,
Robert Seth Hayes, David Gilbert, Herman Bell, Peter Collins, The
Cuban Five, Victory Gardens, Common Ground, Native Youth Movement and
more!

It has always been one of our goals in producing Certain Days to
inspire organizers to keep on fighting. The calendar is an organizing
tool – a fundraiser as well as a medium to spread information – but we
also aim to have it be a reminder that we're in this to win. In trying
to select the theme for this year's edition of Certain Days, we wanted
to focus on this – on the hope and inspiration that is needed to
sustain the often daunting day-to-day work of creating a more just
society.

Grassroots campaigns – past and present, inside and outside prisons –
provide many, many examples of how we can win, and how in many ways we
already are. Across the continent and around the world people are
building community resources and practices that give a glimpse of the
society we hope to build. This year's edition of Certain Days features
writing and artwork about such local grassroots organizing efforts.
AIDS education, Palestinian solidarity, Indigenous resistance against
the Olympics, and ending violence against women are just some of the
topics that grace these pages. Many of the images were originally
produced as posters or graphics for grassroots campaigns – the art
itself is activism.

As mentioned above, this calendar is meant to be an organizing tool.
We hope that its content inspires and informs your own work, but
moreover if you have fundraising to do for your campaign(s) we
encourage you to get in touch about distributing the calendar in your
community, and putting the difference between the bulk price and the
cover price back into your own organizing. Groups that have done this
in the past tell us that this has not only help them raise funds, but
allowed them to engage the buyers in a dialogue about the connections
between the work they do and the work of winning freedom for political
prisoners.

We see strong connections between the struggles inside the prison
walls and those on the outside, between the organizing that landed
political prisoners in prison in the first place and the campaigns to
free them, between prisoner justice work and the many other forms of
justice work discussed in this edition of the calendar. We hope to see
these connections deepened by dialogue and solidarity between the many
movements represented here. There are lessons to be drawn, and
inspiration too.

Enjoy the calendar, and keep up the good work!

Certain Days - a QPIRG Concordia working group

www.certaindays.org

QPIRG Concordia
1500 de Maisonneuve Ouest, suite 204
514-848-7583 fax: 514-848-7584
qpirgconcordia.orgqpirg@qpirgconcordia.org

Support Parole Transfers for Herman & Jali

Herman & Jalil are issuing this urgent message requesting friends and
supporters to contact the Governors of New York and California to
expedite the signing and execution of amended Executive Agreements,
which will allow Judge Moscone to issue an order to return them both
to NY State to attend their parole hearings.

In 2007, Herman and Jail were extradited from New York State to
California to face charges in the SF8 case. Both were scheduled for
parole hearings on their New York sentences in the spring of 2008.
It would have been their third appearance before the board. Under a
New York parole regulation, however, no hearing can be held unless
they are physically present.

On May 18, 2008, SF Judge Moscone agreed with the consent of the
state prosecutor and the SF County Sheriff to return them both to NY
State for parole hearings – their legal right after more than 35
years of imprisonment.

On June 16th, Judge Moscone rescinded his May 18th order due to
pressure from the CA Attorney General’s office, and held the
transfer in abeyance until new language was adopted to conform with
the concerns of the Attorney General. The Attorney General’s office
has drafted an amended Executive Agreement which would allow the
brothers to return to New York, although the Attorney General has
refused to disclose the text of the amended agreement to the brothers
or their attorneys. According to the Attorney General’s office
the amended Executive Agreements have been sent to California’s
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and New York’s Governor Paterson to
be signed.

Herman and Jalil have a liberty interest in returning to New York.
If these brothers were granted parole, then it is likely that they
would also be granted bail in the SF8 case. All other brothers in
the SF8 case are out on bail despite the severity of the charges.
The Attorney General’s tactics to prevent Herman and Jalil from
returning to New York to attend their parole hearings infringes upon
the brothers right to liberty.

If parole hearings await the resolution of the SF8 charges, it could
be another year or two before Herman and Jalil are given hearings.

Please contact the Governors of New York and California by phone,
letter or email

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
State Capitol Building
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: 916-445-2841
Fax: 916-558-3160
Email: http://gov.ca.gov/interact#email

David A. Paterson
State Capitol
Albany, NY 12224
518-474-8390
Email: http://161.11.121.121/govemail

Urge them to sign the amended Executive Agreements which will allow
Herman Bell and Jalil Muntaqim (Anthony Bottom) to return to New York
State to attend their rightful parole hearings.

Tre gets 78 months

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/nation/20080812-1624-wst-trearrowsentenced.html

Tre Arrow sentenced to 78 months for arson

By William McCall
ASSOCIATED PRESS

4:24 p.m. August 12, 2008

PORTLAND, Ore. – One of the last of more than a dozen environmental
activists convicted of arson as a protest tactic across the West
beginning in the late 1990s was been sentenced Tuesday to 78 months in
federal prison.

Tre Arrow had pleaded guilty to setting fire to cement trucks at Ross
Island Sand and Gravel Co. in April 2001 and to logging trucks at
Schoppert Logging Co. in June 2001.

The 34-year-old activist who said he changed his name from Michael
Scarpitti because the trees told him to do it will get credit for about
four years served in a Canadian prison while he was battling extradition
to the United States.

The prosecutor said everybody involved in the long investigation was
happy that Arrow admitted guilt after denying it for years.

“To finally see it finished is satisfying for everybody,” said Assistant
U.S. Attorney Stephen Peifer during a brief news conference outside the
federal courthouse.

“After years of denying it, now we know the truth,” Peifer said.

Arrow was indicted in August 2002 and became an international fugitive
until his arrest for shoplifting in Victoria, British Columbia, in March
2004.

U.S. District Judge James Redden told Arrow that a condition of his
probation after release will be to avoid contact with known members of
the Earth Liberation Front or the Animal Liberation Front, “which
advocate or participate in criminal activity.”

Peifer recommended the 78-month term based on sentencing by U.S.
District Judge Ann Aiken in Eugene last year for 10 other activists who
admitted responsibility for arson fires across the West that caused an
estimated $40 million in damage from 1996 to 2001 – including a fire at
the Vail ski resort in Colorado.

The Eugene activists were linked to the Earth Liberation Front,
including some who also were members of the Animal Liberation Front.

Arrow told Redden that he was never a threat or danger to the public and
did not believe additional prison time would change him.

“I don't feel dysfunctional in any fashion,” Arrow said. But he added:
“I do stand here today, your honor, and accept responsibility for my
actions.”

He said he felt that large corporations “have usurped much of
governmental power” and that he would continue to pursue “peaceful
activism.”

Redden responded that Arrow had admitted guilt for arson, which was not
mentioned in about 50 letters of support the court received.

“The letters tell me you are a person of great intelligence,” Redden
said, “but it was a very serious crime, and you know it.”

In addition to the group convicted in Eugene, other activists have been
convicted of arson or related crimes in Washington state and California.

Austrian prisoner, Chris Moser is out of jail!

ELP Information Bulletin (13th of August)

Dear friends

We thought people might like to know that today Austrian Animal Rights prisoners, Chris Moser and Martin Bulluch appeared in court for a bail hearing. Sadly, Martin has been remanded back into custody, but Chris Moser has been granted bail!!!!

This is brilliant news for Chris and we understand his friends & family are delighted. For more news check out either www.antirep2008.tk (German language), or http://www.vgt.at/index_en.php (English and German languages).

But please, don't forget, despite the fantastic news of Chris' release, nine of our Austrian friends remain inside. All of the Austrian prisoners deserve our support and all really do appreciate your letters of support. So please continue to send letters of support to:

Martin Balluch, (JA Josefstadt), Justizanstalt Wr. Neustadt, Maximiliang. 3, 2700 Wr. Neustadt, Austria.

Christoph, Antirep 2008, Postfach 101, 1070, Vienna, Austria.

Jürgen Faulmann, Justizanstalt Wr. Neustadt, Maximiliang. 3, 2700 Wr. Neustadt, Austria.

Felix Hnat (JA Eisenstadt), Justizanstalt Wr. Neustadt, Maximiliang. 3, 2700 Wr. Neustadt, Austria.

Jan, Antirep 2008, Postfach 101, 1070, Vienna, Austria.

Kevin Kroemmer, Antirep 2008, Postfach 101, 1070, Vienna, Austria.

Leo, Antirep 2008, Postfach 101, 1070, Vienna, Austria.

Sabine, Antirep 2008, Postfach 101, 1070, Vienna, Austria.

Elmar Völkl (JA Eisenstadt), Justizanstalt Wr. Neustadt, Maximiliang. 3, 2700 Wr. Neustadt, Austria.

