It is with a sad heart that we report the passing of Tsutomu Shirosaki. Tsutomu, a political prisoner and an alleged former militant in the Japanese Red Army, died Saturday while in a Japanese prison. Tsutomu died after choking during a meal. He was deeply loved and respected by members of the Los Angeles Anarchist Black Cross.
In order to ensure accountability to the larger community, the ABCF produces this Warchest report. To review, please click on the link below. The Warchest Fund sends monetary stipends to political prisoners who receive little or no financial aid. Currently, the ABCF supports 17 political prisoners through this program.
Currently, there are two places you can get political prisoner buttons. Gender Enders are selling Gage Halupowski, Eric King and Bill Dunne buttons as fundraisers. You can buy them at genderended.com/category/buttons
Additionally, our friends at Burning Books sells a series of 9 amazing button packs complete with current and former political prisoners and politicized prisoners. Order at https://burningbooks.com/collections/other/products/political-prisoner-button-packs
“We’re excited to be carrying these political prisoner buttons from Blue Ridge ABC. They come in 9 different mix packs.
Each pack contains 6 buttons with the names, faces and in many cases support sites for U.S.- held political prisoners, a mixture of well-known and less famous, younger and older, from different movements. A great resource for starting conversations and spreading support.”
Button packs represent:
#1) Sean Swain, Jeremy Hammond, Mumia Abu-Jamal, Jaan Laaman, Hanif Shabaz Bey, Dion Ortiz
#2) Ramsey Orta, Reality Winner, Leonard Peltier, Muhammad Burton, Chuck Africa, Imam Siddique Abdullah Hasan
#3) Joshua Williams, Marius Mason, Tom Manning, Janet Africa, Kevin “Rashid” Johnson, Russell “Maroon” Shoats
#4) Red Fawn Fallis, Michael Kimble, Eddie Africa, Joe-Joe Bowen, Walter Bond, Bill Dunne
#5) Oso Blanco, James “Angry Bird” White, David Gilbert, Greg Curry, Ed Poindexter, Janine Africa
#6) Jennifer “Babygirl” Gann, Delbert Africa, Jalil Muntaqim, Xinachtli, Michael “Little Feather” Giron, Romaine “Chip” Fitzgerald
#7) Ruchell “Cinque” Magee, Kamau Sadiki, Eric King, Nina Droz Franco, Bomani Shakur, Ronald Reed
#8) Veronza Bowers, Mutulu Shakur, Casey Brezik, Rayquan Borum, Josh “Skelly” Stafford, Keith “Comrade Malik” Washington
#9) Jay Chase, Jalil Al Amin, Doug Wright, Sundiata Acoli, Michael “Rattler” Markus, Abdul Azziz
Our friends at @genderended distro are selling buttons for Eric’s upcoming birthday! (August 2nd). All funds directly go to Eric! Order at https://www.genderended.com/product/support-eric-button
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 23, 2021
UPDATE on Jessica Reznicek’s case, SIGN THE PETITION “Protecting Water is Never Terrorism: Repeal Jessica Reznicek’s Terrorist Enhancement!”, and Free Jessica WEBSITE LAUNCH!
Contact: [email protected]
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/freejessrez
Website: Supportjessicareznicek.com
Since sentencing Jessica has remained on house arrest at the Des Moines Catholic Worker, with her cat Noni who has offered constant comfort and solidarity. The United States Department of Justice has notified Jessica Reznicek that she is scheduled to report to Waseca, MN Federal Correctional Institution on Aug 11th at 2pm. Our hearts are filled with feelings of love and gratitude from all the requests to write letters of support to Jessica. Once she is in prison we will launch a letter writing campaign with all the information and directions on how to do so.
The 8th Circuit United States Court of Appeals has set a preliminary deadline of August 19th for an appeals brief to be filed. The appeal will be focusing on Judge Rebecca Goodgame Ebinger’s misuse of terrorism enhancements at Jessica’s sentencing.
Despite federal authorities use of ‘terrorism’ language to describe Reznicek’s actions, no person was harmed by her actions, nor was she technically convicted of any terrorism-related crime. In plain language, there are already laws on books to punish people for arson, and without the domestic terrorism enhancement Jessica would be looking at less than half of the 8 year sentence she has wrongfully received.
