Second Annual Burpee Marathon Fundraiser for the Anarchist Black Cross Federation’s Warchest Fund.
The Warchest has been providing reliable monthly financial support to political prisoners since 1994. These funds allow our comrades to buy postage, phone calls, extra food and clothing, etc. Show up, give whatever donation you like and then do as many burpees as you like or your friends and family pledge to give $1 per burpee. However much money you raise, is how many burpees you do on September 18, 2022.
Start training! Start stretching and get some rest!
This is a group message to let everyone know that I ended my short vow of silence after a week. In other news the cops are still executing black men in the streets, and getting caught on camera doing it.
I am also happy to spread the word that our anarchist YPG comrade who was on a hunger strike in France has been released to the hospital after 37 days of refusing to eat in protest for their indefinite detention without charges. They are a YPG International combat veteran. This highlights the current campaigns of harassment that nation states are making against YPG and YPJ International Volunteers. This is happening in France, Italy and the U.$., all countries with grim histories of colonialism, fascism and slavery. We are being rounded up worldwide and held on trumped up charges because we are freedom and democracy loving anarchists and friends of the noble Kurdish people. I admire our friends who go on hunger strike. Having fasted many times in my life I understand how difficult and dangerous a hunger strike is. Here in the United $tates of Amerikkka the cops will force a feeding tube down the throats of those on hunger strikes, which can itself lead to deadly injuries, as we have seen in the case of Irish political prisoners.
Right now anarchist political prisoner Eric King is facing further harassment after beating his charges of assaulting a lieutenant who trapped him in a closet and assaulted him, then tried to destroy the evidence. The jury dropped the charges (ED. note: they found him not guilty) but the prison staff retaliated by destroying his legal papers, personal pictures and books and then sent him to a higher security prison. He has been threatened by the staff at this prison and has been assaulted by prison staff and prison staff have locked him in areas with neo-nazis and fascists in order to have him attacked by racist skinheads. My situation and suffering is nothing compared to his. Please consider looking into his situation by reading the articles distributed online by the Anarchist Black Cross of New York City and then use the information provided to write to officials who can take action to protect Eric from white supremacist police and their gang allies. They are again restricting his ability to call and write to friends and family and he is not allowed to have books. Frankly, they are torturinghim and trying to drive him insane.
I have experienced isolation in a similar special housing unit in Tallahassee, Florida, as well as “diesel therapy”, where they ship a prisoner around the country, bouncing them around to various prisons for months at a time instead of sending them to one prison for their sentence. In my experience it is psychologically more straining than war to be alone in a cell for months at a time, without being able to call friends, or read books besides the colonizers bibles, or talk to lawyers who can protect you, not being allowed outside for sunlight and fresh air, without music, colors, art or anything beautiful or pleasant. I still experience traumatic memories and emotional thought patterns as a result of my six months in isolation. What saved me from throwing my life away was the support of friends on the outside who sent me books, mail, and the Certain Days Political Prisoner Calendar, which is full of beautiful art and poetry and helps one keep track of the passage of time, the moon cycles and historical days and holidays. Guards have a policy of denying calendars to isolated prisoners, telling lies about the time and date and access to constitutionally protected resources and actively trying to drive people in captivity to violent acts by threatening them, assaulting them, humiliating them and depriving them of sleep by leaving lights on at night, making lots of noise by banging on the doors and opening cell doors in the middle of the night to make threats. They also tamper with peoples food and refuse religious and medical diets, causing easily avoidable medical conditions, hunger and despair. My lawsuits regarding this harassments was shot down by unscrupulous judges, so the only way to help people like Eric is to take direct actions yourself.
On a lighter note, and to provide contrast for my situation compared to Eric’s, I just received many books and letters last week as well as money on my account to supplement the poor diet they have been giving me here as a Buddhist and political vegan with lactose intolerance. The quality of my life has improved as a direct result of people organizing on the outside to give me support. Please provide even more support for Eric King. He needs it more than I do at this point. In fact I would appreciate it if my defense committee would send some of the money sent to me to Eric King.
Thanks again for everything, thanks for not forgetting us! Dan
Write Dan at: Daniel Baker, 25765-509 FCI Memphis P.O, Box 34550 Memphis, TN 38184
As of this morning, Eric is still at USP Atlanta and en route to maximum security USP Lee in Virginia despite being threatened there by white supremacists. The Bureau of Prisons on every level is aware of this risk and is sticking to the “inmate must be returned to the parent institution’ narrative.