==========

ELP Support Network
BM Box 2407
London
WC1N 3XX
England
www.spiritoffreedom.org.uk

Eco-saboteur prison sentence upheld

by Ashbel S. Green, The Oregonian
Tuesday August 12, 2008, 11:09 AM

A federal appeals court on Tuesday upheld a more than three-year prison
sentence imposed on a woman who admitted being part of a five-year arson
spree directed U.S. Forest Service offices, lumber businesses, meat
processing plants and a car dealership.

The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the Kendall
Tankersley's sentence was reasonable even though she was not found to
have engaged in domestic terrorism like some of her co-defendant's.

As many as 16 were involved in the conspiracy as members of the Earth
Liberation Front and Animal Liberation Front. The two groups were
implicated in more than $100 million of destruction and labeled by the
FBI as the country's leading domestic terrorist threat.

Tankersley pleaded guilty in 2006 to a conspiracy to commit a series of
arson fires from 1996 through 2001 in at least five Western states. She
also pleaded guilty to separate counts of attempted arson and arson for
a 1998 fire at the U.S. Forest Industries building in Medford.

"Please don't forget me" - Some Thoughts from the Austrian Prisoners

ELP Information Bulletin (12th August 2008)

Dear friends

ELP has received the following mailing from the VGT who are helping organise the prisoner support effort for the Austrian prisoners. The following letter is written by Chris and Martin (addresses included at the bottom of this e-mail).

Night time in the cell
Many prisoners take sleeping tablets to get to sleep. At 10 p.m. the hole in the steel cell door opens and a guard pushes the tablets in. You have to swallow the tablets in front of the guard’s eyes, so that you cannot save them up in order to use them all at once to sleep forever. Suicide is ever present here.
I don’t take any sleeping tablets. At 10 p.m. I am tired and fall asleep straight away. But, not without fear, as I know what awaits me; without fail, my mind uses the first few hours sleep to remove itself from the cell. I am free and this imprisonment, the barred window and the never changing wall by my bed – all this is just a dream. Then there is the rude awakening. Every night. Without fail.
I wake up at around 3 a.m., every time I feel relief that the endless imprisonment, the months of staring at a wall was only a dream. But, it’s the other way round. Every time I open my eyes at 3 a.m. and they slowly make sense of their surroundings, I realise step for step that I am still here, really here. And that’s when the full horror hits me. My mouth goes dry and my heart plummets. Now sleep is unthinkable, I get up and lay my face against the thick mesh bars and stare out at the prison yard. The walls are lit on all sides by flood lights. They make everything glare in a harsh white light that reaches into the cell as well. Between the flood lights there are cameras and watch towers. Everything here is morbid and inhumane. The tears trickle down my cheeks quietly and softly like the summer rain that I have not been allowed to feel for months. At least I am permitted the solitude to be able to cry alone, here in this cell full of prisoners.
Once again I feel the abyss so strongly, death so near. And no will to live. In these terrible walls there is no life.
I walk quietly up and down the cell, three steps to the wall and back again. I try to shake off all my thoughts and hope to find some security in the monotonous pacing, just like any desperate caged animal. I lie on the bed and stare up at the ceiling above me, as I have for the last months. The flood lights throw the ever same shadow from the barred window onto the wall. The eternal life threatening motionlessness. Will I ever be released from here? Once again, a thought that I must not allow.
The hours tick by. There is no horizon for me to look out at, only high walls. Slowly the sky changes. At 5.30 the sun appears behind the bars on my window, through the barbed wire on the high walls. I dread the morning, I dread every day in this shit hole at the end of the world.
Freedom
I can look through my barred prison window onto the prison yard below. The bars are not like normal window bars. They are thick and meshed. It is just about possible to push an orange pip through the holes. As a result, it is pretty dark and grim in my cell. I am separated from all outside life, and I not talking about freedom, which is out there somewhere beyond the barbed wire topped walls. I cannot see anything of freedom; no free people, no cars, no houses, only the never changing stone walls, which have been my world for months now. I think on Rosa Luxenburg and her reports from inside her cell. Pigeons. The only free creatures that I have any contact to. Right now they are sitting on top of my window and cooing. The bars on the windows are so thickly meshed apparently because the inmates here form friendships with the pigeons and feed them. Through this thick steel mesh there’s no chance of that. The last possibility of contact to outside, closed off.
The sun comes up, stretches over the sky and goes down. What time is it? It doesn’t matter. Nothing seems to matter to me. Just months of staring at the same unstructured wall.
The total desperation at being separated from those dearest to you
I didn’t want to turn around again as the officer brought me to the car, but I heard a knocking from the bedroom window and turned once more. I saw Noah looking out of the window and waving at me. I sadly waved back and tried to push back the tears….The officer also waved at Noah. I cannot begin to describe how infuriated and hurt I am by this hypocritical gesture.
This was the last day that I could hold and kiss the family that I so love. Over the last two months we have only seen each other every two weeks, separated by thick glass. Without any contact, no hugs, no kisses. It makes me crazy thinking about it. Two months ago nobody thought that this imprisonment could go on so long. How long do I have to be separated from my family? How long must my children have their father locked up, my wife her husband locked up? How do I know if the same unfounded accusations that apparently justify this remand custody won’t also be used to justify a verdict against me?
The fear of losing my family is making me ill!
Do the Public Prosecution and the judges have any idea of the consequences of their actions? Do they know what they are possibly destroying? My children need their father, my wife needs her partner. I need my family, I am terrified!
Please don’t forget me. Today, the second full month of imprisonment, I looked at the pictures of Karin and my children that I have been sent. Photos of the kids, of my home, when our life was still a life. Photos of my amazing wife, who I love so unbelievably much. Photos of my family at solidarity events, they are wearing t-shirts with “Free Chris”. Looking at these pictures makes me weep.
I cannot cope any more, desperation and fear are eating me alive. The photos of my family at the solidarity event show me what a extremely strong person Karin is. Alone with three children in this situation. My children are also strong. How long can they keep strong in this attack. Our family, our life is being destroyed, how long can we survive? Nobody could protect my family from this state attack. Nobody knows how long I will remain in here. I am terrified of losing my family and my wife. Noah, Samuel, Talia and Karin, I love you all so much! Think of me! Don’t forget me! Stay strong and don’t give up!
… They have nearly stolen the whole summer from us. When will we be able to see each other again? Without thick glass between us, without officials listening to our every word. When can I hold you again? Kiss you? Be with you? Always!!! At home. In our world.
What is it like for people who carry the responsibility for tearing a family apart? Three children and a happy relationship in danger of being destroyed. How much longer? How much longer will thousands of tears have to fall daily on the pictures of my family? I love you so! Please stay strong! I am trying too! I miss you!....two months without hugs and kisses.
Please don’t forget me. I am thinking of you. I dream of you! - Every day. I love you!....I hope for the common sense of those responsible for this situation…..hope, I don’t believe in their common sense any more! Stay strong, help each other, I love you!

ALL ten of the Austrian prisoners really do appreciate your letters of support. So please continue to send letters of support to:

Martin Balluch, (JA Josefstadt), Justizanstalt Wr. Neustadt, Maximiliang. 3, 2700 Wr. Neustadt, Austria.

Christoph, Antirep 2008, Postfach 101, 1070, Vienna, Austria.

Jürgen Faulmann, Justizanstalt Wr. Neustadt, Maximiliang. 3, 2700 Wr. Neustadt, Austria.

Felix Hnat (JA Eisenstadt), Justizanstalt Wr. Neustadt, Maximiliang. 3, 2700 Wr. Neustadt, Austria.

Jan, Antirep 2008, Postfach 101, 1070, Vienna, Austria.

Kevin Kroemmer, Antirep 2008, Postfach 101, 1070, Vienna, Austria.

Leo, Antirep 2008, Postfach 101, 1070, Vienna, Austria.

Christian Moser, Justizanstalt Wr. Neustadt, Maximiliang. 3, 2700 Wr. Neustadt, Austria.

Sabine, Antirep 2008, Postfach 101, 1070, Vienna, Austria.

Elmar Völkl (JA Eisenstadt), Justizanstalt Wr. Neustadt, Maximiliang. 3, 2700 Wr. Neustadt, Austria.

+++++++++++++

Earth Liberation Prisoners Support Network
BM Box 2407
London
WC1N 3XX
England
www.spiritoffreedom.org.uk

Mary McFate exposed as Nation Rifle Association infiltrator

There's a picture of this former infiltrator on the website:

http://abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/story?id=5541490&page=1

Senator Demands Answers From NRA
Senator Orders Explanation From NRA About Mole Accusations
By RUSSELL GOLDMAN and LEE COCHRAN
Aug. 8, 2008


A New Jersey senator is asking the National Rifle Association to explain
itself in the wake of reports last week that the organization hired a
mole to infiltrate a gun-control lobbying group in Pennsylvania.

