Category: Prisoner Support

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FEELING FESTIVE? WHY NOT DONATE TO THE ARREST SUPPORT FUNDS?

Donate here: https://www.cotizup.com/nooneisfree

We haven’t shared our arrest support fundraiser for a little while as we did not want to put pressure on anyone with all the capitalist celebrations coming, but we decided to give this one last try in the hope that people might be willing to donate even one or two euros towards the funds.

The arrest support fund was created to help folks who were arrested and or charged during 2019 for many different actions. Some of those actions are public whilst others are not for the safety of the defendants.

Since its creation, we have a few news to share. The Earth First 11 were all either dropped or found not guilty. That means no one will have anything on their record or have to pay any fines for their action inside the coal mine in County Durham. This fundraiser, however, helped some get all the way to the north of the UK for the court hearings. 

The Ramsgate 3 had a plea hearing and are now scheduled for sentencing on the 6h to the 8th of January.  The outcome is most likely a fine, so help covering costs will be very necessary. 

SMASH Speciesism still doesn’t have a specific date for trial as they are waiting on all evidence to be accounted for and accepted, but that is 11 people who might face  serious fines for the slaughterhouse blockade in Kent.

The seven folks who do not want their case to be public yet are still waiting to know more about what is going to happen next, but support is always necessary and needed and their will make their legal status public as and when it makes sense. 

The Dolce & Gabbana Bloody Bunnies will be sentenced next year and the most likely outcome is a fine. Some of them are already having to deal with huge costs for legal help. All just for a theatrical action on the streets of London! 

Finally, a new addition to this year’s arrest support crew is a human charged with multiple accounts of criminal damage towards hunting towers. The prognosis is unknown but the lawyer is talking about anything from a seriously hefty fine to prison sentence, so again support really is needed. 

Normally we get an average of 8-900 reactions per post across all social media. In this case we are asking you TWO favours. The first one is to increase that average to be able to reach more people and fuck about with the algorithm. Like, comment some messages of support towards those who need it and share it absolutely everywhere.

Secondly, we would like everybody to donate. If you are fucked with money that is ok, we do not want to put you in a difficult situation, but if you can spare a euro or two, or maybe five or ten, ANY donation helps towards the goal. 

So please share, comment, donate, show solidarity towards all folks who took action and are now facing consequences and remember it could’ve been any of us.

Never stop fighting.

Solidarity is our weapon.

UA. 

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WRITE TO JOSEPH DIBEE AND BREAK HIM OUT OF JAIL.

Joseph Mahmoud Dibee was arrested in Cuba whilst boarding a plane towards Russia after being twelve years on the run. The FBI accuses him of multiple accounts of sabotage carried by the ALF and ELF during the 90s. One of the actions he is accused of is the horse meat packing plant that was burnt to ashes twenty-one years ago that would never be open again.

Joseph was visited by the filth in 2005 but there was insufficient proof to arrest him. Four days later he disappeared. In 2006 a judge indicted Dibee and twelve others as part of Operation Backfire, an FBI investigation on ELF and ALF groups. The alleged group, “the family”, is believed to have caused more than $45 million of damage in arson and sabotage actions. None of the actions Dibee is accused of harmed any human or non-human life.

His court date will not take place until 2020.  He is quite bored in the county jail and says the food is terrible.  He feels that inmates are routinely stuck in Columbia to encourage them to take a plea.  Taking a plea to bogus terrorist charges is something he says he will not do.

Please write to:
Joseph Dibee #101799
Columbia County Jail
901 Port Avenue
St. Helens, OR 97051
U.S.A.

He is a fascinating correspondent, having worked on the Syrian Solar Project and been obliged to flee Syria to avoid the war.  He settled in Russia, where he was quite happy.  He had been teaching for the summer in South America when he was nabbed at a Cuban air terminal on his way home to Russia.

Joseph flies a plane and is especially fond of cats.  He was born in Syria and speaks Arabic, English, and Russian.  Because of his high-tech skills, he says he has always been able to find employment.  He was put in the hole at Columbia when the authorities learned from a phone call that he was planning to “sue” his jailers.  Being closely confined at that time ruined a visit from family members in Russia who were planning to fly here to see him.

Sending mail:
All mail is opened and read. Do not include paperclips, staples, glitter or anything extra as this may mean your letter is rejected by the prison. It is not yet confirmed if Joseph is able to receive books.

