Starting an anarchist black cross group: A guide

summer 2018 welcome This zine is a resource for anyone abolition is not a simple answer nor an wanting to start an Anarchist Black Cross easy solution. It is a long way to go. That group. It was a collective effort of people is why exactly we are talking about the from various ABC groups across Europe. Anarchist Black Cross and not liberal, We hope you find it inspiring and useful. statist or reformist ways of organising.

The past several decades we have Our tactics are based upon sharing witnessed various forms of crisis and solidarity, not charity. More than emerging all over the globe and while ever, it is critically important to share resisting and fighting back, we as the knowledge and organisational tips anarchists are paying close attention with people that want to take action. to the changing patterns and tactics of That is why we wrote this zine: shared state repression. To save the status quo knowledge is an important tool in and powers-that be they divide and fighting against repression. rule. They co-opt struggles and pacify subversive movements. Meanwhile, we The best defense against repression are striving to break free. is preparation. We hope this zine can support you to organise where you are We need to destroy all the prisons, and and build more resilience to repression free all the prisoners. Our position is an in your movements and struggles for abolitionist stance against the state and liberation. If you would like support or it’s prisons. Of course, the only easy have questions about this zine please solutions to such a complex problem email: [email protected] like prisons are the false solutions. But The Anarchist Black Cross exists to what is the anarchist strengthen struggles for freedom and liberation by providing mental, emotional, black cross and why material, and physical support to individual, groups, communities and does it exist? movements. Ultimately, we want to help ensure the strength of our movements from the inside out. We want to support The Anarchist Black Cross is an solidarity as our weapons. In all of what struggles to be a threat to state, capitalist, international network of anarchist groups we do, we try to create links in and out white supremacist, patriarchal power and and individuals engaged in practical of prisons. other forms of domination. solidarity with prisoners and broader anti-repression struggles. Anti-Repression and Movement The History of the Anarchist Black Cross Defence Work Prisoner Support The Anarchist Black Cross Federation The state and those that wish to destroy in the United States have written an We support revolutionaries, anarchists movements for liberation attack us on overview of the history of ABC which we his arrest in July or August of 1906. Once and others trapped in the prison system. many levels. The Anarchist Black Cross have shared below: released, Weinstein and others provided We support and publicise prisoners’ network aims to build the infrastructure clothing to anarchists sentenced to exile efforts to organise and resist the system to be resilient to repression so that Since the beginning of the Twentieth in Siberia. This was the early stages of the from the inside. We try to work through we can continue fighting for liberation Century, the Anarchist Black Cross (ABC), ARC. He continued his efforts in Russia letters, visits, material aid, as well and support comrades harmed by this has been on the frontline in supporting until his arrival in New York in May of 1907. as demonstrations, campaigns and state violence. Many groups organise those imprisoned for struggling for Once he arrived, he helped to create the spreading information about prisoners, ongoing long-term solidarity campaigns freedom and liberty. Until recently, the New York Anarchist Red Cross. the reality of prisons and the class with those affected by various waves history of the ABC movement has been system which created them. Fundraising of repression across the world. Indeed, lost to the pages of time. The present Other accounts place the year origin in and material support is a key part of our many ABC groups start in response to a generation of ABC collectives were left 1907. During June and August of 1907, work. repressive operation in their region. rootless with little known information Anarchists and Socialist Revolutionaries about this organisation. Now, specific gather together in London for two Many of us also support prisoners Movement and community defence questions regarding our origin can now conferences. It is believed that Vera and those affected by repression can involve many things. The Anarchist be put to rest. We have now begun to Figner, a Socialist Revolutionary, met emotionally, with friendship and Black Cross has been engaged in rediscover our roots. with Anarchists to discuss the plight of diverse forms over decades – from legal the political prisoners in Russia. After defence campaigns and committees, to The year of origin has been a nagging this meeting, the Anarchist Red Cross maintaining physical solidarity against question regarding the history of the organized in London and in New York. In the police during factory and school Anarchist Black Cross, also known as the addition to this information, we do know occupations, performing roles of security Anarchist Red Cross (ARC). According that members of the organisation were and physical defence against white to Rudolph Rocker, once the treasurer on trial in 1906-1907 in Russia. Therefore, supremacist and neo-fascist attacks, for the Anarchist Red Cross in London, We feel the most accurate date of origin as well as engaging in armed defence the organisation was founded during for the Anarchist Red Cross would be late of social movements. ABC groups also the “hectic period between 1900 and 1906- early 1907 for the Russia section; often organise workshops, zines and 1905.” Despite his involvement in the June or August 1907 for the creation of other material to support people to learn early stages, we do not feel these dates the International section. about repression, security culture and are very accurate. According to Harry solidarity. Weinstein, one of the two men who However, the reason for the creation of began the organisation, it began after the Anarchist Red Cross is not in dispute. creating chapters in London, New York, Chicago and other cities in Europe and North America.