The NRA has remained silent since reports arose last week that
62-year-old Mary McFate, who portrayed herself as a gun-control
activist, might really have been snooping on several nonviolence groups
on behalf of the NRA. Sen. Frank Lautenberg, a New Jersey Democrat, has
asked the NRA to confirm or deny the charge; reveal what she was paid,
if anything; disclose the names of any other informants in the
gun-control movement; and put a stop to the practice.

According to the AP, Sen. Frank Lautenberg, a Democrat, demanded
Thursday that the NRA respond to reports claiming the group paid
62-year-old Mary McFate to spy on nonviolence groups.

According to the Associated Press, in a letter faxed to the Virginia NRA
headquarters Thursday, Lautenberg wrote: "Although the NRA and I have
certainly had our disagreements over the year, I hope that we can agree
that the gun violence prevention debate should be based upon an open and
honest exchange of ideas, not on underhanded tactics."

The senator's demand came a week after reports that for more than a
decade, McFate worked for gun-control groups, volunteering her time to
organize protests, develop policy, lobby politicians and serve on their
executive boards.

McFate was, according to Angus McQuilken, a board member at the anti-gun
group Freedom States Alliance, on which she also served as "a model of
passionate advocacy for our cause."

But according to a report in Mother Jones magazine, McFate was really
Mary Lou Sapone, a "research consultant" hired by the National Rifle
Association to spy on the very groups who believed she was there to help.

According to Mother Jones, Sapone, operating under her maiden name
"McFate," began appearing at anti-gun protests in the 1990s, soon after
she had been outed in another case of activist espionage. In 1990 it was
revealed that she infiltrated an animal-rights group on behalf of a
surgical supply company.

Sapone served on the boards of the Freedom States Alliance and Ceasefire
Pennsylvania, and twice ran for a board position at the Brady Campaign
to Prevent Gun Violence, ABC News confirmed.

"One of the reasons we have lobbying disclosure rules is so that the
public knows who's lobbying the elected – but also so the elected know
who's coming before them, and who's really paying them," the president
of the Brady Campaign Against Gun Violence, Paul Helmke, told the AP,
responding to the allegations of breaking lobbying laws.

The magazine closely connects her to the now-defunct private security
firm Beckett Brown International, which earned a reputation for hiring
former U.S. intelligence agents and which has been linked to several
cases of spying on activist groups, including Greenpeace.

In a 2003 deposition, BBI's former president, Tim Ward, testified that
he hired Sapone to work on behalf of the National Rifle Association,
according to Mother Jones.

"We used informants that we would send to public rallies that these
people were holding, public demonstrations. These informants developed
relationships where they could pick up a phone and call in to find out
where the next event was, where it was going to be held… They are
usually very eager to have somebody come and tote banners and scream and
shout," Mother Jones quotes Ward as saying.

When reached by ABC News, Ward said he knew Mary Sapone but not a Mary
McFate, and would not comment further.

Sapone did not return calls placed by ABC News. Neighbors in Sarasota,
Fla., said Sapone, who went by her maiden name, McFate, in the
community, was on vacation in Belize and often spoke about working for
the NRA.

The NRA did not return calls placed by ABCNews.com.

The groups she allegedly infiltrated were left reeling, wondering how
they were duped for so long by someone with whom they closely worked.

"This reinforces what we have long known, that the gun lobby will go to
any lengths, no matter how unethical, to protect the profits of the gun
industry in this country, even at the expense of the over 30,000
Americans who lose their lives to gun violence each year," said
McQuilken, whose organization kicked "McFate" off their board soon after
learning her true identity.

"This person was a very good imposter. She knew all the right things to
say," he said.

It makes sense she'd be a good imposter, though. According to the
Associated Press, a 1997 resume for Mary Lou Sapone that surfaced during
a Maryland business dispute listed her as an "intelligence and
investigations" consultant and a former senior investigator specializing
in "covert operations" for a Connecticut consulting firm.

The resume also listed Sapone as a president of a "Self-Improvement at
Sea" program that provided lectures on world affairs, "life enrichment"
and "intellectual history" on cruises. Meanwhile it listed her hobbies
as hunting, trapping and fishing, shooting sports and "pugil stick
fighting," the AP reported.

The gun-control groups are far from the first activist organizations to
be infiltrated by corporations or other organizations, often larger and
more powerful, than the activists.

In 2001, the British government launched an inquiry into a private
intelligence firm with links to the U.K.'s MI6 spy service for
infiltrating environmental activist groups to gather information to sell
to oil companies, including Royal Dutch/Shell Group and BP, the Times of
London reported.

In 2006, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals sued the owners of
Ringling Bros. circus and accused them of infiltrating animal rights
groups, stealing documents and tapping phones.

But as they have been spied on, so too have activists spied.

One year before PETA accused the circus of allegedly spying, a New
Jersey biomedical company accused the animal rights group of
infiltrating and secretly videotaping its operations.

"This type of malicious activity by PETA, in which it conspires with
individuals to lie about their intentions, to videotape and potentially
disrupt medical research, and then to launch vile disinformation
campaigns against pharmaceutical research companies, has got to stop,"
James Lovett, the lawyer for Covance, a biomedical industry leader with
some of the world's largest animal-testing labs, told the AP at the time.

The infiltration of activist groups is neither new nor difficult, said
Craig Dotlow, a former FBI special agent and spokesman for the Society
of Former Special Agents of the FBI.

"The FBI used to do this kind of work a lot in the '60s, infiltrating
groups like the Weathermen or the Black Panthers. All you really need to
find is a good actor," he said. "It is a very unsophisticated but very
successful technique. Find someone who can fit into the culture, who can
be taught about the group and then make sure they cultivate friendships
and work hard. Most of these groups have small budgets, and when they
find someone who is dedicated and willing to work for free, they can
move up the ranks pretty quickly."

Dotlow added, "It is mostly about education. You need your candidate to
know enough about the group so he can talk intelligently about their
issues. Then you create a record of involvement, get your name in paper,
write an editorial so it appears you have been committed for a long time."

Companies that spy on other companies or each other, Dotlow said, are
committing a crime and for that reason many won't do it.

Updated Aug12-Free the Cuban 5 Month

ENDORSE THE FREE THE CUBAN 5 MONTH!

Initial Endorsers:

  • The Popular Education Project to free the Cuban 5
  • EL Frente Socialista-Comite de NYC
  • International Committee for the Freedom of the Cuban 5
  • Al-Awda Right to Return
  • The Malcolm X Grassroots Movement
  • Brigada Vilma Guillois Espin
  • The ProLibertad Freedom Campaign
  • New York Anarchist Black Cross Federation
  • The Philadelphia Cuba Solidarity Coalition
  • Nicaragua Solidarity Committee Chicago
  • The Cuba Solidarity Committee in Houston
  • Puerto Rican Alliance Of Los Angeles
  • Radical Women
  • Freedom Socialist Party
  • The Venceremos Brigade
  • December 12th Movement
  • The Orange County KPFK Support Group
  • International Action Center
  • Troops Out Now Coalition
  • Worker’s World Party
  • MarVellAlliance
  • Fuerza de la Revolucion
  • NYC Jericho Movement
  • Cuba Solidarity New York
  • Peace and Freedom Party
  • All African People’s Revolutionary Party
  • African Awareness Association
  • DC metro Committee to Free the Cuban Five
  • Cuban en focus WBAI radio 99.5fm
  • Alliance for Global Justice
  • Nicaragua Network
  • Venezuela Solidarity Network
  • Rev. Luis Barrios, St. Mary’s Episcopal Church

To organizations and Individuals who believe in the Freedom of the Cuban 5,

In 2006, Ricardo Alarcon, President of the Cuban National Assembly, declared the period of time between September 12-October 8 to be a time to raise awareness around the Cuban 5. Here in NYC The Popular Education Project to Free the Cuban 5 extends this time to October 12; in order for it to be a full month of events and to include a commemoration of the assassination of Ernest “Che” Guevara. We refer to this period of time as the “Free the Cuban 5 Month!”

September 12th is the tenth anniversary of the arrest of the Cuban 5 and the Project wants to create a calendar full of events throughout the city, nationally and internationally! Motivated by the negative and unjust decision of the 11th Circuit Appeals, the Project feels it is time to double our efforts to educate about the case of the Cuban 5 and to garner more support on their behalf.

The Project would like to organize Cuban 5 events in NYC communities that have not had them before. We want to broaden this movement and build Solidarity for the Cuban 5 in as many communities as possible.

The Project is asking organizations and individuals to organize forums, letter writing nights, film screenings, conversations, or fund-raisers for the Cuban 5. The Project will help by providing speakers, films, literature and promotion!

If you are interested in endorsing the Free the Cuban 5 Month AND ORGANIZING AN EVENT, please email us at freethecuban5@gmail.com

So far this is the Calendar events:

Sat. September 13-All out to Washington DC! 10th anniversary of the arrest of the Cuban 5! Demonstration for the Cuban 5! More information will be published soon!

