Had to rush this one but it's not too shabby. Sacred Stone Camp stands in solidarity with #prisonstrike
A photo posted by Megg (@staringatmaps) on
Sep 13, 2016 at 11:03am PDT
Originally posted to It’s Going Down
In the last several weeks, so much has happened with both the #PrisonStrike and #NoDAPL resistance, that it seems like a lot of time has passed in a very short window. This week, we’re going to keep our news roundup pretty short and to the point, because there are a couple of big things we want to highlight with this roundup. With big struggles in the news, it can be easy for others to fall through the cracks and be forgotten. Let’s remember that all of these battles are connected and reinforce each other and that by seeing our comrades across the world and in our own regions taking action, we grow more confident and powerful as well.
#PrisonStrike day two. News from the inside is predictably slow coming out however it seems prisoners in several states are on strike (notably, many at women prisons). Actions on the outside continue in solidarity and have spread across the globe. #LosAngeles: Banner dropped declaring END COPS. #Montreal, #Canada: Banners dropped in French & English in solidarity with prison strikers. #Minneapolis: Noise demo shoots off fireworks outside the youth jail. #Oakland: Solidarity demonstration vandalizes businesses that profit from prison labor before shooting off fireworks at the city jail. #Barcelona, #Spain: McDonalds (which uses prison labor) vandalized in solidarity with U.S. prison strikers. More info on actions on the inside and outside can be found at itsgoingdown.org
A photo posted by @blackmask1312 on
Sep 11, 2016 at 7:24am PDT
In the coming week, we will have more to say on the #PrisonStrike mobilizations, but right off the bat we want to say that we are fucking floored by the outpouring of support and solidarity. Everything from mass marches and street occupations, to banner drops and graffiti has all been inspiring. IGD will return to this moment soon to think about how we can expand and push within this period, but for now, continue to send in your photos, reports, and updates to us here or at: info [at] itsgoingdown [dot] org.
Let’s get to the news.
Class War
In Portland, people took to the streets to put pressure on a local landlord that is attempting to carry out a mass eviction and raise rents by 45%. Check out Portland Tenants United for more info.
PSA to slumlords: A&G @MgmtG can't protect you from the consequences of evicting working families in Portland. pic.twitter.com/N9NKvnmva6
— PDX Tenants Unite (@PDXTenantsUnite) September 14, 2016
Members of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) have launched a “singing strike” in New York after management began to fire organizers after Ellen’s Stardust Diner (which is known for it’s singing waiters) went union. From their page:
Yesterday six long time employees and active union organizers were falsely accused of misconduct by our employer as a pretext for retaliatory termination. Today the singing stopped inside, but have no fear! We’ll be singing songs outside all day! JOIN US!
After 4 years of hard work, I got fired from Ellen's Stardust Diner for union activity !… https://t.co/ublgRIXmPy
— Eric Jetner (@Jetner) September 14, 2016
One supporter wrote:
That place made me a better performer and introduced me to some of the most amazing performers and people I am lucky enough to call #family. In the past 24 hours, 10 amazing, long time employees were fired for trying to improve working conditions and forming a union.
For more info and background, go here. Workers are calling for a boycott of the restaurant (follow the link to leave a message on yelp) and angry proletarians should direct their rage at the owners facebook and by calling the restaurant here: (347) 504-6517
Indigenous Resistance
A resistance camp has been erected in the south west in the path of the proposed South Mountain Freeway. From their page:
Moadag Thadiwa is a peaceful resistance camp set up near the proposed “South Mountain Freeway” on the Gila River Indian Community.
The Gila River Indian Community has been opposed to the proposed South Mountain extension of the 202 freeway since at least 1986. Over 21 other tribes hold the entire South Mountain range to be culturally significant. Community members are gathering to be with Moadag to pray for the protection of the mountain and for our communities.
Contact them here: moadagthadiwa@gmail.com.
Supplies and donations are also needed:
Ice, in the mornings and evenings
Duct tape
Bug repellent
Sunblock
Batteries of all sizes
Flashlights
Head lamps
Chevron gas cards
Serving utensils
Cutting board
In Mi’kmaq territory in so-called Canada, a camp has also been set up on an island against AltaGas Ltd.’s proposal for underground natural gas storage facility. More info here.