The 1917 Revolution caused a celebration throughout the Socialist, Anarchist, and Communists communities. The ARC liquidated and members began to make plans to return to Russia in hopes of participating in the new society. Sadly, their return It was formed after breaking away from was met by Bolsheviks repression, the Political Red Cross (PRC). The PRC similar to that of the Tsarist era. After was controlled by the Social Democrats a few years of hibernation, the group and refused to provide support to was forced to resurface to assist the Anarchist and Social Revolutionary Political Prisoners in the new Bolshevik During the next 7 decades the group In the 80’s, the ABC began to grow and Political Prisoners, despite continued society. Once again the organisation was would continue under various different new ABC groups began to emerge in donations from other Anarchists and made illegal and membership meant names but has always considered North America. In the United States, Social Revolutionaries. As one former imprisonment and/or death. itself part of the Anarchist Red Cross/ the ABC name had been kept alive by Political Prisoner and member of the Anarchist Black Cross formation. ABC’s a number of completely autonomous Anarchist Red Cross stated,“In some During the Russian Civil War, the ARC’s support for Political Prisoners spread groups scattered throughout the country prisons there was little distinction made name changed to the Anarchist Black to the four corners of the globe. What and had grown to support a wide variety between Anarchists and other Political Cross to avoid confusion with the was once a typically Russian-Jewish of prison issues. Prisoners, but in others Anarchists were International Red Cross, also organising organisation, now had many faces and refused any help.” relief in the country. It was also during ethnicities. The 1990’s and 2000’s brought several this period that the organisation ABC formations in North America The newly formed ARC considered organized self-defence units against During the 1960s, the Anarchist Black (ABCC, ABCN, ABCF). The relationship these actions criminal and vowed that political raids by the Cossack and Red Cross was reformed in Britain by Stuart between these formations has always any prison where Anarchists were in armies. Christie and Albert Meltzer with a focus been considered strenuous. The Break the majority, the ARC would provide on providing aid for anarchist prisoners the Chains conference in August 2003, support to all Anarchist and Social in Francisco Franco’s Spain. The reason along with side bar discussions between Revolutionaries Political Prisoners. for this was Christie’s experience of the collectives, brought about a better Spanish State’s jail and the importance working relationship between the ABCF Because of their support for Political of receiving food parcels. At that time and ABCN formations. (The ABCC was Prisoners, members of the group there were no international groups a short lived formations, dying off in the were arrested, tortured and killed by acting for Spanish anarchist and early 1990s.) the Tsarist regime. The organisation Resistance prisoners. The first action was deemed illegal and membership of the re-activated group was to bring Various ABC groups have also been was reason enough for arrest and Miguel García García, whom Christie existing in Europe in different forms for imprisonment in Artvisky Prison, one of met in prison, out of Spain on his decades. the worst hard labor jails in Siberia. ARC release. He went on to act as the group’s • • • members and prisoners who managed International secretary, working for the to escape from prison fled from Russia release of others. inside. Consider this question seriously how do abc groups and how you are going to confront this in case it appears. organise? Also, it is quite easy to figure out who are the activists of the group and bring There are a lot of different ABC groups open membership and ending up with the group down by direct repression as around the world. Each of them have clandestine groups that are known only membership is transparent. autonomy to decide on how the group to the people facing repressions. All functions and what are the principles types have their pluses and minuses that Semi-Open/Closed group that are in the core of the group. should be taken in consideration when Autonomy and decentralization are you start your own group. This is a type of group that only allows helping us to make sure that no group trusted or well-known activists inside of or individual is capable of forcing Open Group the group. These groups might be built other groups to do things against the from individuals but also members of to find new people to join the group principles of those groups. This type of organising is not often used local anarchist organisations that are instead of those who have decided to and is common to liberal democracies, aware of upcoming or existing problems. change their activity focus. To make sure that decisions within the where solidarity work might be not a groups are made with consideration threat to activists. In this form, the group It might also be decided that It is harder for people to get in touch of all the members of the group, we is open to new members and have membership of the group shouldn’t with the collective in case of repression encourage everybody to use consensus. processes established to let new willing be exposed to the third people if it is or some questions connected with Some groups who do not want to people join decision making processes. not required. This might help you avoid upcoming repressions. This can be practice consensus are choosing to use possible repressions in future, even if addressed by building up additional simple majority or super majority voting. With an open process, we can bring risks are minimal at the current stage of ways of contacting the group. For Eventually, it is completely up to you to new passionate people to the work state repressions. example, mail that is checked every decide what kind of decision making of solidarity without complicated day, or even one or two people from fits your group. However, it is important procedures of building up your The benefit of this group structure is the group that are known inside of the to talk it through before hand at the reputation and earning trust from the the atmosphere of trust that might anarchist circles as activists of ABC. beginning of group formation to avoid movement. With more energy inside of push group activity further in different misunderstandings with other members the group, more can be achieved. directions. It is harder for the state or Organise locally of the group. It is also quite easy to collect money, as capital to disrupt activity of the group. real faces presenting the group can earn On top of that, many such groups are Eventually, ABC work is done locally and Types of organising more trust among people than masked developing into affinity groups that is is heavily connected with the specifics anonymous activists. hard to do with open groups. of the region. That’s why, for example, it Depending on the current political is quite hard for people from Russia to situation in different countries, groups As for the negative sides, you can see an Apart from that, in case of repressions support activists from Finland and vice can select different types of organising easy possibility for police to infiltrate the targeting the whole group it will be versa. We discourage local groups from itself, starting from open groups with group and disrupt processes going on hard for the state to attack all the forming one big group that is covering members, meaning that semi-open or a big region. We are decentralising our closed groups have a bigger level of structures and making it hard for the survivability against direct repression. state to hit everyone at once.