Tues. Sept. 16th-LETTER WRITING NIGHT IN BROOKLYN with the New York Anarchist Black Cross Federation, details TBA…

Fri. Sept. 26-El Barrio for the Cuban 5 event at Cemi Underground

Sun. Sept. 28th-Poetry/cultural Event at Sista’s Place with the December 12th Movement TBA

Fri. Oct 3-Venceremos Brigade Report back from Cuba TBA

Wed. Oct. 8-Concert for the Cuban 5 in Durham, NC 119 West St. Durham, NC at 9pm

Fri. October 10- 10th Anniversary Jericho March in NYC for all Political Prisoners and Prisoners of War in New York City!! Check the Jericho Website: www.jerichony.org

Sat. Nov. 1st-Cuban 5 event with the Radical Women at Freedom Hall in Harlem

*EITHER THE LAST MONDAY IN AUGUST OR SEPTEMBER CUBAN EN FOCUS WILL FEATURE AN INTERVIEW WITH THE POPULAR EDUCATION PROJECT TO FREE THE CUBAN 5 ABOUT HE FREE THE CUBAN 5 MONTH

*THE VENEZUELA SOLIDAIRY NETWORK AND THE NICARAGUA NETWORK WILL BE FORWARDING THIS EMAIL TO THEIR LISTS TO HELP BUILD OUR CALENDAR!

For more information on FREE THE CUBAN 5 MONTH consult The Popular Education Project to Free the Cuban 5 website: www.freethecuban5.com

Join the Venceremos Brigade

The ProLibertad Freedom Campaign is proud to forward out this announcement from the Venceremos Brigade; a project nearly 40 years old, which has dedicated its existence to educating and dispelling the lies the US government spreads about Cuba!

JOIN THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY CONTINGENT OF THE VENCEREMOS BRIGADE!!

40th Anniversary Venceremos Brigade - Join It!


Applications for the 40th Anniversary Contingent of the Venceremos Brigade - July 19-August 3, 2009 - are now available.

Send your name and address to
vbrigade@gmail.com

40 Years of Solidarity with the Cuban Revolution!
40 Years of Friendship with the Cuban People!
40 Years of Defiance of the U.S. Economic Blockade and the Travel Ban!

40 Years of Love and Struggle!

Much has changed since the Venceremos Brigade was created by the U.S. left in 1969.
But our vision and commitment remain the same as we prepare to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Cuban Revolution and our own 40th anniversary!

What is the Venceremos Brigade?

Formed in 1969 to express solidarity with the Cuban Revolution, the Venceremos Brigade is a unique educational project that has sent thousands of people to Cuba. Our goal is to give people from the U.S. an opportunity to learn first hand about Cuba, its people, and its revolution, and to link the Cuban peoples' struggle with our struggles here at home.

“I believe with this we are beginning a great movement. I believe that this creates the basis for a tremendous development – which will have a huge impact on the whole world – in which the youth of the United States can help other countries. In the same manner that we will have to go to other countries to help them, with the same selflessness and enthusiasm that others have come here, and as our comrades have gone wherever it is necessary.”
- Fidel to the second contingent of the Venceremos Brigade, 1970

Who are the Brigadistas?

Brigadistas are active in a broad range of movements for social change. We include high school and college students and workers for peace, housing, health care, education, labor and cultural rights. Our contingents are multi-racial, and range in age from 16 to 90. As part of our ongoing work in Cuba and the United States, we are committed to fighting racism, sexism, homophobia and other forms of discrimination and to recognizing and respecting the differences among ourselves.

What does the Brigade do in Cuba?

The purpose of the Brigade trips to Cuba is to enable U.S. activists to have meaningful exchanges with Cubans and to experience the day to day realities of Cuban life. We live and work alongside Cubans for two weeks each year. Our program in Cuba includes:

- Agricultural or construction or factory work
- Visits to schools, factories, clinics and hospitals
- Musical and other cultural programs
- Informal visits and discussions with Cubans

The Venceremos Brigade has never asked for permission (i.e. a 'license') from the U.S. government to travel to Cuba. Since 2003, we have joined with Pastors for Peace in openly proclaiming our constitutional and human right to travel to Cuba in our Travel Challenges.

Join us for this historic contingent.
Apply now!
Space is limited.
Send your name and address to vbrigade@gmail.com for your application

Excerpt from Yuri Kochiyama's autobiography in which she wrote a chapter on her experience with the 19th Contingent of the Venceremos Brigade in 1988:

"All in all, our two weeks in Cuba was an extensive learning experience of a post revolutionary building era of rectification and progression that would impact our own community work when we returned to the U.S.

We found the Cuban people not just work intensive but life intensive and joyful. The national psyche of Cubans was best manifested when the Brigadistas were invited by Poder Popular to a rousing block party in the town of Santa Cruz, in Jibacoa. The hospitality, generosity, openness, and gaiety of the party were earthy and spirited, and the Latin/Caribbean and Afro Cuban music and dance was plainly endemic to life and culture in Cuba.

The Julio Antonio Mella Camp (named after the Cuban martyr) was the home away from home for the 149 North Americans that made up the Brigade. The contingent felt sorrowful in leaving, but grateful for an unforgettable and heartwarming experience. We expressed our sentiments in unison many times, hoping the echoes of our shouting "Cuba! Cuba! Cuba! Venceremos te saluda!" would reverberate until the next brigade arrived. Recuerdo siempre."

Venceremos Brigade
PO Box 5202
Englewood, NJ 07631-5202
email: vbrigade@yahoo.com
voicemail: 212-560-4360
website: www.venceremosbrigade.org

Running Down the Walls - August 23rd!

Run for their lives!

Support United States Political Prisoners and Prisoners-of-War at the 7th RUNNING DOWN THE WALLS!

On Saturday, August 23, 2008 join in the community effort to support and raise awareness of those who have been targeted and punished for their political actions and beliefs.

RUNNING DOWN THE WALLS is a 5k non-competitive run/walk/bike in the beautiful Whittier Narrows Regional Park. Registered participants will receive food and entertainment and there will be water available at rest stops along the route. Registration entry fees are: $12 for pre-registration, $15 for registration at the run site. Supporters who wish not to run, walk or bike may make a donation. Registration will begin at 9:30 a.m. Further games, entertainment, and speakers will continue after the run and will last until 2:00 p.m.

Proceeds from this 5K run will benefit the ABCF Warchest. Founded in 1994, the program has provided consistent and reliable financial aid to Political Prisoners held within the US prison system. Since its creation, it has raised over $50,000 for these prisoners and will continue in these efforts. A portion of the proceeds will also go to El Centro Cultural de Mexico, a community center in Santa Ana dedicated to developing a cultural and educational bridge that brings together a variety of cultural projects from Mexico, Central and South America. Proceeds will also go to the Committee to Free Chip Fitzgerald, a support group dedicated to the release of Romaine 'Chip' Fitzgerald. Chip is the longest held Black Panther political prisoner in the United States.

In the previous years, we have had solidarity runs in several cities and over ten US prisons, including USP Leavenworth and Walpole State Prison. For this year, we currently have solidarity runs in Humboldt (CA), New York (NY), Phoenix (AZ), Inez (KY), Walpole (MA), Navosta (TX). We hope to add more cities in the coming weeks.

This year’s Running Down the Walls is taking place on August 23rd in honor of former political prisoners, Sacco and Vanzetti. On this day in 1927, both men were executed by the state of Massachusetts for being anti-war, immigrants and anarchists. Today, there are over 150 Political Prisoners and Prisoners-of-War in the United States. These prisoners have been unfairly incarcerated while fighting for social justice and self-determination. They are our generation’s Sacco and Vanzetti. Show them you care for and support their efforts by RUNNING DOWN THE WALLS!

When: August 23, 2008 9:30am-2pm

Where: Whittier Narrows Recreation Area, 750 Santa Anita Ave South El Monte, CA 91733-4300

For more information, please check out our website: www.abcf.net/la

LA-ABCF

PO Box 11223

Whittier, CA 90603

la@abcf.net

(562) 214-1554

The ABCF Update, Issue 50, Summer 2008 is now out!

The Update is a quarterly publication produced by the Anarchist Black Cross Federation. It is one of the few publications designed specifically for news/articles about and from political prisoners and prisoners of war in North America.

The present issue has the following items:

Updates on:

• Lefty Gilday

• Travis Riehl

• Marilyn Buck

• Sundiata Acoli

• Jose Perez Gonzalez

• Carlos Alberto Torres

• Luis Medina

• Veronza Bowers

• Tom Manning

• Eric McDavid

• Byron Chubbuck

• Oscar Lopez Rivera


Articles on:

• Jeff Luers Reduced Sentence

• Former IRA POW Pol Brennan Detained

• McGowan Faces Grand Jury – Three More Arrested

• Albert Woodfox’s Conviction Overturned

• Ruling on Omaha Two

• Joseph Pannell Gets One Month for Shooting Cop

• Shirosaki Faces Health Issues

• MOVE Parole Denial

• John Bowden Escapes and Re-Captured

• ABCF Conference Notes

• Tre Arrow Take Plea – 78 Months

• Puerto Rican Community Harassed

• Chip Fitzgerald Fundraiser and The Black Riders

• And much more!

You can download a copy from the ABCF site at:

http://abcf.net/abcf.asp?page=update

All hardcopy subscriptions can be order by contacting LA-ABCF at:

la@abcf.net

Tuesday, August 05, 2008

Updated Aug 5th: Free the Cuban 5 Month

ENDORSE THE FREE THE CUBAN 5 MONTH!

Initial Endorsers:

  • The Popular Education Project to free the Cuban 5
  • EL Frente Socialista-Comite de NYC
  • International Committee for the Freedom of the Cuban 5
  • Al-Awda Right to Return
  • The Malcolm X Grassroots Movement
  • Brigada Vilma Guillois Espin
  • The ProLibertad Freedom Campaign
  • New York Anarchist Black Cross Federation
  • The Philadelphia Cuba Solidarity Coalition
  • Nicaragua Solidarity Committee Chicago
  • The Cuba Solidarity Committee in Houston
  • Puerto Rican Alliance Of Los Angeles
  • Radical Women
  • Freedom Socialist Party
  • The Venceremos Brigade
  • December 12th Movement
  • The Orange County KPFK Support Group
  • International Action Center
  • Troops Out Now Coalition
  • Worker’s World Party
  • MarVellAlliance
  • Fuerza de la Revolucion
  • NYC Jericho Movement
  • Cuba Solidarity New York
  • Peace and Freedom Party
  • All African People’s Revolutionary Party
  • African Awareness Association
  • DC metro Committee to Free the Cuban Five
  • Cuba en Focus/WBAI radio 99.5 fm

To organizations and Individuals who believe in the Freedom of the Cuban 5,

In 2006, Ricardo Alarcon, President of the Cuban National Assembly, declared the period of time between September 12-October 8 to be a time to raise awareness around the Cuban 5. Here in NYC The Popular Education Project to Free the Cuban 5 extends this time to October 12; in order for it to be a full month of events and to include a commemoration of the assassination of Ernest “Che” Guevara. We refer to this period of time as the “Free the Cuban 5 Month!”

September 12th is the tenth anniversary of the arrest of the Cuban 5 and the Project wants to create a calendar full of events throughout the city, nationally and internationally! Motivated by the negative and unjust decision of the 11th Circuit Appeals, the Project feels it is time to double our efforts to educate about the case of the Cuban 5 and to garner more support on their behalf.

The Project would like to organize Cuban 5 events in NYC communities that have not had them before. We want to broaden this movement and build Solidarity for the Cuban 5 in as many communities as possible.

The Project is asking organizations and individuals to organize forums, letter writing nights, film screenings, conversations, or fund-raisers for the Cuban 5. The Project will help by providing speakers, films, literature and promotion!

If you are interested in endorsing the Free the Cuban 5 Month AND ORGANIZING AN EVENT, please email us at freethecuban5@gmail.com

So far this is the Calendar events:

Sat. September 13-All out to Washington DC! 10th anniversary of the arrest of the Cuban 5! Demonstration for the Cuban 5! More information will be published soon!

Tues. Sept. 16th-LETTER WRITING NIGHT IN BROOKLYN with the New York Anarchist Black Cross Federation, details TBA…

Fri. Sept. 26-El Barrio for the Cuban 5 event at Cemi Underground

Sun. Sept. 28th-Poetry/cultural Event at Sista’s Place with the December 12th Movement TBA

Fri. Oct 3-Venceremos Brigade Report back from Cuba TBA

Wed. Oct. 8-Concert for the Cuban 5 in Durham, NC 119 West St. Durham, NC at 9pm

Fri. October 10- 10th Anniversary Jericho March in NYC for all Political Prisoners and Prisoners of War in New York City!! Check the Jericho Website: www.jerichony.org

Sat. Nov. 1st-Cuban 5 event with the Radical Women at Freedom Hall in Harlem

*EITHER THE LAST MONDAY IN AUGUST OR SEPTEMBER CUBAN EN FOCUS WILL FEATURE AN INTERVIEW WITH THE POPULAR EDUCATION PROJECT TO FREE THE CUBAN 5 ABOUT HE FREE THE CUBAN 5 MONTH

For more information on FREE THE CUBAN 5 MONTH consult The Popular Education Project to Free the Cuban 5 website: www.freethecuban5.com

'Cops Gone Wild!" Press conference

Date: Mon, Aug 4, 2008 at 6:05 PM
Subject: 'Cops Gone Wild!" Press conference- Please forward widely

Hello,
Attached and pasted below is the advisory for a press conference to denounce Cops Gone Wild, a call for an end to the criminalization of those who lawfully document police activities. Speakers will also address the lack of discipline for those who harass, intimidate, and physically assault New Yorkers, especially those Officers who intentionally makes false official statements regarding their misconduct.

Please email me if your organization would be interested in being listed among supporters on the press release, and if you plan on attending. Please forward widely and call or email me if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Kate Mikuliak
Community & Policy Aide
Council Member Rosie Mendez, Manhattan District 2
237 First Avenue, Suite 504
New York, NY 10003
212-677-1077 phone
212-677-1990 fax
*Please note: My email address is
now council.nyc.gov>

The Justice Committee & City Council Member Rosie Mendez

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Loyda Colon 347-622-3504

August 4th, 2008 Contact: Kate Mikuliak 212-677-1077

DAYBOOK ITEM/PHOTO DESK

NYC Outraged By Cops Gone Wild!

WHAT: A Press conference to denounce Cops Gone Wild, a call for an end to the criminalization of those who lawfully document police activities. Speakers will also address the lack of discipline for those who harass, intimidate, and physically assault New Yorkers, especially those Officers who intentionally makes false official statements regarding their misconduct.

WHEN: Wednesday, August 6, 2008 at 10 am

WHERE: In front of One Police Plaza

The latest episodes of police brutality and misconduct captured on video will be the focus of a press conference on Wednesday, August 6, 2008 at 10am, in front of One Police Plaza. The event will bring together an unprecedented number of elected officials, social justice organizations and civil rights groups who are outraged and determined to put a stop to police brutality and the criminalization of those who document it.

Among the groups and individuals expected are: Attorney Norman Siegel, Audre Lorde Project, CAAAV Organizing Asian Communities, Casa Atabex Ache, Center for Constitutional Rights, Council Members Rosie Mendez and Charles Barron, Free Wheels Bicycle Defense Fund, Immigrant Justice Solidarity Project, International Action Center, Justice Committee, Make The Road NY, Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, National Congress for Puerto Rican Rights, Nodutdol for Korean Community Development, Peoples' Justice for Community Control & Police Accountability, Social Justice Leadership, Times Up! Environmental Group and VAMOS Unidos.

Click here to watch a 12 minute video showing NYPD officers harass and arrest cyclists and those documenting these arrests during one ride last
year: http://glassbeadcollective.blip.tv/file/784711/

Click here to watch video of NYPD officer repeatedly beating a handcuffed army veteran on the ground with a metal Baton: http://tinyurl.com/6mbgq9
is same page as...
http://www.nypost.com/seven/07302008/news/regionalnews/2nd_video_gives_nypd_black_eye_122218.htm
or
http://tinyurl.com/6ne7go
same as...
http://www.nypost.com/seven/07292008/news/regionalnews/2nd_video_gives_nypd_black_eye_122136.htm

Click here to watch video of Officer Patrick Pogan violently knocking Christopher Long off his bicycle on July 25th: http://tinyurl.com/65dq8g
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUkiyBVytRQ

Press Advisory 8-6-08 FINAL.doc [avail. on request --t.]

El Coqui Libre August Edition

The ProLibertad Freedom Campaign
http://www.prolibertadweb.com
ProLibertad Hotline: 718-601-4751
ProLibertad@hotmail.com and ProLibertad.Campaign@gmail.com
____________________________________________________________________

Download the August edition of el coqui libre, the ProLibertad Newsletter:
http://www.prolibertadweb.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/eclaugust2008.pdf

Sunday, August 03, 2008

Open letter from Elmar Völkl (Austrian Animal Rights prisoner

ELP Information Bulletin (3rd August 2008)

Dear friends

ELP has received a copy of the following open letter by Elmar Volkl, one of the Austrian Animal Rights prisoners.


Message from Elmar, one of the Prisoners!

Brothers and Sisters, dear Animal Movement, dear Supporters of our cause!

