Every year on National Animal Rights Day, many great people go out to march and advocate for animals; an important part of our cause for animal liberation. However, once the banners are put up and the sun sets away, the cruelty continues.
Next time you are out at your local park or just cruising basically anywhere, gaze up at the trees. For a start, you can admire their gracious heights and the beautiful creatures that live amongst them. However, certain trees will have an insect trap imposed upon its branches. These glue traps kill any creature who is unfortunately baited onto its unforgiving mat. The fortunate part is that they are pretty easy to find; they are basic-looking triangular prisms that are tan and stand out against green foliage. An easy target that anyone can do. Even if it is just one, its life-saving.
So far four traps are down and more shall follow their same fate. Fuck the government and its cruelty to the most vulnerable. This act is dedicated to anyone who has helped animal abusers and earth rapists suffer consequences from their actions. “
Editors note: Image not related to the action. Location not communicated by the anonymous activist.
When going to a protest or an aboveground action there are risk factors to analyse before taking a phone. Sure, someone is doing social media and needs to take some photos and sometimes we might feel vulnerable without a pocket device that can call friends if something happens and you are left stranded in the middle of a field. The issue is, telephones are little spying devices, they are able to spy on you live if they have been previously infected, and even if they haven’t, they hold so much information about you and your activity and behaviour that if they are to be arrested, they can really unearth extreme amounts of information about you and your friends.
Over the next few episodes, we will discuss different ways we can protect ourselves from harming our safety or our comrades’ safety when handling technology at demos and protests, but remember that threat modelling is crucial and you should be able to analyse what your current threat model is, and what the threat model of the action is, making decisions about your best course of action relating to your phone!
To start with, even tho we have talked about this multiple times in the past, we will give two pieces of advice that apply not only to when you are going to a demo, but at all times:
1- NEVER USE BIOMETRICS.
FaceID and FingerprintID are incredibly convenient. You don’t need to introduce a very long password to access your phone, and on a day-to-day basis, it is difficult for other people to try and replicate your face or your finger! The issue is there are huge vulnerabilities with using biometrics. In case studies, folks have managed to 3d print fingerprints out of data or replicate a FaceID verification with a flat photo. But do you know who has your fingerprint data as soon as you are arrested? The police.
This is not just about some sophisticated method to print and implement your fingerprints either. Whilst passwords are memorable things and you could potentially forget your decryption password if you were to be forced by the police to decrypt your device, you are simply not able to forget your fingerprints or face. The police have been seen forcing people’s fingers into screens to unlock devices or holding the head of activists in front of the smartphone’s camera to trigger the faceID. YOU SHOULD NEVER, EVER, USE BIOMETRICS!
2- STRONG PASSWORDS ARE A MUST.
We have talked about this in the past, but your smartphone’s lock screen password is most likely your smartphone’s decryption key. You should have a long, alphanumeric password that you are able to remember but that would be very hard to guess. You can read more about how to create a smartphone password by reading “CREATING A SAFE PASSPHRASE FOR YOUR SMARTPHONE” on our website.
In future issues of “So you’re taking a phone to a protest” we will talk about burner phones, IMEI numbers, messaging and managing social media from a protest, not taking phones to a protest and more. Tune in for the next one and please drop a comment if you have any questions!
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.
“Lamb liberated in solidarity with Marius Mason and all long term anarchist prisoners.
We’d seen the lambs many times, we knew, while they were with their mums now, it wouldn’t be that long before they fattened up and the farmer sent them to slaughter. The field was easy to access but watchful mums keeping their babies close were hard to catch. Herding them into a corner and closing in we managed to grab one. Picking them up and taking them to safety we hoped their mum would understand that we’d look after them. We wish we could of taken her other lamb and her, the whole herd. They all deserve better than what awaits them. This lamb will get real care and never see the slaughterhouse or be left to die and decay in some field corner.
It is nearly June 11th, so with the freedom of this lamb we want to send love to Marius and all anarchist comrades serving prison. The fight goes on, and we hope that reading about this lamb allows you to feel freedom, even if just for a second.