One of the main negatives of semi- However local organisation doesn’t open/closed groups is the bigger mean isolation. At the same time we are dependence on individual members. organising together with different groups Due to the complicated procedures of and learning from each other. Solidarity building trust, it might be complicated and support from neighbouring regions already! If not – don’t get desperate, for the the political repressed people looks like or even from distant parts of the world there are some groups that prefer and how it could look like. We are doing good. are extremely important for ABC work. working on their own, but it doesn’t Feeling like this small group of people are very We strong decentralised but the real mean that everybody is sticking to the dedicated to this work and we are building power comes in cooperation. same plan. Keep asking and searching good relations in the group step by step. and you might find the groups that you Decentralisation is also giving us the will be working with together for years to We are trying as much as it’s possible to skip possibility to go different ways. There are come. the way of ‘bureaucracy’ and trying to take an situations where groups were deciding individual decision about individual cases. We not to support some activists/cases Don’t get surprised that some groups are also interested in communicating about due to political principles, while others are more open than the others. Different the values and political beliefs that this group were eager to help. This eventually political situations are building different works on. gives autonomy of decision that doesn’t political profiles, where activists might paralyse other activity in contradictory be suspicious of new groups/people I believe this work really needs to be done cases. before they figure you out. This is a - that’s my biggest reason for starting in this process that most of us have to go group and keeping it together in the hard times. It might be worth asking close to your through one way or another to build up I think that we need to build not just network, group if there are bigger cooperative networks of trust. infrastructure, critiques, resistance but we need projects happening between groups to take care of each other at the same time. in your region. Most probably, there is I think the biggest challenges for me were: • How to deal with keeping this group open and accessible and working well the same What do abc groups do? time. How to communicate that you can join it, support it and how to leave a space for different To make this section more interesting, to all people in prison, en route to ideas and expressions and not lose the feeling we published interviews with ABC destroying the prison system altogether. that you know exactly with whom you work with organisers from around the world. They and who should be involved in the decision share what their different groups have The group itself keeps me going, making process. been doing, as well as the highlights and because whilst the crew is super on it, • How to create new way of working in this challenges they have experienced. they are also super kind and thoughtful. I group in the sense of who you support and how only hope I can do the same for them! to overcome mechanisms that people already I got involved in ABC a few get used to. My advice would be take care of the months after a close friend I think that the first huge benefit on the other people in your crew, and yourself. was murdered in prison new years eve that we made was worth You have an incredible potential to in Texas. I wanted to do remembering - this was my favourite moment. something productive with the anger I change so much, so take care of each felt after his death. other. “ • • • “ .. A close friend was Our group do all kinds of stuff, from I joined a new group that formed in fundraisers (we have started doing Warsaw at the very beginning of 2014 or murdered in prison in monthly burger nights as one of us is an 15. I already knew about ABC and how Texas. I wanted to do amazing chef) to letter writing, to demos. it works in Poland but the situation in something productive Warsaw started to be complicated for It’s important because of how non- with the anger I felt judgemental the approach is – we aren’t some activists and there was a need to “ looking for “worthy” people to support, have a supporting group here. Plus I was after his death...” but want to show love and solidarity sceptical and critical about how support I got involved in ABC because I Somewhere around 2009-2010 it have an inspiring friend who made became clear to many of us in the me aware of the importance of anarchist movement in our country supporting people on the inside that we will get repressed by the state and I saw how few people give time to it. Our sooner or later. We started ABC to get group spend a lot of time fundraising (gigs/ organised before the state strikes. After “meals/raffles) and then a small amount of time almost a year of existence, we did get in quickly giving that money away to groups all trouble with the state with massive wave over the world that are in need because of of arrests and detentions of anarchists state repression. We organise letter writing and and antifascists. demos and act as occasional rent-a-mob for other prison groups that we may or may not The main focus of the group is be a part of. It’s important because prisons are supporting prisoners and people on trial. incredibly isolating and so staying in contact This is also the main part of spendings. are calling themselves ABC members. with people on the inside can make a massive Apart from that, we publish our own But those who need to know, know it difference to peoples lives. brochures on security culture, how not to talk to police and so on. We also run anyway. ABC means solidarity to me, the threat of prison our website where we try to track all Another challenge is always the is a relentless form of state intimidation and the repressions against anarchists and collection of money. It might be one of repression for many people and so our solidarity antifascists around the country. We are the most boring jobs ever. At the same must also be relentless! also one of the groups trying to push the international week of solidarity with time, if you do it properly it might turn into fun. But it is anyway a real challenge The challenges have been trying to make anarchist prisoners. not to end up broke after another wave people write letters – its unglamourous work of repressions that the state starts and often doesn’t get as much support as it For me, ABC is somehow this wall you against the movement. should. My favourite abc moment was hearing build in front of the repressive regimes first hand from an