Today – on the 90th birthday of anti-apartheit aktivist Nelson Mandela, who’s been in jail for 30 years for fighting fort he noble cause – I received the statemant of prolongation of our imprisonment – this time already by the second instance.
Still it’s abvious that they don’t want to acknowledge our arguments. Anything you say, they misinterpret and press into their phantastic constructs of criminal organisation. So even ALF-Buttons or –Stickers are used to prove our „criminal potential“
But we don’t need to wonder. We did know before, that their only goal is not truth and not justice, but only to conserve the speciesistic status quo. After all the policemen and –women, the general-attorney and the judge are not vegan, for sure. So, what to expect from a biased court?
But I don’t want to complain At least now, we have learned – and adapted – to the situation of our helplessness.

Whatever, they decide what they want. Power makes right.

But what I want to say – with my broken english – is again a very very big „Thank you“ for all your support!

Until now I received more than 100 letters and postcards from all over the world. I try my best to answer every single of them, but forgive me if you didn’t receive a personal answer. Some avoid to put their name and adress on their mail (or I can’t read it) so answer is impossible.
But one thing is true for all of you:

Your letters, thoughts and support from Austria, Germany, France, Italy, Norway, Sweden, UK, Finland, Switzerland, Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia, the Netherlands, Columbia, the United States, New Zealand and Japan give us the power we need to hold out. Thank you!
There is no need to tell YOU that prison is NOTHING in comparison to everyday horrors in animals hell, cynically called „humane“ - better to say anthropocentric – society.
We are not murdered by a chance of 50 %, de-horned or castrated full consciously within the first days of our lifes. We are neither force-fed or squeered into cages bounded to the floor no are we deported and murdered after reaching puberty.
To be clear: Prison is neither luxury nor an hotel: It’s shit, for sure. But vegan food, far from perfect, but you can eat it – today we had some fake-meat for example (TVP). Most probably the very welcomed effect of VPSG-work. Thank you very much!
The hardest things for me are deprivation of social contact and deprivation of movement: Only one hour a day walking in circles on basketballsquare and not talking to your friends are endangering your bodies and minds health. The rest of jail-life I share with Tobi the toilet and Billy the wandrobe on 7.8 square meters.
Still avoiding brainwashing myself by watching one of the three TV-channels I try to read and make sports as much as possible. But I have to assert, that motivation for doing anything actively goes down! That’s no good sign.
Nevertheless there is certainity that we will come out one day for sure and there is hope that we can carry on animal rights work together soon!
In love for liberation, Elmar

NOTE FROM ELP
Letters of support can be sent to
Elmar Völkl (JA Eisenstadt)
Justizanstalt Wr. Neustadt
Maximiliang. 3
2700 Wr. Neustadt
Austria.

+++++++

Earth Liberation Prisoners Support Network
BM Box 2407
London
WC1N 3XX
England
www.spiritoffreedom.org.uk

Saturday, August 02, 2008

Benefit Show and Teach in for Marie Mason

From:    freemarie@riseup.net
Date: Fri, August 1, 2008

Benefit Show and Teach in for Marie Mason

WHEN - August 9th, 7PM

WHERE - The Peace Center 2101 Wilbur St Kalamazoo, MI 49007
231-852-0950 organize@kzoopeacecenter.org

WHO - Spoonboy (Plan-it-X Records), Alva Company (Kalamazoo), and The
Defective Males (Cincinnati)


Following the show will be sign making, letter writing, and conversations
on government repression and what can be done to resist. Know your rights
information will be distributed and we're welcoming people to share
information and experiences they've had with government repression. Please
contact us ahead of time to arrange this.

Support the Eco-Prisoners (August 2008)

Spirit of Freedom
(August 2008)
Produced by
EARTH LIBERATION PRISONERS SUPPORT NETWORK

"The whole experience has been tough, but all the kind and strengthening
words
and wise thoughts from strangers made it much easier!"
(Former Swedish Animal Rights Prisoner)

Welcome to the August 2008 edition of Spirit of Freedom. As people will
soon see, ELP's prisoner lists have grown yet again. If we exclude the Geek
anarchist, Vaggelis Botzatzis, and the two Americans Richard Sills and
Michael Sykes (all of whom are listed by ELP as 'Other Prisoners'), there
are now 40 listed animal & earth liberation prisoners in Europe & America.
There are also a number of non-listed prisoners, who are not listed either
by their own choice, or because they betrayed their fellow activists and
became informants. And remember these numbers do not include those people
who are either under House Arrest or on Bail pending Trial. Nor do they
include the activists whose locations are currently unknown and who are
described by the police as "on the run". Seeing so many good people removed
from their families & loved ones for merely acting out of compassion and a
desire to stop environmental destruction and animal abuse is heartbreaking.
Some of the prisoners ELP lists are very well known, others are less well
known. However ALL of them deserve our love and support. ALL of the listed
prisoners welcome letters of support. Even if it's just a card saying "Hi.
I'm thinking of you". So please, no matter where you are in the world,
support the eco-prisoners. And no compromise in defence of Mother Earth.


ECO-DEFENCE PRISONERS

Tre Arrow, SWIS #640393, Multnomah County Detention Center, 1120 S.W. 3rd
Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97206, USA. Awaiting sentencing of six and a half
years imprisonment having reached a non-cooperation plea-bargain with the
authorities who accuse him of involvement in two arsons. 1) an arson on
logging trucks 2) an arson on vehicles owned by a sand & gravel company.
(Tre is a raw energy vegan - He has asked that his letters of support are
written on scrap paper or tree-free paper).

Grant Barnes #137563, San Carlos Correctional Facility, PO Box 3, Pueblo, CO
81002, USA. Serving 12 years for setting fire to a number of SUV vehicles.
The letters ELF were spray painted onto all of the vehicles. (Grant is a
vegan).

Nathan Block, #36359-086, FCI Lompoc, Federal Correctional Institution, 3600
Guard Road, Lompoc, CA 93436, USA. Serving 7 years & 8 months for an ELF
arson against a Poplar Tree Farm and an ELF arson against an SUV dealership.
Also admitted his role in an ELF/ALF conspiracy. (Diet unknown).

Marco Camenisch, Postfach 3143, CH-8105 Regensdorf, Switzerland. Serving 18
years. 1) Ten years for using explosives to destroy electricity pylons
leading from nuclear power stations. 2) Eight years for the murder of a
Swiss Boarder Guard whilst on the run. In '02 Marco completed a 12-year
sentence in Italy for destroying electricity pylons in Italy. (Marco is a
meat eater who encourages organic living).

Daniele Casalini, Casa Circondariale, Via Burla 59, 43100 Parma, Italy. Il
Silvestre activist awaiting trial accused of using explosives to damage an
electricity pylon in protest at nuclear energy. (Daniele is a vegan).

Rod Coronado - See details in Animal Liberation Prisoners List.

Francesco Gioia, C.C. Sollicciano, Via Girolamo Minervini 2/R, 50142 Firenze
Sollicciano (FI), Italy. Il Silvestre activist awaiting trial accused of
using explosives to damage an electricity pylon in protest at nuclear
energy. (Francesco is a vegetarian and Straight Edge).

Paola Gori, Via delle Macchie 9, 57124 Livorno, Italy. Il Silvestre
activist awaiting trial accused of allowing her house to be used to plan
illegal activity. (Paola is a vegan).

Bryan Lefey #38664-086, FDC SeaTac, Federal Detention Center, P.O. Box
13900, Seattle, WA 98198, USA. On remand accused of an ELF action that saw
the damaging of GM trees and the damaging of US Forestry Service vehicles.
(Diet unknown).

Jeffrey Luers, # 13797671, CRCI, 9111 NE Sunderland Ave, Portland, OR
97211-1708, USA. Serving 10 years for arson on a SUV dealership & the
attempted arson of an oil truck. The original sentence was 22 years & 8
months, but was reduced on appeal. (Diet unknown).

Eric McDavid, 16209-097. FCI Victorville Medium II, PO BOX 5700,
Adelanto, CA 92301, USA. Serving 19 years & 7 months for planning to
destroy the property of the U.S. Forestry Service, mobile phone masts and
power plants. At the point of his arrest no criminal damage has actually
occurred. (Eric is a vegan).

Daniel McGowan, #63794-053, FCI Terre Haute, Federal Correctional
Institution, P.O. Box 33, Terre Haute, IN 47808, USA. Serving 7 years for
an ELF arson against a Poplar Tree Farm and an ELF arson against an old
growth logging corporation. Also admitted his role in an ELF/ALF
conspiracy. At the moment Daniel is in transit as he has been ordered to
appear before some Grand Juries. Daniel is refusing to answer the Grand
Jury questions and is gaining additional prison time because of this (Daniel
is a vegetarian).

Jonathan Paul - See details in Animal Liberation Prisoners List.

Briana Waters, 36432-086, FDC - Seatac, Federal Detention Center, P.O. Box
13900, Seattle, WA 98198, USA. Serving six years for involvement in an ELF
arson on a University. (Diet unknown).

Joyanna Zacher, #36360-086, FCI Dublin, 5700 8th St.- Camp Parks- Unit F,
Dublin, CA 94568, USA. Serving 7 years & 8 months for an ELF arson against
a Poplar Tree Farm and an ELF arson against an SUV dealership. Also
admitted her role in an ELF/ALF conspiracy. (Diet unknown).


ANIMAL LIBERATION PRISONERS
(All Animal Liberation Prisoners follow a minimum vegetarian diet and most
are vegan).

Jon Ablewhite TB4885, HMP Lowdham Grange, Lowdham, Nottingham, NG14 7DA,
England. Serving 12 years for attempting to blackmail a farmer who supplied
guinea pigs for vivisection. (Jon is a vegan).

Dan Amos VN7818, HMP Exeter, 30 New North Road, Exeter, Devon, EX4 4EX,
England. On remand having pleaded guilty to conspiracy to blackmail
Huntingdon Life Sciences. (Dan is a vegan)

Gregg Avery TA7450, HMP Winchester, Romsey Road, Winchester, SO22 5DF,
England. On remand having pleaded guilty to conspiracy to blackmail
Huntingdon Life Sciences. (Gregg is a vegan).

Natasha Avery NR8987, HMP Bronzefield, Woodthorpe Road, Ashford, Middx. TW15
3JZ, England. On remand having pleaded guilty to conspiracy to blackmail
Huntingdon Life Sciences. (Nat is a vegan).

Mel Broughton TN9138, HMP Woodhill, Tattenhoe Street, Milton Keynes, Bucks
MK4 4DA, England. On remand accused of involvement with an arson and
blackmail campaign against an Oxford University vivisection establishment.
(Mel is a vegan).

Martin Balluch, (JA Josefstadt), Justizanstalt Wr. Neustadt, Maximiliang. 3,
2700 Wr. Neustadt, Austria. One of ten Austrian's held on remand accused of
various animal rights actions. (Martin is a vegan)

Christoph, Antirep 2008, Postfach 101, 1070, Vienna, Austria. One of ten
Austrian's held on remand accused of various animal rights actions. At the
moment Christopher does not wish to have his full name published. (Christoph
is a vegan).

Jacob Conroy #93501-011, FCI Victorville Medium I Federal Correctional
Institution, P.O. Box 5300, Adelanto, CA 92301, USA. Serving 48 months
imprisonment for helping organise the SHAC-USA campaign. (Jake is a vegan).

Rodney Coronado #03895-000, FCI El Reno, PO Box 1500, El Reno, OK 73036,
USA. Serving one-year imprisonment after he informed people how to make an
incendiary device during a speech at an animal rights gathering. (Rod is a
vegetarian).

Donald Currie A3660AA, HMP Parkhurst, Newport, Isle of Wight, PO30 5NX,
England. Serving an Indeterminate Sentence, of not less than six actual
years, for carrying out arsons against targets associated the vivisection
industry including HLS. (Don is a vegan).

Jürgen Faulmann, Justizanstalt Wr. Neustadt, Maximiliang. 3, 2700 Wr.
Neustadt, Austria. One of ten Austrian's held on remand accused of various
animal rights actions. (Jurgen is a vegan).

Lauren Gazzola #93497-011, FCI Danbury, Federal Correctional Institution,
Route #37Danbury, CT 06811, USA. Serving 54 months imprisonment for helping
organise the SHAC-USA campaign. (Lauren is a vegan).

Joshua Harper #29429-086, FCI Sheridan Federal Correctional Institution,
P.O. Box 5000, Sheridan, OR 97378 USA. Serving 36 months imprisonment for
helping organise the SHAC-USA campaign. (Josh is a vegan).

Felix Hnat (JA Eisenstadt), Justizanstalt Wr. Neustadt, Maximiliang. 3, 2700
Wr. Neustadt, Austria. One of ten Austrian's held on remand accused of
various animal rights actions. (Felix is a vegan).

Jan, Antirep 2008, Postfach 101, 1070, Vienna, Austria. One of ten Austrian
's held on remand accused of various animal rights actions. At the moment
Jan does not wish to have his full name published. (Jan is a vegan).

Kevin Kroemmer, Antirep 2008, Postfach 101, 1070, Vienna, Austria. One of
ten Austrian's held on remand accused of various animal rights actions.
(Kevin is a vegan)

Sean Kirtley WC 6977, HM Prison Blakenhurst, Hewell Lane, Redditch, B97 6QS,
England. Serving four and a half years for running an anti-vivisection
campaign website. (Sean is a vegan).

Kevin Kjonaas #93502-011, FCI Sandstone, PO Box 1000, Sandstone, MN 55072
USA. Serving 72 months imprisonment for helping organise the SHAC-USA
campaign. (Kevin is a vegan).

Leo, Antirep 2008, Postfach 101, 1070, Vienna, Austria. One of ten Austrian
's held on remand accused of various animal rights actions. At the moment
Leo does not wish to have his full name published. (Leo is a vegan).

Daniel McGowan - See details in Eco Defence Prisoners List.

Christian Moser, Justizanstalt Wr. Neustadt, Maximiliang. 3, 2700 Wr.
Neustadt, Austria. One of ten Austrian's held on remand accused of various
animal rights actions. (Christian is a vegan).

Heather Nicholson VM4859, HMP Bronzefield, Woodthorpe Road, Ashford, Middx.
TW15 3JZ, England. On remand accused of conspiracy to blackmail, in
relation to her involvement with the SHAC campaign. (Heather is a vegan).

Jonathan Paul, #07167-085, FCI Phoenix, Federal Correctional Institution,
37910 N 45th Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85086, USA. Sentenced to 51 months for an
ALF arson on a horse meat plant. Also admitted his role in an ELF/ALF
conspiracy. (Jonathan is a vegan).

Sabine, Antirep 2008, Postfach 101, 1070, Vienna, Austria. One of ten
Austrian's held on remand accused of various animal rights actions. At the
moment Sabine does not wish to have their full name published. (Sabine is a
vegan).

Andrew Stepanian #26399-050, USP Marion, P.O. Box 1000 Marion, IL 62959,
USA. Serving 36 months for helping organise the SHAC-USA campaign. (Andrew
is a vegan).

Elmar Völkl (JA Eisenstadt), Justizanstalt Wr. Neustadt, Maximiliang. 3,
2700 Wr. Neustadt, Austria. One of ten Austrian's held on remand accused of
various animal rights actions. (Elmar is a vegan).

Kerry Whitburn TB4886, HMP Lowdham Grange, Lowdham, Nottingham, NG14 7DA,
England. Serving 12 years for attempting to blackmail a farmer who supplied
guinea pigs for vivisection. (Kerry is a vegan).

Sarah Whitehead, VM7684, HMP Bronzefield, Woodthorpe Road, Ashford, Middx,
TW15 3JZ, England. Serving two years for: 1) rescuing a puppy from horrific
conditions. 2) rescuing over 100 animals from a pet breeder who was later
prosecuted for animal abuse. Also awaiting trial for SHAC activity. (Sarah
is a vegan)


PLOUGHSHARES PRISONERS

Helen Woodson, 03231-045, FMC Carswell - Admin. Max. Unit, POB 27137, Ft.
Worth, TX 76127, USA. Serving 8 years 10 months for actions that focused
on the interrelationship of war & the destruction of the natural world. The
actions included pouring red paint over the security desk of a federal court
and making threatening communications. Previously Helen had served 20½
years for: 1) Using a hammer to disarm a nuclear missile silo. 2) Burning
$25,000 on the floor of a bank whilst denouncing war, environmental
destruction & economic injustice. 3) Mailing warning letters with bullets
attached to Government & corporate officials. (Diet unknown).


THE LECCE FIVE
The Lecce Five have been charged with "subversive association" accused of
damaging Esso petrol pumps to oppose the War on Iraq; sabotaging the cash
machines of a bank which funds an immigration centre; and targeting the
multinational company Benetton in support of Mapuche land rights activists
in Chile. All of the defendants are currently either under house arrest or
released on bail.


ANTIFA PRISONERS

Vahtang Devitlidze, ul. Libbedova 42, UO 68/2, otryad 14, brigada 142, g.
Hagyshensk, Krasnodarskiy Kray, 352680 Russia. Serving 2½ years for
stabbing a neo-nazi in the leg whilst defending himself from attack. (Diet
unknown).

Augustin Kraus, Vazebni veznice, PP-1, Litomerice, 41 201, Czech Republic.
Serving 14 months for his participation in attacks against local neo-nazis.
His charge was "bodily harm". He speaks Czech, Slovak and Polish. You can
also write him short postcards in English. (Diet unknown).

Fabio Milan, C.C. via Pianezza 300, 10151 Torino, Italy. On remand accused
of fighting with the police after an anti-fascist protest. (Diet unknown).

Andrea Neff, Bnr: 746/07/2, Justizvollzugsanstalt fur Frauen in Berlin,
Arkonastrasse 56, 13189 Berlin, Germany. Serving 14 months for anti-fascist
activity. (Diet unknown).

Christian Sümmermann, Bnr: 441/08/5, JVA Plötzensee, Lehrterstr. 61, 10557
Berlin, Germany. Serving 40 months for breaching the peace whilst serving a
suspended sentence issued for anti-fascist activities. (Diet unknown).

Tomasz Wiloszewski, Zaklad Karny, Orzechowa 5, 98-200 Sieradz, Poland.
Serving 15 years for accidentally killing a neo-nazi whilst defending
himself. (Tomasz is a vegetarian).

Yuri Yurevich Milevskiy, SIZO #7 kamera 38, g. Brest, ul. Karla Marksa 86,
224000 Belarus. On remand for fighting with neo-nazis. (Diet unknown).


OTHER PRISONERS

Olga Aleksandrovna Nevskaya, UU163/5, 7 Otryad, pos. Dzerzhinskiy, Mozhaysk
140090 Moskovskaya oblast, Russia. Eco-activist serving 6 years for arson,
criminal damage and causing explosions in protest at the war in Chechnya.
Due for release in 2009. (Diet unknown).

Vaggelis Botzatzis, Komotini Juridical Prison ("Dikastikes Fylakes
Komotinis"), T.K. 69100, Greece. On remand accused of setting fire to two
company cars owned by a energy/power company. It is believed that the
person or persons unknown who carried out the arson did so in protest at the
destruction of the natural environment and in support of two workers who
died at the power plant. Vaggelis is also accused of setting fire to a bank
and starting a fire inside a car yard. (Meat Eater).

Richard Sills (Address Unknown, USA). Serving 15 months for bomb hoaxing a
University saying they would be targeted by the ALF if they didn't stop
their animal experiments. (Diet unknown).

Michael W. Sykes, 100 East 2nd St, Monroe, Michigan 48161, USA. Youth held
on remand accused of anti-sprawl arsons, criminal damage, spray-painting an
anarchist sign and burning the American flag. (Diet unknown)

Fran Thompson, #1090915 HU 1C, WERDCC, PO Box 300, Vandalia, MO 63382, USA.
Serving Life for killing, in self-defence, a stalker who had broken into her
home. Before her imprisonment Fran was an eco, animal & anti-nuke
campaigner. (Fran is a vegan).


MOVE
MOVE is an eco-revolutionary group who carried out protests in defence of
all life. All move prisoners describe themselves as vegetarians. There are
currently eight MOVE activists in prison each serving 100 years after been
framed for the murder of a cop in 1979. 9th defendant, Merle Africa, died
in prison in 1998.

Debbie Simms Africa (006307), Janet Holloway Africa (006308) and Janine
Philips Africa (006309) all at: SCI Cambridge Springs, 451 Fullerton Ave,
Cambridge Springs, PA 16403-1238, USA.

Michael Davis Africa (AM4973) and Charles Simms Africa (AM4975) both at SCI
Graterford, PO Box 244, Graterford, PA 19426-0244, USA.

Edward Goodman Africa (AM4974), SCI Mahanoy, 301 Morea Rd, Frackville, PA
17932, USA.

William Philips Africa (AM4984) and Delbert Orr Africa (AM4985) both at SCI
Dallas Drawer K, Dallas, PA 18612, USA.

Mumia Abu Jamal, (AM8335), SCI Greene, 175 Progress Drive, Waynesburg PA
15370, USA. In 1981 Mumia, former Black Panther and vocal supporter of
MOVE, was framed for the murder of a cop. He was originally sentenced to
death but is currently awaiting re-sentencing following a court hearing in
2001.


STATEMENT ON VIOLENCE
Some people listed in this newsletter have carried out violent actions.
'Spirit of Freedom' does not condone violence. But we are also against
censorship & believe people can decide for themselves who they wish to
support.


ABOUT E.L.P. SUPPORT NETWORK
ELP is an international eco-prisoner support network founded, in Britain, in
1993 to support jailed eco-activists. We support the prisoners by producing
various regular prisoner lists:

Spirit of Freedom is ELP's international monthly prisoner listing which is
circulated by e-mail.

Urgent ELP! Bulletin is an e-mail service that distributes the names of any
new eco-prisoner as soon as ELP gets their details. For more info e-mail
ELP4321@hotmail.com

On-Line Newsletters - ELP has a number of websites that provide news,
prisoner lists and additional info about ELP & the prisoners.

English language ELP Website
www.spiritoffreedom.org.uk

Greek language ELP Website
http://greekelp.blogspot.com

North American ELP Website
www.ecoprisoners.org

Turkish language ELP Website
www.geocities.com/yesilanarsi/elp.htm

ELP Extra is an e-mail group that circulates the details of political
prisoners, ELP learns about, who do not fall within the remit for support by
ELP. To subscribe to the list e-mail ELP4321@Hotmail.com

Australian ELP.SN is our Australian contact. For more info e-mail
elp4321@hotmail.com

Belgium ELP.SN is our Belgium contact. For more info e-mail
elp_bel@hotmail.com

German ELP.SN is a prisoner led initiative run by eco-prisoner Marco
Camenisch. For more info contact Marco Camenisch, Postfach 3143, CH-8105
Regensdorf, Switzerland.

Greek ELP.SN is our Greek contact. For more info e-mail greekelp@yahoo.gr

North American ELP is our North American contact. For more information
e-mail naelpsn@mutualaid.org

Turkey ELP.SN is our Turkish contact. For more info e-mail
yesilanarsi@yahoo.com

Friday, August 01, 2008

August Political Prisoner Birthdays

AUGUST BIRTHDAYS



DEBBIE SIMS AFRICA # 006307
451 Fullerton Ave
Cambridge Springs, PA 16403-1238
August 04, 1956

BILL DUNNE #10916-086
USP Big Sandy, P.O. Box 2068
Inez, KY 41224
August 3



RUBEN CAMPA #58733-004
(envelope to Rubén Campa,
letter to Fernando Gonzáles)
FCI Terre Haute, P.O. Box 33,
Terre Haute, IN 47808
August 18, 1963


RENE GONZALEZ
#58738-004
FCI Marianna
P.O. Box 7007
Marianna, FL 32447-7007
August 13, 1956



OJORE LUTALO # 59860
PO Box 861, #901548
Trenton NJ 08625
August 6th


HANIF SHABAZZ BEY
(Beaumont Gereau) #295933
Keen Mountain Correctional Center
P.O. Box 860
Oakwood, Virginia 24631
Birthday: August 16, 1950



DR. MUTULU SHAKUR # 83205-012
USP Florence ADMAX
PO Box 8500
Florence, CO 81226
August 8, 1950


RUSSELL MAROON SHOATS
# AF-3855
SCI Greene, 175 Progress Dr.
Waynesburg, PA 15370
August 23, 1943



ANDREW STEPANIAN
# 26399-050
USP Marion. P.O. Box 1000
Marion, IL 62959
August 8

BENEFIT CD RE-RELEASE: MARIE MASON’S ‘NOT FOR PROFIT’

This music CD is a 2008 benefit re-release of Marie Mason's ‘Not For
Profit’, which was originally released in 1999. A classic anarchist
neo-folk record, these eight songs feature Marie (accompanied by guitarist
and Earth First! activist Darryl Cherney) singing against the destruction
of the earth and the oppression of humanity.

Mason is a recent Green Scare arrestee who is facing Life in prison for
two acts of property destruction in which no one was hurt. She is a
long-time IWW (Industrial Workers of the World) and Earth First! activist,
as well as a writer for ‘Fifth Estate' magazine. All proceeds from this
re-release go to the Marie Mason General Support Fund. For more
information visit: http://freemarie.org.

'NOT FOR PROFIT' track listing:

1. The End of the World
2. Using You
3. All Used Up
4. Take It Down
5. The Tree
6. Tienemen Square
7. The RCP Song
8. Not For Profit

The CD is $7ppd in US ($8 Canada and Mexico / $10 world) and can be
purchased online at: http://freemarie.org

By mail from:
Fifth Estate
PO Box 201016
Ferndale, MI 48220

(make check/MO out to “Fifth Estate”)

Or from the following stores and distributors:

Bluestockings Books (New York City, NY)
Liberation Projects distribution (Lexington, KY)
Little Black Cart (East Bay, CA)
The Peace Center Collective (Kalamazoo, MI)
Food for Thought Books (Amherst, MA)

T-SHIRTS

There are also a limited number of t-shirts available, in S, M and L.
Shirts are $17ppd in US. Please contact distro@fifthestate.org for
availability.

LIST-SERVE

Get the latest news and updates! Send an e-mail to
freemarie-subscribe@lists.riseup.