Please do not discuss anything related to his case, to anything illegal or to any direct actions!

If you want to send letters to other prisoners you can visit www.unoffensiveanimal.is/prisoner-support

We even have a small box where you can write the name of the prisoner and then the letter, we will print it and post it alongside other letters so you don’t have to do anything else but type! Easy right?

If you want to give us a hand with prison support you can join our patreon:

www.patreon.com/animalliberation

Or you can grab yourself some raffle tickets to help in the fundraiser: 

https://www.unoffensiveanimal.is/product/unoffensive-raffle/
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ARREST SUPPORT AND COURT DATES / SOLIDARITY ACTIONS

As you know, part of our job is to arrest and prisoner support. This is an update on the cases we’ve been either supporting or keeping an eye on. This is also a solidarity call to action. However you decide to show solidarity is up to you, up to your affinity group and your environment, but we would like to mention a few things that folks have done as part of solidarity actions so you have choices!

Historically we have seen a massive array of ways to show solidarity with folks that are facing legal pressure and the full oppression of the state. From demos outside of prison and courthouses to banner drops, graffiti, sabotages and liberations on their name, there are many actions that one can take alone or in an affinity group.

If anyone decides to take action, please send us photos and reports to [email protected]. 

Earth First! ARRESTEES had their plea hearing a couple of weeks back. Everybody pleaded not guilty and one of the cases was dropped. The rest are facing completely fabricated charges ranging from assault to criminal damage whilst occupying a coal mine in County Durham. They have their own fundraising link that you can find here:
https://www.chuffed.org/project/earth-first-camp-and-arrestee-support?fbclid=IwAR0_1ctniULfocRMPKRUpWtYxpkdREaI_obduGYL_bu9xfEeldmV5_qajlE

Please consider donating to them. The charges might incur in pretty hefty fines, but just the transport from everywhere in the UK to County Durham is incredibly expensive.

The three arrestees in Ramsgate Live Exports have their court dates set; 31st of October and 1st of November. We are asking everybody able to support to meet in Margate Magistrates Court those days and make noise, but if people are too far away, remember that any other form of action is also a positive step to showing your solidarity towards your comrades.

SMASH Speciesism faced the plea date a few days ago. Everybody pleaded not guilty, The trial date has not been set, but during the plea about 20 people showed up to express solidarity. The court could not believe how many people were there, just for one case. It was a wonderful experience. 

The McDonald’s case ended up with a Guilty verdict and a hefty fine as well as community service for the comrade sentenced. Some of the funds raised will be used for that fine.

We now have a total of SEVEN comrades that are also in need of support but that do not wish to share the case online or publicise it in any way as the case could be compromised and they could be facing serious charges. That does not make them any less worthy of our love and rage, so if folks want to take action in solidarity with them, we will call them the Silent Seven.

We’ve not stared our arrestee fundraising link for a while so we think it is a good time to do so. Please, if you have any disposable income, send some coins and help out. Certainly sharing this and telling the stories also help, and doing ANY KIND of solidarity action is a great way of sending love. Donate some coins here:

https://www.cotizup.com/nooneisfree

SOLIDARITY IS OUR WEAPON 

NI CULPABLES, NI INOCENTES. ENEMIGOS SIMPLEMENTE! 

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UPDATE ON MATTHIAS

Matthias has been referred to the Geneva Police Court and a trial is expected by December this year.

He has been locked up in preventative prison for over 300 days, accused of stoning butcher, fast food and fur shops and the occupation of a slaughterhouse as well as causing damage to another.

He has faced police surveillance outside of any warrant and multiple human rights violations.

There have been multiple calls to action for both above and under ground shows of solidarity.

Help with legal fees is VERY much needed and as always please write to prisoners!

You can find the fundraiser on @solidaritywithourcomrades or via this link https://www.cotizup.com/cagnotteantirepression

Love, rage and fucking always solidarity.

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ERIC KING UPDATE

Eric King is anachist, anti fascist prisoner who was sentenced for 10 years for throwing a molotov at a police station in solidarity with the Ferguson Uprising in Kansas City.

While in prison Eric has been repeatedly attacked by white supremacists and prison guards as well as refused medical treatment and a proper vegan diet.

Indicted for his own assault Eric now faces up to 20 years for being attacked and beaten by a prison guard who feels comfortable dragging prisoners off camera for brutal beatings.

Please write to Eric (on white paper, white envolopes with black ink only and no photos), show up to court dates and send some much needed coins.

All info on supportericking.org

For this movement to succeed there is no alternative but solidarity. Don’t let the state crush our comrades.

PRISONS ARE FOR BURNING!

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FUCK THE FUR INDUSTRY, FIRE TO ALL PRISONS.

Richii Klinsmeister was sentenced yesterday to 6 months in prison for actions against a mink farm in Sweden. He was accused of assault and breach of the peace against Nicolas Pettersson, a mink farmer in Falkenberg. 

In reality, Richii was used as a scapegoat. Niclas has close ties with the local government and industry officials. He has been the target of an anti fur campaign where he has physically attacked multiple activists over the years. Richii’s sentence is just an attempt by the government to quiet down a campaign against an industry that produces so much profit for the country. 

The reality remains the same, Niclas is a murdering scum that profits from breeding and slaughtering mink for the fur industry. The campaign remains as strong as ever. 

We currently have no postal address for Richii but as soon as we are updated we will make it public. For now, support Djurfront and keep up with their campaigns in Sweden. 

Niclas is a fucking disgrace. Prisons are a fucking disgrace. 

Until all are free.

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SOLIDARITY WITH ARRESTED COMRADES.

//*IF THERE IS ONE SINGLE UNOFFENSIVE POST THAT SHOULD GO VIRAL, IT IS THIS ONE.*//

Share it everywhere, every page, every personal profile, every social media. Let’s show solidarity with our comrades. It is time to step up and own up our words for every single comment and message praising actions. Take part. 

Find the fundraising link just below and an explanation after: 

https://www.cotizup.com/nooneisfree

In the past few months, multiple activists in the UK have been arrested in a show of repression and enforcement of power by the estate. 

It is our time to show solidarity with all the arrestees and to make sure they can either fund a good defence and/or pay fines that might arise. For some of these defendants, other costs related to their arrest might need covering. At least four people have had their phones confiscated by the police, rendering their communications to nothing without the support of others. 

Earlier in August, several folks were arrested in County Durham during the Earth First! gathering whilst blockading two coal mines. Many costs are involved in this case, and although there has not been a sentence yet, having to travel to County Durham multiple times is very money consuming. 

Three activists were arrested and charged in the port of Ramsgate whilst protesting against the live export of animals. They have their plea date set and will need help covering costs. 

SMASH Speciesism carried out a slaughterhouse blockade in Kent resulting in eleven arrests, all charged with aggravated trespass. The bail conditions after the action have ensured that many of them cannot carry on with their normal life and/or jobs. They are also getting ready for a trial and have to fundraise costs related to the action. 

Four people were arrested whilst walking around in the woods and charged with conspiracy to commit criminal damage. Their phones were stolen by the police and the bail conditions meant that they have to be displaced from their home, incurring into even more costs. 

A comrade in Brighton is facing a trial in connection with criminal damage at a McDonalds. Court fees and fines will have to be covered if they are found guilty. 

Another three people who do not wish to be named were also arrested and released under investigation on bullshit charges that will also need our solidarity. 

All these actions are taken by folks that want to change the world and that want to make the earth a nicer, better place to live. That means that folks are willing to take risks, and those risks sometimes mean that people are sentenced. The bare minimum we can do is to help. 

If any of our posts should go viral, it’s this one. 

No one is free until all are free.

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ONE YEAR AFTER THE SABOTAGE OF THE PERLY SLAUGHTERHOUSE

Read below a text sent to us on the incarceration of Matthias, the slaughterhouse sabotage action in Switzerland last year and a call to action to show Matthias isn’t alone: 

Exactly one year ago, following the Geneva march for the end of speciesism, activists targeted the canton’s largest chicken slaughterhouse, temporarily disabling it and destroying the killing chain, computers, and the entire stock of speciesist “goods”, thus causing a direct attack on the murder economy of several tens of thousands of francs.(991,856 hens killed in 2018 in the canton, 8,000~ per week in this slaughterhouse, Tribune de Genève, Céline Garcin)

The activists had issued press releases explaining their action through various media. 

It was the first such action in Switzerland in at least 10 years. 

The idea is simple, however: as antispeciesists we all oppose every forms of animal exploitation and where there are the most victims are slaughterhouses. 

Since Matthias’ imprisonment, it has to be said that the repression has worked well. Where is the revolt, the sound of broken windows and the fear of speciesist businesses and multinationals that our egalitarian movement will resist it?

Where are the 250,000 vegans from Switzerland? At the sides of their brothers and sisters, in sanctuaries, and places of domination to resist with them? Or at the supermarket, credit card in hand? 

Matthias is innocent until proven guilty, this beautiful judicial system promises us. 

And yet, for the past 9 months he has been paying the price of our silence for a prosecutor who dreamed of seeing him held as a leader of actions for which there is STILL no proof. 

But since we no longer hear broken windows, it’s because he necessarily did it, right?

It seems obvious to us that the best way to help him, beyond supporting him morally and materially, is to make him this promise: when you’re getting out Matthias, the speciesist industry will have suffered many failures and we are one day closer to animal liberation.

We were neither silent nor fearful, we did not abandon our brothers and sisters to their fate by closing our eyes, we grabbed picks, bolt cutters, shovels and carboys to indicate everywhere and all the time that we are determined to resist their side regardless of our criminal record, regardless of the risks, because they are ready to be free at last! 

If his incarceration has taught us anything, it is this: solidarity is never an empty word. Solidarity is lived and proven on a daily basis. Not behind a keyboard. We went to meet activists from all over the world to share Matthias’ story and often the most distant people are the ones who do the most to get him out of his cell. 

But this is obviously not enough. In Switzerland it is urgently time to activate all the manoeuvres to denounce his incarceration.

This is a call to action. NOW!

Read the report from the slaughterhouse action last year here: 

“On the night of Saturday night, antispeciesist activists attacked a slaughterhouse in Perly, Canton Geneva, announced the activists in an anonymous letter. 

Upset citizens have decided to attack a slaughterhouse in Perly, which claims several thousand victims every week,” the anonymous message said.

“Science has long proven (…) the sentience (the ability to feel emotions and live a subjective life) that other animals show. They can rightly be considered as individuals, who deserve to live as long and happy a life as possible,” the letter continues.

“That is why antispeciesist activists decided to undermine this slaughterhouse, damaging its slaughter line, premises and stocks in the hope of temporarily preventing them from taking further lives and showing their refusal to see these morbid places exist.”

Please, help Matthias economically whilst he endures an illegal incarceration by donating on the link below:


https://www.cotizup.com/cagnotteantirepression

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ON HERO WORSHIPPING, SOLIDARITY AND HELP TO PRISONERS.

Regularly, when publishing anonymous reports, folks tend to leave celebratory and encouraging comments. It is not surprising that some people feel very happy when the animal agriculture industry is under attack or when a few animals are helped out of their cages. It is probably also good to see those comments for those who have taken action, making them feel like they should carry on. There is one standardised comment that we have tried to fight off multiple times without much luck and we would like for folks to rethink their position. 

When we compare people to heroes, angels and some other supernatural concept we are creating a barrier between “everybody” and “hero”. We create a hierarchy where those who manage to help a few animals free are in a much higher position than everybody else when anyone can take direct action. By comparing folks to heroes, we are telling everybody else that they are “highly skilled” and “away from everybody else”. Everybody can take direct action to change the world. 

This would not be half as bad as it is if there was more solidarity with people facing legal trouble. We have been reluctant to post about this, but it has reached a point where if we don’t call people in, we don’t believe things will change. 

It is not only ridiculous but also incredibly sad that whilst pouring comments of hero-worshipping towards people taking action there are folks in need of serious help that are being completely ignored. There are three cases right now we want to bring up to you, and we want people to read about them, to share as much as they can and to donate what they can to help them. 

Let us remind you that without prisoner support, direct action would not exist. Without the support of everybody, those who feel like they are willing to break the law are a lot less likely to do so. When someone knows that if they are caught there will be a network of support raising funds for fines or writing letters to them in prison, they are much more likely to not care about consequences. So this is a very easy equation. If you like people taking action, you should be willing to support them as a bare minimum. 

(FIRST CASE EDITED OUT AS WE DO NOT WANT TO PROMOTE THE PERSON AFTER RECEIVING SOME INFORMATION).

The second case we want to mention is Matthias. Matthias has been in preventive prison for 8 months now, getting another two months added to the preventive sentence every time they are ready to be released. They were accused alongside two other comrades of window smashing as well as destroying speciesist advertisements and posters and of destroying a slaughterhouse. Even tho the prosecution does not have any evidence to pin Matthias down, they have kept them locked up “in case they do something else”. This is just more proof of how racist and classist the prison system is, and Matthias needs as much help as they can get. 

Their support group alongside other groups in Europe have called for autonomous action of whatever kind that leads to their release. This is not a simple “showing solidarity with Matthias” but taking serious action that puts pressure on the Swiss government to do something about it. Wherever you are, there has to be a Swiss embassy that can be visited, maybe during the day, maybe during the night. 

They also have a link to help them with all the costs that prison have. Only 15 people have donated through that link, even tho it has been up for several months. Matthias needs a bit of help, and we should all be helping. 

Check their link here: 

https://www.cotizup.com/cagnotteantirepression

And keep a close eye to their support page on Facebook. 

https://www.facebook.com/solidariteavecnotrecamaradeantispeciste

The third case that we need to bring to your attention isn’t by an activist doing unaccountable actions, but still an important case to support. A comrade from Brighton was arrested in a McDonald’s during a protest, and they are facing two different charges because of it. Multiple calls to action have been made, overground actions as disruptions and protests but also underground actions like smashing windows of McDonald’s. There was certain traction during the week of the court trial, but then it died down again. Their next day of trial is the 12th of September and the call to action still stands, so folks should be taking whatever action they can to fight back McDonald’s and to show solidarity with the comrade. They are using #disruptmcdonalds on social media to share actions.

There is no alternative but solidarity. Without solidarity, our movement dies down, diluted in vegan capitalism crap, and becomes assimilated by the corporate. Without acts of solidarity, our comrades will not carry on pushing forward because they will not feel safe if worse comes to worst. 

From Unoffensive, the biggest chunk of donations goes straight away to prisoner support. We don’t manage to help even a small fraction of what we should, and we understand that some folks prefer to send cash to specific campaigns than to a pool of money for anyone that needs it. Some folks prefer to remain anonymous and not make their legal struggles public, so the only way there is to support them is for groups like the ALFsg or us to send them cash. If you want to help, join our Patreon below. Or at least, send some cash through the links above. However it is, help out activists in need instead of vegan celebrities. It’s about time we shift the tide. 

www.patreon.com/animalliberation

So where do you stand? How are you showing solidarity? 

PHOTO: ZEROFOURSIXEIGHT on IG
Check their account here: 

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HELP WITH FINES, JOIN SOLIDARITY ACTIONS AND WRITE LETTERS TO PRISONERS.

As you know, part of our job is to offer prison and arrest support. We have received a heads up that a comrade in Australia is in need of help to be able to pay fines after being charged with “wilful damage” against butcher shops. They have set up a fundraising page and we are encouraging everybody to not only share, but donate as much as they are able to afford to help out our comrade.

You can find their fundraising page here, explaining the costs and the situation:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/animal-liberation-activism

You can read the filthy media report of the action just below:
https://www.queenslandcountrylife.com.au/story/6202213/vegan-attack-activist-vandalises-brisbane-butcher-shop/

Please, help them out however you are able to. If you want to avoid fees and want to donate to them straight away via paypal, please do so on this link:
https://www.paypal.me/jonopin

Another important thing to mention is the court trial of an activist that was detained during a disruption at McDonald’s. Court has summoned them on the 25th of July, and the group is asking for any worldwide solidarity actions people might want to do during that day, and to put a statement up and tag it with #disruptmcdonalds .

We received a text yesterday in relation to the solidarity actions via an anonymous email also asking for more radical, more concrete actions. Although from Unoffensive we do not promote or partake in criminal activity, we believe it is important for people to be aware of the call to action:

“Solidarity action.
Thursday 18th July, give a smashing hug to a McDonald’s near you. With someone on trial on the 25th for a McDonalds disruption we want international solidarity.
Hambacher forst also asked for solidarity against McDonalds. Also the uncountable number of animals and the rampant capitalist behaviour of the company needs not to remain unchecked.
Please include “#disruptmcdonalds” on the report and let people know it has happened the day after for max exposure via BiteBack or Unoffensiveanimal”

Finally, we would like to encourage everybody to spend half an hour today writing to Matthias, our comrade locked up in Switzerland accused of criminal damage on butcher shops, and to send them as much love and hugs as you can. Matthias does not have a postal address, but you can type a letter for them and send it to Solidarité avec nos camarades antispécistes détenu.e.s en Suisse via Private Message. It will take you five minutes, it will make their day.

SOLIDARITY IS OUR WEAPON.

UNTIL WE WIN.