ex-prisoner how the letters of that allows activists to do their stuff I think the most inspiring moment was a friend of mine and ex-abc-mum changed his without worrying about the necessity when we organised an infotable with life. to gather money or bother about organising your own solidarity campaign letter writting at one of the big events. A really young girl came with her mother The sense of support in the group has been in case of repression. to write letters to prisoners. Her mother memorable, and it keeps me going with the was crying, while the daughter was work that we do. I have also been blown away Apart from that, the value of ABC is also writing something on the postcard. I at the international solidarity that gets spread in it’s political core of solidarity, where think moments like that boost my faith around through the ABC network. This is a rare support is not just humanitarian aid, but in humankind even if sometimes it thing and should be fucking cherished! Prisoner a political statement that unites us in crumbles. support also keeps me going with wider prison struggle. struggles – whilst our long term aims are to What keeps me going? I think there is bring down the prison system helping people Our challenges have been surviving! For “The value of ABC is also this egoistic approach that if something on the inside in various ways can bring little all the years the group has existed, it’s happens to me, I would love people to in it’s political core of victories which are important! been underground with invitation only solidarity, where support membership. With that in mind it is worth help me out. This is one of the reasons, and the other thing is that through the One piece of advice is don’t get sad if you don’t mentioning that we try to act in most is not just humanitarian years of work in ABC it is becoming get a reply to your letter, and don’t let that be of the cases without bringing the ABC aid, but a political clearer what solidarity means and how a sign that the other person doesn’t want more brand to the table as it might potentially statement that unites us important it is. Not just the words, but letters! cause some troubles for those who actions that move the walls around the in struggle.” • • • people and make repressions a little bit strength in prison. Knowing that one- “What keeps me going is less successful. day I could get out and meet these knowing that these systems of kind people who supported me really My advice to new people - Ask other meant the world. It kept me going and it oppression and exploitation still groups if you are hesitant about how gave power to my heart knowing these exist and that the necessity to to start. Some support from collectives people existed! fight remains.” now far from you might help you shouting back, and banging on the understand how the things are working I think our main challenge has been doors – and it’s like the whole prison way faster and you can start spreading finding enough people willing to came alive with noises of defiance. It was your solidarity very soon! And try it! It organise in a dedicated way. It is very amazing! We later heard from a woman is a lot of fun although from the very easy to find people to help with certain in this prison at the time who said it beginning it might look overwhelming. events, like doing cooking, but it has really ‘kicked off’ in the prison that night been harder at times to have enough and everyone their felt amazed that Just start doing and trying people who will do this more boring or people would come on NYE to support to support people and it will talking about a certain situation. We also invisible work like checking emails or them. give you this burst of doing try to keep our website updated with updating the prisoner list. There have something that makes news from around the world. We have also been some challenges with the What keeps me going? It sounds really difference. Starting from the produced a number of publications and gendered division of labour but this is cheesy to say things like “Until All Are small letters and ending up also write articles. Fortunately, there is improving! Free” or “Until Every Cage is Empty” but supporting people during “ another group in our area that focuses I really feel this way. That, we simply the trial. Every drop in the on supporting defendants before prison, Sometimes, the emotional work involved cannot stop until all the cages and ocean of struggle counts. so our main focus can be supporting in ABC can be challenging too. Like prisons in this world are destroyed. What people in prison. We also get involved when you hear from comrades who keeps me going is knowing that these • • • in national campaigns against prison have been tortured or beaten in prison, systems of oppression and exploitation expansion and more. We also organise or are just struggling with imprisonment. still exist and that the necessity to fight I actually first received actions as part of international days of Organising can help you to feel less remains. Emotionally, what keeps me support from an ABC action. powerless, but you still feel like you going is friendships that I have gained when I was in prison. This just want to go there and destroy the through the ABC network. There are solidarity and support from I feel that ABC is beautiful and necessary walls and get these people out! I think some incredibly inspiring people active the group made a huge impression on for many reasons. I feel it is really this feeling of ‘not doing enough’ is in this struggle and it is an honour to me, and when I was released and then important that the anarchist movement something that many people feel know them. “finally free of these state conditions, I builds up the infrastructure that enables who are engaged in struggles, its not joined the group. us to be resilient to repression. It’s clear exclusive to ABC. My advice for new groups is to ask for from history that effective struggles will support when you need it – contact one Our ABC group has engaged in many always be met by state and capitalist My favourite moment is I think definitely of the longer running groups and simply activities over the years. At some points, forces. visiting one prison on the New Year’s ask for help. We have all made so many we have friends and comrades we know Eve solidarity demos and making mistakes and learned so personally who are in prison, and our We need to learn from history and be noise outside. Inside the women were much over the years that work may be more directly supporting prepared. It’s useful to have ABC groups people are happy to help them – like prison visits, writing letters, in existence so that when the shit hits others to get started. Also, fundraising etc. Other times, our work is the fan, we are ready