Last week, the Amnesty International USA Deputy Director of Research noted in a letter to BOP Director Michael Carvajal Eric’s recent acquittal and the known threats to Eric’s life calling his transfer “retaliatory and punitive rather than necessary.” Read and share this letter.
We need people to contact the BOP and federal representatives every day. Please see contact information for emails, phone calls, and mailing addresses below.
Mark. R Warner Email: https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=ContactPage Twitter: @MarkWarner 703 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Phone: 202-224-2023
Eric was moved from Grady County yesterday and ended up at USP Atlanta. We are not sure whether he is there or at USP Lee yet. USP Lee is the maximum security prison where he spent 2 weeks in the segregation unit before being sent to Colorado for his case two years ago. On the way to USP Lee last time, Eric was threatened by white supremacists and told to not go in general population. His life is in danger due to this move.
Yesterday, Amnesty International’s Deputy Director of Research Justin Mazzola wrote a letter to Bureau of Prisons director Michael Carvajal about Eric’s situation. In it, he wrote,
“ Transferring Eric King to a maximum-security facility across the country, far from his family and loved ones when he has such a short amount of time remaining on his sentence seems to be more retaliatory and punitive rather than necessary due to specific security concerns”
“The BOP must revisit the issues within Eric King’s security profile which allow his eligibility to be at a maximum-security facility and the decision for him to be placed so far from where his family resides and where he intends to settle upon release”.
Now that Eric’s arrival at USP Lee is imminent, we are asking you to finish the week strong and contact staff at USP Lee and the Bureau of Prisons.
Urge them to them to: 1- Transfer Eric out of USP Lee immediately by dropping his maximum management variable.
2- Not force Eric to choose between the SHU (23-24 hours a day in cell, no books, no phone, no email, no visits) and walking the yard with an active death threat against him.
3- Assess his situation immediately. The threat against his life is already documented. There is no need to prolong this process. Eric has 18 months left and needs to prepare for release, not fight for his life against white supremacists.
We added some new BOP contacts and the Congressional Rep for Virginia’s 9th district (where USP Lee is located). Make sure to impress upon him this is happening at a prison in his district.
Mark. R Warner Email: https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=ContactPage Twitter: @MarkWarner 703 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Phone: 202-224-2023
Eric was tested for COVID-19 yesterday at Grady County Jail and is likely being moved this morning. We believe he will be sent to USP Lee- a maximum security prison where he spent 2 weeks in the segregation unit before being sent to Colorado for his case two years ago. On the way to USP Lee last time, Eric was threatened by white supremacists and told to not go in general population. His life is in danger due to this move.
We are asking you today to contact staff at USP Lee and the Bureau of Prisons and urge them to:
1- Transfer Eric out of USP Lee immediately by dropping his maximum management variable. 2- Not force Eric to choose between the SHU (23-24 hours a day in cell, no books, no phone, no email, no visits) and walking the yard with an active death threat against him. 3- Assess his situation immediately. The threat against his life is already documented. There is no need to prolong this process. Eric has 18 months left and needs to prepare for release, not fight for his life against white supremacists.
Be sure to call/fax/email the staff at USP Lee as well as Regional BOP, DSCC & National BOP.
Mark. R Warner Email: https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=ContactPage Twitter: @MarkWarner 703 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Phone: 202-224-2023
Mark. R Warner Email: https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=ContactPage Twitter: @MarkWarner 703 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Phone: 202-224-2023
Eric is currently at Grady County Jail in Oklahoma City and we want to keep him there and stop him from being sent to a dangerous situation at USP Lee. We also want to make sure that if the BOP does send him to USP Lee, that he not be placed in solitary confinement indefinitely and he be transferred immediately to a low or medium security prison. We won’t let Eric be buried in USP Lee’s segregation unit and be forced to do his last 18 months in solitary.
Today, we are asking you to call/fax and email YOUR U.S. Senator and Congressional Representative. You can find out who your reps are at here. Write and call them asking for help for Eric since YOU are their constituent. There are some good tips on this at https://ahuehuete.substack.com/p/freaking-free-king?s=r
Of course, keep up the pressure on the Bureau of Prisons. New contacts have been added below. If you have the time to reach out to other Reps, their info is below too.
FREE ERIC KING! Templates and all contacts are here.
Eric is in his own words:
How are your calls going? What are you hearing? Email us at [email protected]
Mark. R Warner Email: https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=ContactPage Twitter: @MarkWarner 703 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Phone: 202-224-2023
Eric is at Grady County Jail in Oklahoma City and we want to keep him there and stop him from being sent to a dangerous situation at USP Lee.
Today, we are asking you to call/fax and email the Bureau of Prisons staff below and urge them to transfer Eric to an appropriate low or medium security prison so he can finish his sentence and go home to his family and community. The Bureau of Prisons knows what will happen if they send him to USP Lee. We do not accept indefinite placement in segregation as an alternative. Ask them to remove his management variable and send Eric to a federal prison close to home so he can prepare for release in December 2023.
Be sure to tweet at the BOP at @OfficialFBOP
Reach out to your U.S. Senators and Congressional Reps and ask them for your help on this issue. Find who they are at https://www.congress.gov/members/find-your-member
Mark. R Warner Email: https://www.warner.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?p=ContactPage Twitter: @MarkWarner 703 Hart Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Phone: 202-224-2023
As of last night, Eric is still at Grady County Jail in Oklahoma City and we want to keep him there and stop him from being sent to a dangerous situation at USP Lee.
We recounted last week that Eric has already been threatened by white supremacists on the way to USP Lee last time and was walked into an empty chow hall to fight a nazi enforcer at USP McCreary last year. The Bureau of Prisons knows what they are doing by sending him to USP Lee. We do not accept indefinite placement in segregation as an alternative. We demand Eric be transferred to a low or medium security prison and be allowed to finish his time and be released in December 2023.
To that end, we are asking for your solidarity for another week of calling, faxing and emailing various Senators and BOP staff. We added Missouri Senators Blunt and Hawley on Friday (that is where Eric was born, raised and lived until his 2014 arrest). Today we are asking for you to contact Colorado Senators Bennet & Senator Hickenlooper (this is where Eric’s family lives and where he will be released). Of course, please continue to contact the Bureau of Prisons contacts at DSCC, Mid Atlantic Region and the new one we added: USP Lee.
John Hickenlooper https://www.hickenlooper.senate.gov/email-john/ Byron Rogers Federal Building| 1961 Stout Street, Suite 12-300 303-244-1628 https://twitter.com/Hickenlooper
Bureau of Prisons contacts: USP Lee Lee County Industrial Park Hickory Flats Road Pennington Gap, VA 24277 Email: [email protected] Phone: 276-546-0150 Fax: 276-546-9115
Oso Blanco, other Native Prisoners, campaigning for their rights
A campaign was recently launched on behalf of indigenous political prisoners at the US Penitentiary Victorville in Adelanto CA, and their right to engage in their religious ceremonies and practices, especially the restoration of their sweat lodge, which had been destroyed and desecrated by prison authorities.
In response, there have been some developments regarding Oso Blanco (Byron Shane Chubbuck), a Native political prisoner recognized by the Jericho Movement, who is incarcerated there. His outside supporters have been instrumental in the campaign.
Here are some recent developments:
–USP Victorville has been on lockdown since March 24th due to two deaths (OD’s) that are being investigated. Prison staff are responsible for bringing those drugs into the facility.
–Oso Blanco (OB) is currently in administrative segregation. In accordance with his personal beliefs, he does not use or distribute drugs. Prison staff and administration know this.
–OB was not directly informed why he was placed in segregation. But he was placed in administrative segregation following an exchange with Chaplain Doran Kelvington in which OB calmly advocated for peaceful resolution of the issues around rebuilding the sweat lodge.
–AW Lepe came and told OB on March 29th that a couple people including the pipe holder, Larry, will start cleaning up the sweat lodge area.
–Lepe stated that he will be sure to get the willows himself, he will not wait for the chaplain to do this.
–OB also told Lepe that grass is needed surrounding the area due to the intense heat. It is dangerous to step on the ground/dirt barefoot. Shade is also needed so that no one is at risk for heat stroke which could be fatal.
You can write to Oso Blanco at
Byron Shane Chubbuck #07909-051 USP Victorville United States Penitentiary PO Box 3900 Adelanto CA 92301