ADD YOUR NAME TO THE PETITION: https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/protecting-water-is-never-terrorism-repeal-jessica-rezniceks-terrorist-enhancement
In the meantime, Jessica remains upbeat and heart-strong as she is receiving enormous amounts of support, solidarity and love from folks around the globe. She is currently exploring ways to earn her bachelor degree while in prison through prison correspondence education programs. For more information on Jessica’s case and to continue to support Jessica visit our website: supportjessicareznicek.com
If you are on organization that would like to add your name to the petition or support team fill out this form.
Thank you for your support!
Love and solidarity, Jessica and the Jessica Support Team
Join us in Clark Park this coming Monday for the next letter-writing event. Snacks and materials will be provided! We will be writing letters to extend our solidarity to Ron Reed, long-time civil rights activist and Black revolutionary who is fighting his conviction for which he was framed and given a life sentence. His birthday is August 31st, so if you are writing to him from home, please send him birthday greetings as well.
Ron is a former 60s civil rights activist. In 1969, Reed was among the students at St. Paul Central High School who demanded Black history courses and organized actions against racist teachers. He was also instrumental in helping to integrate college campuses in Minnesota. During this period, Reed began to look toward revolutionary theory and engage in political street theater with other young Black revolutionaries in the city of St. Paul.
Reed went on to join the Black United Front. In 1970, he was convicted of shooting an off-duty police officer during a bank expropriation and served 13 years in prison. Twenty-five years later, Reed was convicted of first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit first-degree murder after having a cold case of another police shooting pinned on him. He is now serving life in prison for the second conviction.
We will also be sending birthday cards to political prisoners with birthdays in August: Eric King (the 2nd), Bill Dunne (the 3rd), Hanif Bey (the 6th), Mutulu Shakur (the 8th), and Russell Maroon Shoatz (the 23rd).
If you have the ability, please check out political prisoner Eric King’s online wishlist at
tiny.cc/EK_Books and buy a book or two. Eric has been in segregation for almost two years and facing new charges. He is a voracious reader and shares the books with many others. He is also, absurdly, on a mail ban for over a year and can only receive mail from his wife, mother and lawyers.
More about Eric
https://supportericking.org
Imprisoned Anti-Fascist Activist Says Federal Guards Let White Supremacists Beat Him
Voices from Solitary: Flipping the Script
Saturday, September 11, 2021 at 6:00pm (rain or shine!)
Southern Walnut Creek Trail at Govalle Neighborhood Park, 5200 Bolm Rd, Austin, TX 78721
Required registration form here.
Registration fee: sliding scale $20-100 ($40 strongly recommended). Each paid and registered participant will get a t-shirt (design is still in the works).
Pay online via PayPal to AustinRDTW@protonmail.com or you can bring cash/check/money order to the event. Or email us to make other arrangements.
Contact: [email protected]
We have new shirts available in our new store! Featuring our spiffy logo, everyone’s lucky number and inspiring words from indigenous freedom fighter and imprisoned comrade, Oso Blanco. Order at abcfoc.bigcartel.com
All proceeds will benefit the ABCF Warchest Program. The Warchest is a fund maintained by the Anarchist Black Cross Federation which sends a monthly stipend to long term Political Prisoners/Prisoners of War. It also is available for post-release funds and emergencies. http://abcf.net/warchest-program/
Oso Blanco is a Wolf Clan Cherokee/Choctaw raised in New Mexico, his Cherokee name is Yona Unega and he became known by the authorities as “Robin the Hood” after the FBI learned that Yona Unega was robbing banks to support the Zapatistas in Chiapas on a regular basis in 1998/1999.
In the afternoon we will host a 5k run/walk/car caravan around the Cook County Jail Complex. In the evening there will be a live music show. More details to follow!
What is Running Down The Walls? RDTW is a 5k event where people inside and outside of prisons run/walk/roll in solidarity for prisoners everywhere. It is both a fundraiser and a protest against mass incarceration.
Facebook event
Contact: [email protected]