and can respond. make sure you take care more focused on international solidarity. It’s also meaningful to be organising of yourself and each other! We try to organise at least one monthly international solidarity and constantly And fuck macho bullshit :) event; this could be anything from a be developing and strengthening these “ vegan burger night to raise money, to relationships. For myself, on a very hosting a speaker who is touring and personal level, ABC gave me hope and For some years, I was were not how many people imagine I’m doing anti-repression-stuff for nearly aware about the existence activism or how actually activism looks 18 years and, as an anarchist, I was of such a group in our city. like – something boring and taking a lot always interested in organising as an ABC I rather felt it is something of time. Because it is not activism. Our group and doing anti-prison-projects. super-secret and to me case is a bunch of friends, cooking food There was an ABC group somewhere it was a kind of 7th level of anarchism together and having a good time, and else in the country in the late 90s/ “or something. Now it sounds really meanwhile actually doing things. But beginning of 2000, when I just started by ridiculous, but I guess it was so because also I got to say that there are things myself doing things in the radical left and it was vital to not talk about who is doing which start to be hard after some time, I had some loose contact. what and who is who, you know. like publishing things on the website – especially if you have dozens of other Later, I was organised in an anti- My involvement started with wave of things to do. repression-group that did some kind of repression which also hit me and my legal support service for demonstrations comrades, and anti-repression work It is good to share these responsibilities and so on. I left this group because of got much wider scale than before and and not to create these hierarchies, I some big differences concerning the involved more people. After some time, I mean, for example, really try to avoid a political goals we are fighting for and my My advice to people starting - do your realised that actually we are doing things situation when there is only one or two personal affections to radical theory and work and fight. It’s not a hobby or some which ABC is doing for a long time, and people who know how to put things on practice. Then some people in my home kind of project that you can quit when the only difference is that I don‘t meet a website or has an access to e-mail, town started an ABC group in 2008. It you are interested in something new or other people from the group, who don’t because these things are very routine took some years because of different more fascinating. necessarily do public things and don’t or they start to be routine very soon. So personal and political issues but then I want many people to know about their share it, and when you feel that this time joined them. For me, it makes no sense to start an involvement. it was hard for you, share it with people in ABC group and then stop with it some group and make yourself a small reward. One of my favourite moments was when years later because nobody is interested So after some time I got closer and took I thing it’s a tip for how to make things a we organised the Anti-Prison-Days some in the things you are doing or the fights some responsibilities that I wanted to bit more inspiring. years ago and an anarchist long-term- you are going through. Of course not. take care of. It was simple because we • • • prisoner joined the meeting. He was 16 Anti-Repression is never some fun-stuff. are just bunch of friends and see each years behind bars and was released 10 It’s hard work. And it’s hard to continue. other very often, and it is actually hard days before he traveled to the meeting. But don’t give up. Some small breaks, to name the day when I got involved as It was really impressive to meet him and ok, but don’t give up. It’s our ABC group doesn‘t have ritual for listen to his words during the discussions. also a story of trust and accepting new people, like oaths around He was so open-minded and talked dependability for other the campfire when it’s a full moon – about his experiences in prison. For me, people in the same or which is really nice ritual I think..! it was the affirmation of why I’m fighting similar fights. against the prison industry and that we My favourite moment - I think I really are right. • • • liked how we were inventing nicknames “ for all these police and state assholes What keeps me going? It’s fucking “We are not just doing anti- important. Yes, it’s hard work and nothing who were trying to send us to prison. repression work, we are enemies Making jokes about all of them while fun about that, but it has to be pushed writing an article and sometimes trying to forward. We are not just doing anti- of the state and capitalism and write it in the most funny way we could – repression work, we are enemies of the ABC is just one part of a lot. I can I think I could count so many hours that state and capitalism and ABC is just one not stop. There will be always we spent laughing about the police. part of a lot. I can not stop. There will be repression as long there is the always repression as long there is the state, so we will continue.” And I think all these organising moments state, so we will continue. This work started for me We made and printed flyers and zines different groups can also connect more are connected in a loose international almost 20 years ago, when about prison related topics, made talks easily. There is a lot of material to use network. I started to get involved about current cases and prisoners and from other ABC groups and the ABC also with a quite active punk always collected money to support has a long history we can look back and The challenges have been to keep going scene. At this time, there prisoners and other groups. We took try to learn but also take inspiration from. and not to burn out. In this line of work so was an active ABC group part in international gatherings and also to speak there is not so many moments “ in the south of this country organised Anti-Prison-Days. Most people who are somehow involved of success, where you see immediately and one of the people was also doing with an anti-authoritarian movement or a result. We started with a group which a DIY Punk Zine and I ordered it. And We participated in solidarity actions just the punk scene know what ABC is. was more than twice the size than we with and within the zine was also ABC and since 6 years now, we organise a There are punk-festivals all over Europe are now. Many people lost interest in Material. I immediately had the feeling solidarity-festival once a year. Since 4 in solidarity