To Lisa E and the German antifascists. To our Chilean comrades awaiting trial. To the KTB prisoners. You are not forgotten. We keep fighting.
Until we are all free, every cage is empty and every slaughterhouse and prison is up in flames,
“A few nights ago the ALF attacked one of the largest hatcheries for the egg industry in Denmark.
A well coordinated attack by activists on one of the largest hatcheries for the egg industry in Denmark. Over 20,000 fertilized eggs where kept in a cooling room, which prevents the eggs from developing into chicks. Fertilized eggs are stored at around 17 degrees Celsius for up to 3 weeks, before being moved to the “pre-incubators”, where they are kept for 18 days at around 37 degrees Celsius. At 37 degrees, they develop into chicks, before being moved to incubators the last 3 days, where the eggs hatch.
Once hatched, the males would be gassed to death, while the females would be abused for their bodies for over a year, before also being gassed to death.
Only the 20,000 eggs kept in the cooling room at 17 degrees were destroyed. Every measure was taken to ensure that no animals were harmed.
Not only did this action cause the hatchery economic damage and disrupt their industry, it also prevented over 20,000 chickens from being born into a terrible life.”
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.
From June 24th to July 1st in Atlanta Georgia, USA, a week of action will begin to head-off the Weelaunee Summer.
Come for the week. Stay for the summer.
Previous weeks of action have been bristling and bursting with energy, excitement, and activity. The following week after these, when large numbers of people that were there for the week leaves, there has consistently been what’s called a “week of repression.” During that time the police do raids and the empire strikes back in retaliation. The energy and pressure from a long hot Weelaunee summer could resist their attempts at repression.
Remember that solidarity can be felt from around the world, maybe join from wherever you are, drop a banner, send smopke signals, whatever you fancy!
Last Sunday, Palestine Action reached 28 days of siege of Elbit’s factory in Leicester!
Some of the latest actions in support of the ongoing siege include a spraypaint of “We ride 4 Palestine” on Uber’s Lime bikes in London, Red Leicester Choir performing songs in support of PalAction, and smashing and spraying Precision FM, the facilities manager of Leicester’s Israeli weapons factory.
Meanwhile, there have been a lot of news regarding charges and trials against PalAction.
Two actionists of PalActions current siege of Elbit’s factory in Leicester got detained for a couple of days and then released on May 24.
Two actionists who were involved in the groups’ siege of Leicester’s Israeli weapons factory in May last year went to court for a pre-trial hearing. They will be on trial from 19th June at Leicester Crown Court.
Three actionists who shut down Israel’s weapon’s factory in Tamworth were meant to be on trial on May 23 but the charges were dropped a day before the trial.
Further three actionists who helped shut down the Elbit HQ in London are on trial on Tuesday, May 30. Their charges were also dropped on the day.
Photo shows PalAction’s siege on Elbit’s HQ in London.
So after the shift in workload and the increase on collective members and folks taking responsibility within UA, we have decided that the online shop is more work than what is worth. We are going to stop stocking hoodies and tees, so whatever is online right now are the last few items to grab!
To ensure we sell out the last bits of stock, we have set the minimum price for tees at 16 GBP and for hoodies at 28 GBP. Of course, the shop lets you chose your own price and we do not consider those numbers “payments”, but donations, so you are very welcome to donate more if you want and can afford it.
We will most likely keep prints, flags and other small items up in the shop on a regular basis, but hoodies and tees are just not profitable enough to grant the effort of running the shop and dealing with missing parcels and wrong sizes! As it stands, the designs we have printed in the past will not be printed again, unless enough folks express they want a specific design reprinted, in which case we might be able to do a pre-order only sale and print only the ones that folks have already paid for.
From now on, in terms of tees and hoodies, we would love to do intermittent drops with fresh designs as and when, only in the form of pre-order. If there are any artists that would like to work with us, please reach out! We’d love to see what we can come up with! Equally as mentioned before, if there is any old design that enough people seem to want, we could also get them printed on pre-order basis.
We would love to hear from you, what kind of limited drop designs would you like to see? What sort of themes? Do you have any artist recommendations?
Go to the website and grab something before it runs out:
