Dan Baker is a social justice activist and former army vet. He went AWOL instead of fighting in Iraq, and then took his training to help defend Rojava with the International Freedom Battalion and was featured on VICE. Dan was also active during the George Floyd rebellion and took part in CHAZ . He was arrested on January 15th, 2021 after the FBI compiled social media posts related to Trump supporters’ actions on inauguration day to build a criminal case against him.
Dan was facing up to 10 years for two counts of transmitting a communication in interstate commerce containing a threat to kidnap or injure. On October 12th, he was sentenced to 44 months in prison and 3 years of supervised release. Join us on Jitsi (link will be shared the day of) as we listen to a podcast about the case and write letters of support to him. He is currently held at FDC Tallahassee, but will likely be moved to a longer-term facility in the coming weeks to serve out the remainder of his sentence.
Via NYC ABC WHAT: Political Prisoner Letter-Writing WHEN: 7pm sharp, Tuesday, October 19th, 2021 WHERE: The Base – 1302 Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn, New York 11221 (directions below) NOTE: The Base is on the ground floor, is wheelchair accessible, and has a gender neutral toilet. COST: Free
It’s tradition for anarchists to make their own traditions. A century ago there was a full calendar of anarchist un-holidays, from honoring the Haymarket Martyrs on November Eleventh, to celebrating May Day as a workers’ holiday (also an homage of sorts to the Haymarket folks), and marking the anniversaries of the Paris Commune, the Mexican Revolution, and other events that stirred the anarchist diaspora’s collective heart.
We’ve continued this tradition of DIY traditions, not to replicate the holidays of hierarchy and superstition, but to help build a revolutionary culture in which we can celebrate and hold place for our ideals (or The Ideal, as Emma Goldman would say) amidst the vicissitudes of human existence. We were able to restart one such tradition just two weeks ago, with our first in person letter writing event since March of 2020. And this coming Tuesday, we will mark another on our calendar, our annual Green Scare(Y) letter writing to earth and animal liberation prisoners.
As the recent conviction and sentencing of Jessica Reznicek unfortunately demonstrates, the corporate/state tactic of labeling those engaged in sabotage for earth and animal defense as terrorists remains in place, even as Marius Mason remains imprisoned with the same ridiculous enhancement. Since the early 1980s, public relations hacks have been working to reify the term “eco-terrorism.” By 2004, they became successful and a phrase that a decade earlier had no real meaning was now defined by the United States government and used to introduce legislation. In the face of global ecologic destruction and animal torture, those who try to end the suffering are the ones labeled terrorists.
So come join as we enact tangible solidarity by writing letters to our Green Scare comrades inside. While it can’t be said that this is a joyous occasion, it is a celebration of solidarity, and we can’t think of anything more worthwhile to celebrate than that.
Please take the time to send cards or write letters to Marius and Jessica:
Marie (Marius) Mason #04672-061 FCI Danbury Route 37 Danbury, CT 06811 *Address card to Marius
“Water Protectors not Terrorist. Free Jessica Reznicek”
We are so excited to announce our new #FreeJessicaReznicek T-Shirts in partnership with Eagle Screen Printing in Minneapolis. Part of the proceeds will support the campaign to Free Jessica.
Black 100% cotton tee with white and red print on front and white print on back. Unisex sizes. Designed by Kat Eng.
Buy a tee in support of Jessica and to raise awareness around her case and many other earth and water protectors being prosecuted.
The following is a statement from her team who organized this fundraiser. “Jessica Reznicek is currently serving an 8 year prison sentence for actions she took to stop the Dakota Access Pipeline. A “terrorism enhancement” more than doubled her sentence, and she has been ordered to pay over $3 million in restitution. This is the criminalization of environmental protection!
Inspired by Indigenous leadership of the NODAPL movement at Standing Rock, Jess took a stand against the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline in Iowa in 2016. She and a fellow Catholic Worker disabled construction machinery and the pipeline itself. No one was injured by their actions, and the land was protected from the flow of oil for an additional 4 months.
Biden’s Department of Justice continues to pursue terrorism charges against protestors across the country. We denounce this dangerous precedent and are working to appeal Jessica’s sentencing and get the terrorism enhancement removed. What happens to Jessica happens to all of us!”