Support and resistance to the Dakota Access Pipeline continues to heat up as well, as a bank connected to the construction of the project was occupied in so-called Canada. Protests also shut down banks in DC. In Detroit, marchers blocked streets in solidarity.
Meanwhile, the CEO of the $3.8 billion dollar project said that the company is committed to finishing it, despite a growing force of resistance. This determination flies in the face of half-ass calls by the Obama administration for construction to halt while various legal aspects of the project are worked out. Just yesterday, riot pigs armed with automatic weapons arrested several brave folks who locked down to construction equipment as well as our homies at Unicorn Riot, who documented the repression.
Despite the large police and military presence, the numbers at the resistance camps are growing. We can only hope that these numbers are able to spill across the landscape and disrupt and stop the pipeline construction.
Again, if you are out there in North Dakota and what to send us an update, do an interview, or just let us know what is going on, hit us up!
Smash Patriarchy
Rich kid rapist Brock Turner is set to give a speaking tour of college campuses on drinking and promiscuity – we shit you not! Hopefully we can give him a royal welcome.
ACAB
@FOX13News @FoxNews #Clairmel #TampaProtest #Caleb pic.twitter.com/XdiL5qRPiE
— Deplorable American (@ShadowYbor) September 5, 2016
Something must be in the water in Florida. The prisoners go off the chain as do folks on the outside. Recently in Tampa Bay, in the wake of the police shooting death of Levonia “Daddyman” Riggins, who was killed when police attempted to serve a search warrant, people took to the streets and started fires. Rowdy protests have continued.
In St. Louis, armed demonstrators took to the streets after the killing of long time Ferguson militant Darren Seals, with many demonstrators stating they believe he was murdered by law enforcement:
The community ready for us y'all… They ready. #DarrenSeals #JusticeForDarrenSeals #LongLiveDSeals #DoItLikeDSeals #DSealsForever #BlackPanther
A video posted by Melanin Monroe (@the4th_duck) on
Sep 11, 2016 at 1:27pm PDT
Black Power. #JusticeForDarrenSeals #DoItLikeDSeals #LongLiveDSeals #DSealsForever
A video posted by Melanin Monroe (@the4th_duck) on
Sep 11, 2016 at 1:05pm PDT
Defend Black lives. #DarrenSeals #JusticeForDarrenSeals #LongLiveDSeals #DoItLikeDSeals #DSealsForever #BlackPanther
A video posted by Melanin Monroe (@the4th_duck) on
Sep 11, 2016 at 1:46pm PDT
Also, A World Without Police has released a new essay about protests in the wake of Alton Sterling’s death that is worth reading. Check it out here.
Fire to the Prisons
Mad respect for my NY comrades, last night was epic! #brooklyn #nyc #nystateofmind #prisonstrike #blackhoodie #anarchist #demo #newyorkers #nofilter #nightshot #blackbloc #ftp #sugarbombingshootspeople #solidarityways
A photo posted by Sugarbombing (@sugarbombing) on
Sep 10, 2016 at 9:55am PDT
With everything going on with the #PrisonStrike, we also don’t want people to forget about or loose sight of support Siddique Hasan, one of the key organizers of the current prisoner led resistance to prison slavery. Hasan has already been singled out for repression before the strike and currently is on hunger strike.
Please, send him letters of support and keep him in your thoughts.
Members of the Free Alabama Movement had this to say recently:
Without a doubt the [September 9th] Call is still in effect. We chose the 9th as a means to connect the struggle to the historical stand that produced real change in this System and we will continue INDEFINITELY until Prison Slavery and all its manifestations are dead. We’re not in it for the fame, but for real change.
Also, Support Prisoner Resistance recently released this roundup and update on the strike and ways to support. They’ve also made some PDF readers of recent actions to send into prisons, check that out here. Keep those action reports coming to IGD too!
Eco-Wars
We out Che #waterislife #✊<img src="https://s.w.org/images/core/emoji/2/72x72/1f3fd.png" alt="