June11th serves both as a day of solidarity for all long term anarchist prisoners and to fundraise funds for Marius Mason, who was sentenced to 22 years in prison for arson and is not scheduled to be released til 2027. We are happy to hear that the fundraiser for Marius Masons has reached beyond half of the set goal.
This is good news! But there is still a bit to go before the fundraiser reach the goal of 2500$ (which is what Marius needs to get by for a year in prison). Any donations will be deeply appreciated.
If you are searching for information about Marius, background on his case, prisoner support, you will find information here: https://supportmariusmason.org/
In 2019 in Quebec, Canada, folks entered a pig farm to orchestrate a blockade. Eleven people were arrested and charged with breaking and entering and impeding a police officer. As well as the blockade, they released a huge amount of footage showcasing the horrible conditions the pigs had to endure in their confinement.
After the action, the footage obtained was publicly released, causing a huge ripple effect. MAPAQ (the Ministry of Agriculture in Quebec), had never once inspected the Progreg farm in their forty years of existence. They visited the farm just a week after the occupation for the first time since the farm had opened, which made the farm lose its licence. Due to the pressure and footage from the activists they ended up losing all investors and customers, shutting down the farm for good.
Since then, the eleven activists have had a long process through their trial, where the farmer insisted that they had turned the thermostats in the breeding units down and complained about the fact that they had to close down.
All activists were found guilty and sentencing was delivered last week. From the eleven, five people received suspended sentences, and six folks received conditional discharges. They also received two years of probation and ordered to pay a 500 dollars fine to a charity of the judge’s choice, as well as 100 hours of community service.
Solidarity with all fighting against human supremacy!
We’ve received a fundraiser for a 10,000 GBP fine split between three people after a criminal damage action in Scotland.
This is Rigged demands the Scottish government to vocally oppose any new fossil fuel projects in the country. In March 2023 two people visited the Wallace monument in Srtirling and smashed the glass containing William Wallace’s sword. They were inspired by a previous action by Suffragette Ethel Moorhead, who 111 years ago used a rock that read “YOUR LIBERTIES WERE WON BY THE SWORD, RELEASE THE WOMEN WHO ARE FIGHTING FOR THEIR LIBERTIES, STOP THE FORCIBLE FEEDING, A PROTEST FROM DUBLIN” to smash the glass around the sword.
This is Rigged also used a rock to smash the glass case, which read: “YOUR LIBERTIES WERE WON BY THE SWORD, YOUR RIGHTS WERE WON BY THE SUFFRAGETTES. NO NEW OIL AND GAS. FAIR TRANSITION NOW”
This month, the two activists and a third person who did nothing else but film the action were ordered to pay a combined fine of £10,000. They are trying to raise those funds so that the burden of facing the force of the government is not simply put on them.
If you are able to, please consider donating, even if it is just a few coins. The amount of money is huge, but the fundraiser is gaining momentum and it can be achieved! If you’re unable to support economically, please share this post, or their posts in social media, so more people are able to help! Fundraiser link:
Below is the collective communique published by the folks jailed after the arson at a meat packaging plant in Chile. Remember that you can support them by sending letters to: [email protected] and that you can donate to their fund on paypal.me/solidaridad4
On November 4, we went to detention control, where we were charged with the crime of arson and possession of ammunition, the butcher shop and the Public Prosecutor’s Office filed a complaint.
We were remanded in custody for 70 days while the investigation lasted.
Time that has been extended by the prosecutor until today, almost 7 months, due to the seriousness of the crime and the penalty that this deserves according to the penal code, which is around 15 to 20 years.
In these long months, we have gone through various emotions and feelings. Confronting the reality of every prisoner, facing the blow that prison generates in your habits and close circle. Keeping indeclinably the conviction and courage that led us to these cages. Living in our own flesh what millions of animals around the world live. A forced and arbitrary captivity. Violence and aggression. Based on the decision of a judge. In their case; the judge is the accepted human logic that sees them as things or inferior.
We do not regret our ideas and the steps that lead us to our becoming. There is no wall, gendarme or bar, that makes us stop sustaining that animal liberation is a fundamental pillar of any anarchic or libertarian conception. And that in that glow, the active hands of those who embrace the idea against authority are primordial.
Yesterday, today and tomorrow. We are still at war! For the fall of this and any society! Social-anti-social war! Animal liberation! Total liberation! Under any consequence and affected. Tony hermanx peluditx presente!!!
In Dekalb County the judge ruled to uphold domestic terrorism charges because the act of setting fire to the construction site close to a power line tower was considered a direct threat to critical infrastructure, and claims that the alleged were each a party to the alleged crimes committed on March 5(even if the alleged did not start any of the fires nor commit any crimes).
The state described the “Defend the Forest Movement” as being well funded and having a “pretty good propaganda arm”, and as a pyramid scheme, with different subgroups designed to attract new members and subordinate to the leadership of a main group under a command structure.
The next day, at the hearing for the 23 people arrested on March 5th, the state described the Atlanta Solidarity Fund(which is a bail and legal defense fund for activists in the city, and who they have since arrested and charged the members of), as being investigated as a “central part” of the Defend the Forest Movement.
Fulton County
In Fulton County, the state argued that the alleged was a party to the alleged unlawful assembly, riot, arson and property destruction on January 21.