On Tuesday, a Florida judge sentenced Daniel Baker, an anti-fascist activist, to 44 months in federal prison for social media posts that called for armed defense against possible far-right attacks on the state’s Capitol in the wake of the January 6 riots. Baker, a 34-year-old yoga teacher and emergency medical technician trainee, had no previous criminal convictions and has already been held for 10 months of harsh pretrial detention, including seven months in solitary confinement. He never brought a weapon near a government building; he amassed no armed anti-fascist forces; he made no threats on a single individual.
The Judge in Eric King’s case has closed the court to the public for tomorrow’s evidentiary hearing.
You can call in and listen to court Thursday October 14th, 9:30am mountain time/11:30am EST For public audio access to the hearing, call 877-336-1828 and enter access code 9449909#
Eric’s lawyers at Civil Liberties Defense Center have released a major update on his case. Please check it out.
As we prepare for key upcoming court dates for our client Eric King, we wanted to provide some insight on what’s happening and why this case is so important. Due to some restrictions around media and upcoming trials, we can’t say nearly as much about it as we’d like. However, you can educate yourself on its substance by visiting the resource page which includes links to all publicly-available court documents.
Please take a look and share it with your networks. You can also follow Eric’s support crew on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, and consider making a small contribution to support his legal defense fund by donating to CLDC and designate your contribution for “Eric King.”
Background: Eric was sentenced to 10 years in prison in 2014 for his actions in solidarity with the Black liberation uprisings in Ferguson, Missouri, and is scheduled to be released in 2023. However, he now faces a new federal criminal charge for allegedly “assaulting” a Bureau of Prisons (BOP) officer in self-defense in 2018, and faces up to 20 more years in prison if convicted.
On Thursday, October 14, CLDC’s legal team will represent Eric at an evidentiary hearing in Colorado Federal Court where the Judge will rule on our Motion to Suppress Evidence regarding Eric’s coerced statements in the aftermath — determining whether the statements were involuntary as a result of torture and abuse he suffered at the hands of BOP Florence guards, among other issues. While we have a steep hill to climb, this evidentiary hearing is a monumental step forward in bringing the truth into the light of day. In addition to his upcoming criminal trial, CLDC is also representing Eric in a civil suit against the BOP relating to this incident and a continuing pattern of abuse within the federal carceral system. In Solidarity, The CLDC Team
We are happy to announce that PRE-SALES for the 2022 Certain Days calendar (our 21st edition) have begun! Order now and calendars will ship soon. In the U.S., order from Burning Books In Canada, order 1-9 copies from Kersplebedeb/Left Wing Books
Order 10 or more copies (and raise funds for your own organizations and projects!) via certaindays.org
Certain Days 2022: Creating a New World in the Shell of the Old The Certain Days: Freedom for Political Prisoners Calendar is a joint fundraising and educational project between outside organizers in Montreal, Hamilton, New York and Baltimore, with two political prisoners being held in maximum-security prisons: David Gilbert in New York and Xinachtli (s/n Alvaro Luna Hernandez) in Texas. Founding members Herman Bell and Robert Seth Hayes (RIP) were happily welcomed home from prison in 2018. Learn more about them at certaindays.org.
Your group can buy 10 or more for the rate of $10 each and sell them for $15, keeping the difference for your organization. Many campaigns, infoshops and projects do this as a way of raising funds and spreading awareness about political prisoners. Use the discount code “BULK” to get 10 or more calendars for $10 each. In Canada, you can order at our bulk rates at certaindays.org.
This year’s theme is “Creating a New World in the Shell of the Old” and features art and writings by Alanna Kibbe, Comrade Z, David Gilbert, Daniel McGowan, Support Eric King, Hanif Bey, Jesus Barraza, Leila Abdelrazaq, Martha Hennessy, Montclair Mutual Aid, Oso Blanco, Pete Railand, Roger Peet, Shukri Abu-Baker, Tauno Biltsted, Wendy Elisheva Somerson, Windigo Army, Virginia Lee, Xinachtli and Xue.
Your favorite intercontinental, inside/outside collective has produced our SECOND calendar during the COVID-19 pandemic and despite major obstacles, we think you will love it.
Proceeds from the Certain Days 2021 calendar were divided amongst Addameer Prisoner Support & Human Rights Association (Palestine), Release Aging People in Prison – RAPP, Barton Prisoner Solidarity Project, Tucson Anti-Repression Crew, Austin ABC, Prison Health News, Solidarité sans frontière/Solidarity across border/Solidaridad sin frontera, Buffalo Books Through Bars and Mongoose Distro! Proceeds from the 2022 calendar will go to some of the same grassroots groups and more.
Don’t forget – if you buy 10 or more, be sure to use the discount code “BULK” to get 10 or more calendars for $10 each.
NYC ABC, along with several other individuals and prisoner support crews, now send hard copies to all political prisoners and prisoners of war we support.
If you consistently mail the latest updates to a specific prisoner, please let us know so we can insure there’s no overlap. The goal is to have copies sent to all of the prisoners we list.
We’ve also been told that some prisoners are not receiving the copies sent in, yet we aren’t getting rejection notices. If you are in steady contact with a prisoner, please ask them whether or not they are receiving the updates and let us know.
Pushing Down The Walls. Saturday, Nov 20th 2021 Jurupa Valley Lions Club, 5981 Limonite Avenue, Riverside Ca 92509 Doors open at 10AM. A burpee marathon fundraiser for Political Prisoners. All entry donations will benefit the ABCF Warchest.
How does PDTW work? Show up. Give whatever donation you like and then do as many burpees as you can. Or…
Your friends and family pledge to give $1 per burpee. However much you fundraise is how many burpees you throw down on Nov 20th.
Don’t feel like doing burpees? Pledge to do however many reps of whatever you prefer. There will definitely be food, vendors and music for everyone to enjoy.
WHAT: Political Prisoner Letter-Writing WHEN: 7pm sharp, Tuesday, October 5th, 2021 WHERE: The Base – 1302 Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn, New York 11221 (directions below) NOTE: The Base is on the ground floor, is wheelchair accessible, and has a gender neutral toilet. COST: Free
Aaaaaand…WE. ARE. BACK. After over 18 months of virtual events in support of political prisoners and prisoners of war, NYC ABC and Page One Collective are heading back to The Base, back to in-person events, and back to serving up some hot information on the folks we support. Speaking of hot, the world is on fire–figuratively and literally, largely the result of actions taken by greedy humans in pursuit of capital expansion and exploiting everything possible in the process. So it’s fitting that in our return to political prisoner letter-writing events, we focus on Jessica Reznicek, currently serving an eight year federal prison sentence for eco-defense.
Jessica Reznicek is a 40 year old land and water defender who has worked with and lived in the Des Moines Catholic Worker Community for the last 10 years. Jessica grew up in a small town in rural Iowa.
In 2016, Jessica took a stand against the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline in Iowa. Jessica attended public comment hearings, gathered signatures for valid requests for Environmental Impact Statements, and participated in civil disobedience, hunger strikes, marches & rallies, boycotts & encampments.
When the process failed, she concluded the system was broken, and it was up to individuals to take action and protect the water. She and a fellow Catholic Worker then spent the next couple months disabling construction machinery along the pipeline route.
In early 2021, Jessica pleaded guilty to one count of Conspiracy to Damage an Energy Facility and on June 30 was designated a domestic terrorist by the court and sentenced to 8 years in prison, followed by 3 years supervised probation, and a restitution of $3,198,512.70 paid to Energy Transfer LLC.
The deal, as always, is that you come bringing only yourself (and your friends and comrades), and we provide you with information about the prisoners as well as all of the letter-writing materials and prisoner-letter-writing info you could ever want to use in one evening. In return, you write a thoughtful letter to a political prisoner or prisoner of war of your choosing or, better yet, keep up a long-term correspondence. We’ll also provide some brief updates and pass around birthday cards for the PP/POWs whose birthdays fall in the next two weeks thanks to the PP/POW Birthday Calendar.
Directions: Getting to The Base is simple: From the M Train: Central Avenue Stop: Walk east on Myrtle Avenue (away from Hart Street, toward Cedar Street). We’re about two blocks down on the south side of the street.
Knickerbocker Avenue Stop: Walk west on Myrtle Avenue (away from Harman Street, toward Himrod Street). We’re about three blocks down on the south side of the street.
From the L Train: DeKalb Avenue Stop: Walk south on Stockholm Street (away from Wyckoff Avenue, toward Irving Avenue). We’re about four blocks down, at the intersection of Stockholm Street and Myrtle Avenue.
From the J Train: Myrtle Avenue Stop: Transfer to the M train and follow the above directions.