The state said that a repayment from the “Forest Defense Fund” for supplies an activist purchased for a welcome table in 2022 was evidence that they were well positioned in the movement and knew what was going to happen at the protest on January 21, and argued that a social media post sharing a flyer for a “night of rage” on January 20 was further evidence of their culpability. Several times throughout both hearings, prosecutors presented defendants’ social media posts.
The state also drew a hilarious comparison to the 9/11 attack in New York City USA saying, “[Protesters] were trying to knock out the windows of 191 Peachtree Street. That is a dangerous situation. That’s a twin towers.”
Both judges stated in court that prosecutors would need to reach a much higher standard when the cases goes to trial.
In the fight to defend the Atlanta Forest, people are still sitting in jail. Some of them would like public support, here are their names and addresses, but please read below to get specific information on how to send letters! Some prisoners can only receive letters on prepaid postcards that are only accessible in the USA, so if you are writing from abroad, we have listed one person who can receive paper letters just below the images.
Atlanta, GA USA– The Atlanta Police Department raided the home of three organizers with the Atlanta Solidarity Fund (ASF), a nonprofit organization and bail fund founded in 2016 that offers legal support to those facing state repression for protest-related activity. ASF has been an outspoken critic of state repression of social movements, use of chemical weapons on protesters, and increasing police militarization. The three were arrested and have been charged with money laundering and charity fraud. These are the first known people associated with a bail fund to be criminally charged.
During the release hearing the prosecutor, John Fowler, attempted to allege that the members of the Atlanta Solidarity Fund comitted the so-called “crime” of “harbor[ing] extremist anti-government and anti-establishment views” based on writings in a personal diary and other documents collected from police trash searches at their residence, attempts to paint them as leaders, and part of a group of criminal extremists.
Fowler throughout attempts to string unidentifiable conspiracist connections between actions, people, intentions, money, and ideas. Fowler cites incidents from the uprising of 2020 and other acts of protest-vandalism, which Fowler seemingly alleges these bail fund activists are a part of for simply “being anti-government” and operating a bail fund, and using a “forest justice defense fund” for protest activity, as is the stated aim. Fowler brings up an “intercepted phone call” of another case drawing unintelligible connections between them. Fowler name-drops copsofcopcity.noblogs.org and the posting of addresses of police, judges, federal agents, as supposed “witness intimidation”. The most clear stated intention given by the prosecution is the request to deny bail based on their anti-governmental ideas and beliefs.
In response to these conspiracist brainworms the judge says “there is not impressive evidence against the defendants and there is nothing illegal about for example operating a mesh network or camping supplies.” and gives the defendants bond.
Ladislav is a Slovenian activist who was arrested in January 2012, to be charged for an explosion outside of a McDonalds restaurant. Ladislav was later sent to prison for 12 years.
Ladislav is soon coming home! January 1, 2024 he will finally walk out of prison.
You can support Ladislav by donate money to his release fund. By giving financial support you will help Ladislav start his life again, free outside of the prison walls.
Check Ladislavs fundraiser for more info:
“Ladislav has not been able to work or raise many funds since his incarceration and his family incurred significant expenses paying for his legal representation on the successful appeal. All donations will be sent to Ladislav to help him with basic expenses adjusting to life outside of prison and welcome him back with his family and community…”
Last week, Pal Action was on trial. After a two day roof occupation of a weapons manufacturer in Newcastle, where an estimated £69K worth of damage was caused, two people were arrested. Alongside them, another two activists at different locations were arrested for “conspiracy to commit criminal damage”. The two rooftop smashers were granted bail, but Crown Prosecution appealed the decision and one of them was remanded. The two activists away from the site were immediately charged and remanded in prison.
Another three people appeared in court in Chester after dismantling the Runcorn APPH weapons manufacturer in June 2021. One was acquitted, whilst the other two received a 16 and a 27 month prison sentence.
In Wolverhampton Crown Court after a seven week long trial and five days of deliberation, four people were convicted of “possession of articles to cause criminal damage”, having been arrested two years prior whilst travelling towards UAV Engines, an Elbit weapons factory, with items like paint buckets. A fifth person was acquitted in the same trial, and the four convicted will face sentencing in Wolverhampton Crown Court on the 26th of June.
Meanwhile, at the gates of Elbit in Leicester, an activist was arrested during their third week of the siege for simply sitting on the road, then subjected to the cop shop cell for 10 hours before release.
We do not know the mail addresses for those in prison, but we have found a fundraiser to support one of the folks locked up which you can find below: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-mike-in-prison
This week PalAction is facing even more court cases, so we will keep you informed of results and new prisoner addresses as and when news appear!
We have excellent news to share with you today. Mel Broughton, who has been locked up since november awaiting trial, has been granted bail today. He has been given bail conditions, but he can be out in the world whilst awaiting trial, which is still scheduled for the end of July.
If you recently sent a letter, you might receive it back with “No longer here” masked as a reason. There are much worse reasons to receive a letter back aren’t there?!
Join us in welcoming Mel back to the outside world and celebrate, every time a comrade is out of prison it is a day to celebrate.
Welcome back Mel, we hope the colours of spring treat you well. Enjoy your home cooked vegan meals!
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