with ABC groups who want the group, the ideas, the struggle… But I that this is important and got drawn to years, we publish a monthly printed to support this cause even if they are not guess otherwise the usual stuff like life in this topic. And so a friend and I made an newsletter. We have a regular updated part of groups themselves. a capitalist society in general. ABC Solidarity Benefit Compilation on website with current events and an Tape. We spread and printed flyers and incomplete list of prisoners. On the other side, I think it is important The best moment is often its just a letter pamphlets about ABC and prisoners. to get organised and have anarchist you get from inside prison. The last two Over the next years, the topic was And we have an always growing book structures to support prisoners, which years we also got invited to talk at a still important for me and I did some and zine distro. Sometimes, we manage keep on going and not form new from festival about our work and they wrote solidarity stuff for ABC groups but it to travel around and give talks about case to case. And also not to completely some really nice words about our group would take almost 10 more years to start ABC related topics and/or the history rely on the German Rote Hilfe, for and our work and why they do a benefit our own group in my city in 2008. of Anarchist Black Cross in general. We example, who managed to print in the especially for us. It felt really nice to get are always happy to get asked for doing last two years at least two articles in appreciated for the work you do. It’s not Prison or Anti-prison perspectives were talks. the Rote Hilfe-Newspaper celebrating why we do it, but to be honest it felt just not a topic in the anti-authoritarian authoritarian communism (who killed really good. movement at all and the anti-repression We consider ourselves more an anti- and incarcerated anarchists/anti- groups did not have an anti-prison/anti- prison group than an anti-repression authoritarians). Of course many of the What keeps us going? It is just really authoritarian perspective. We wanted to group, but also do anti-repression work. “sub-groups” who are part of Rote Hilfe important and it’s just part of our struggle change this. Since about one year, we do a monthly are not like this, but I think this over- as anarchists. It sometimes does not feel letter writing workshop. reliance in Germany on this structure is like much what you can do, but then you In the first years, our main focus was to dangerous. And it also shows somehow get letters from prisoners and they still spread the ideas of an anarchist view I think ABC is important because think that we are everywhere! ;) And that we have so much fight in them and they let against prisons and make prisons/ it’s an important part of an anarchist you feel how important your support is repression and solidarity a bigger topic struggle. We have to support (our) to them. And most of the time you never within the anti-authoritarian movement. prisoners and also have to keep the met them but you read their words and After a while, the banners on solidarity struggle against this prison society going. you feel this strong bond and affinity. I demonstrations changed from “freedom ABC can be a useful label under which personally get a lot of power and energy for all political prisoners” to “freedom back from these letters. for all prisoners” ;) haha. But we did a lot “It sometimes does not feel like of talks about why we as anarchists are much what you can do, but then Also meeting people over the years who are involved since the 80s and even against prisons and that there can’t be a you get letters from prisoners free society with prisons. A lot of people 70s in anti-prison-struggles is always within the movement seemed to have and they still have so much fight very inspiring for me. Or people who do a hard time with these ideas at least at in them and they let you feel this work living in far more repressive first. We also did an Infotour through the how important your support is to countries. And their experiences and how country about this topic. them.” they manage. And there is still prisons and capitalism and no liberated society, so there is also still the need of ABC. ;) will take a lot of energy. Trans Prisoner Day of Action and Maybe get in contact with Solidarity - January 22 My advice to new people is don’t do it other ABC groups, there because it’s cool or trendy, or because is a lot you can learn from This grassroots project was initiated by you think it gets you scene credibility or their experiences. You Marius Mason, a trans prisoner in Texas, shit like this. Don’t do this if you see this don’t have to start at zero. US. This annual event is being lead by as “activism”, what you do for a while “ trans prisoners and their supporters • • • get disillusioned because things don’t from around the world. It is a chance work as you want them, or prisoners are for those on the outside to remember difficult or you just get bored and just those behind bars, give real solidarity quit again. Anarchism and solidarity isn’t and support and raise awareness about a hobby. People rely on you and your issues facing trans prisoners. It is a support. chance for those on the inside to have a voice and organise together. Give yourself realistic goals (for the start). https://transprisoners.net I mean of course, the anarchist revolution the main goal but you know what I mean. International Women’s Day - March 8 ;) You will need a lot of stamina and it prisoners carry out an open-ended While this day continues to be hunger strike, while those on the outside whitewashed and channeled into seek to amplify their voices. http:// liberal and capitalist feminisms, many samidoun.net international days of anarchists and others use this day to fight against patriarchy and remember International Workers’ Day of May Day solidarity the radical history of Women’s Day. - May 1 ABC groups have organised letter May Day is held in commemoration of Many international days and weeks birthdays. This is a great resource for writing events and info nights about four anarchists executed in the US in of action take place throughout the regular letter writing events: https:// incarcerated women worldwide. 1886 and all the thousands of others year in solidarity with prisoners. This nycabc.wordpress.com who have struggled for the working list represents a few of those that International Day Against Police classes. Many groups in this period take place. These days can help keep Brutality – March 15 organise solidarity actions and use it prisoner support active and visible in our as an opportunity to highlight prison movements and struggles - but we are The International Day Against Police labour and all the incarcerated workers not limited to them. Brutality is observed on March 15. It first began in 1997 as an initiative of the in prison. ABC groups organise many other events Montreal based Collective Opposed to Read more about the history here: and actions at any day of the year. Police Brutality and the Black Flag group https://libcom.org/history/1886- Shared days of action help us to build in Switzerland. Acceptance of March haymarket-martyrs-mayday momentum, share resources and gain 15 as a focal day of solidarity against strength for particular prisoners and police brutality varies from one place to International Day of Solidarity with struggles. These days are the same each another. Long-term Anarchist Prisoners - June year, but many new days and weeks of 11 action are announced spontaneously Palestinian Prisoners Day - April 17 when solidarity is urgently needed. During this day, people worldwide Each year, June 11th serves as a day for us to remember our longest imprisoned New York ABC also produce a poster organise rallies, events and actions anarchist comrades through words, each month of political prisoner in solidarity with Palestinian Political Prisoners. Every year, Palestinian actions and ongoing material support. serving a 20-year sentence in Bulgaria for defending two Romani men from an attack by fascist football hooligans. It is now expanded to support all anti-fascist prisoners. Groups are encouraged to organise solidarity actions, events, fundraisers, letter writings and more. Find a list of prisoners here: https://nycantifa.wordpress.com/global- antifa-prisoner-list

Prisoners Justice Day - August 10 The June 11 website shares many August 10th is a day set aside to resources and a listing of prisoners who remember all those who have died value increased support in this period. unnatural deaths inside Canadian People are encouraged to take actions prisons. The day of action started in all over the world and report them back. Canada in 1974 when prisoner Edward Each year, a zine is created of writings Nolan bled to death at Millhaven and reports. Maximum Security Prison in Bath, https://june11.noblogs.org Ontario. This date has now become a make autonomous actions and can New Year’s Eve Noise Demonstrations marking point for prison struggle across send reports for the website if they wish. International Day of Solidarity with Eric the world. King - June 28 The beginning of the week was chosen It has become tradition, that on the http://prisonjustice.ca because of the historical execution noisiest night of the year - we also make Eric King is an anarchist prisoner in the date of Sacco and Vanzetti, two Italian- noise for prisoners. Internationally, noise International week of solidarity with US who was sentenced to 10 years American anarchists, in 1927. They were demonstrations outside of prisons are anarchist prisoners 23 - 30 August in prison on June 28th 2016 for an convicted with a very little amount of a way to remember those who are held attempted firebombing of a government evidence, and many still consider that captive by the state and a way to show This is a global week of action dedicated official’s office. Since his arrest and they were punished because of their solidarity with imprisoned comrades and to anarchist prisoners. Solidarity can subsequent incarceration, he has been anarchist views. loved ones. We come together to break express itself in many forms; from graffiti extremely isolated from his loved ones https://solidarity.international the loneliness and isolation. Demos take to attacks to letter writing evenings. A and has repeatedly been targeted by the place all over the world to let prisoners collective poster and call-out is written guards. He has spent many months in International Trans Day of know they are not alone. and shared online and then groups solitary confinement. This day of action is Remembrance - 28 November to build support for Eric in his final years • • • of surviving prison. The Transgender Day of Remembrance https://supportericking.org was set aside to memorialise those who were killed due to anti-transgender International Day of Solidarity with hatred or prejudice. It honours the dead, Anti-Fascist Prisoners - July 25 and fights for the living. Many anti-prison groups have taken actions against The July 25 International Day of Solidarity prisons on these days, remembering with Antifascist Prisoners originated trans prisoners who have died inside. in 2014 as the Day of Solidarity with https://tdor.info Jock Palfreeman, an Australian man However, good parties require a lot of fundraising: top tips efforts from multiple individuals. There Fundraising is one of the biggest parts eager to donate money directly after a is nothing worse than organizing a bad of our activity. Whether we want it or presentation. The interest in donating fundraising party. If you get a reputation not, a lot of solidarity work requires might be encouraged with some of bad party maker, there is little chance money. Starting from lawyers for the materials for sale/donation on the topic. that this fundraising way will be open to legal aid and ending up with parcels Even such things as t-shirts or patches you for long. to the prisoners and support for those might be a small connection to the topic that are at the financial bottom due to for some people. That’s why parties should be original and repressions. fun. Some of the groups due to political You can also go away from a traditional decisions are not selling alcohol or any Some people find it to be a nasty presentation format and organize a other drugs at their soli-parties. business, others turn it into quite a solidarity dinner. Some groups are positive experience. It is up to you to reporting that well organized dinner Infotours decide which approach you take but might raise more funds and attract more it should be clear that if you are taking people than just a presentation. Infotours are the more advanced your ABC activity seriously you won’t be version of a presentation event/party. able to avoid fundraising. Solidarity calls An infotour is a set of events happening around different cities with the goal of Here are some tips from our own Sometimes it is worth to giving a shout informing people about the situation, but experience on how you can make around the anarchist movement for help. also raising funds for the cause. some money. Some of it might not fit It might be that the other groups have into reality due to political repressions. more possibilities to access funds than Not only are they are good for raising This list is for updating for sure. So if you do. For example, western countries funds, but also for establishing networks you or your group have something to have more wealth than eastern or with other activists. Connections add – feel free to write us back with your southern countries. that you are building on the road are experience. irreplaceable in your struggle. People In that case, such a call can provoke that you might meet during an infotour Fundraising evening/Presentation other people to take action in their own might become comrades till the end of town and raise funds for you. Do not your life. These are some kinds of presentations, underestimate the power of solidarity – discussions or workshops that are you might be positively surprised how However, it is also a lot of work. In connected with the matter for which people are eager to help those they many cases infotours have an intensive you are fundraising. For example, a don’t know, but with whom they share schedule and we would suggest not presentation on repression against ideas. to do it longer than a couple of weeks, activists protesting against G20, that otherwise your head might give up might be a platform to raise solidarity Party before your body. funds. These are quite good in case you want to collect money for causes that This is one of the most popular ways of Tattoo Circus are not really present in your region. fundraising in western countries. In most Through these events you can inform of the cases you can openly advertise Many ABC and other autonomous people and potentially inspire people the cause of the party and give people groups raise money for prisoners to start being active in support of this possibility to party for cause. It is a great through organising Tattoo Circuses. or that cause. However, you shouldn’t way of raising money, because people These are events where tattoo artists expect a lot of money from these kinds are eager to spend it on drinks or they give their time for free. People pay to of events, as people are normally not just donate more in good mood. get tattooed and all this money goes to prisoners or support campaigns. They even do this with shaving their head or the world who are persecuted or find can raise many thousands of euros other silly things! It takes a lot of energy themselves in a difficult life situation over one weekend. Tattoo Circuses and commitment but can be a nice way because of their political ideas or also have programs of workshops to fundraise. activities. https://afund.antirep.net and presentations to raise awareness about different cases of repression and New York ABC and supporting groups Last words different struggles. Many groups also also organise a ‘Running Down the organise music, food and drinks to sell Walls’. These sponsored runs raise much Whether it is a dinner or a party, infotour to fundraise over the weekend. needed funds for their work. People can or single presentation it is important also walk/bike/roll the 5k routes. to understand that fundraising events Benefit Gigs/Shows/Concerts are also building up an atmosphere Raffles of solidarity inside of the anarchist Fundraising gigs are a great way to raise movement. If today people are taking money. However, if you are paying the Raffles are simply where people buy a care of comrade A. when he/she/they bands or even just paying their petrol, ticket and potentially win a prize. They are facing repressions, than it means sometimes it is hard to even ‘break even’. can be a great addition at any event, that tomorrow nobody is going to give Benefit gigs are often the best when such as a presentation or benefit gig. up! This feeling of support from your bands give their time for free and so all You can ask supporters to donate prizes comrades is extremely important in the money can go to prisoners. They can and can get extra-nice things through building up revolutionary community be a good opportunity to do a stall and five-finger discounts at your local stores! that is embarking on the way of prisoner letter writing too. revolution. Merchandise Many groups find they make more So don’t hesitate. If you don’t have money from music events that can Merchandise never goes out of fashion. experience – ask other groups or your have more people, such as a rave or People always seem happy to buy Monthly donations friends to help you out. Be creative and a hip hop night compared to a punk benefit t-shirts, patches and other embrace the hard parts of fundraising show. However, some people organise items. They can be expensive to print Many antiauthoritarian and anti-fascist work just to enjoy the good parts of it. whole festivals that raise a lot of money and organise, however, costs can be groups have the option for people to Disclaimer: with this list we don’t through punk/metal/crust music - see reduced through doing the screen donate regularly, such as £3 per month. want to list only legal options. Please the Fest in Vienna for inspiration! printing yourselves in your group (or This creates a sustainable income remember that this zine doesn’t cancel finding volunteers to do it), as well as source and is a good model to replicate more traditional ways of fundraising Sport and Sponsored Events finding t-shirts in charity shops. Some if you have a bank account and this that anarchists exercised in previous groups will also appropriate blank structure. It can be more difficult if you centuries: for example expropriation ;) Some individuals and groups will raise t-shirts from corporate stores ready to are informal without an account (many money through sponsoring. They will ask be screen printed on! groups do not have a formal account for • • • friends to give them a donation if they security reasons). do a 10k run for example. Some people Anarchist Defence Fund

An International Anarchist Defence Fund was launched in 2018. It collects funds from members who join and can then contribute to decision making in response to applications for the fund. The collective solidarity structure provides support to anarchists around how to keep an abc act of liberating violence, but rather a complicated and long-term process group going of building other kinds of One could say: the fuel that ABC goes continuing need to keep it going. Why relationships within society. on with, is active work with the case of so? It is about moving our repression that group has to deal with. mutual understanding of That is to say, when repression is not ABC as a type of organisation, and as punishment, prison and life happening and people took security part of tactical ways of how anarchists without them towards an culture into their blood and heads, anti- have been fighting against states and uncompromisingly deep repressive groups like ABC should go supporting those who got caught, has and radical analysis of into sleeping mode, if not just disappear. a great tradition. And the Black Cross how they work, what can People just stand up like after the film organisational philosophy is sill an be done do destroy them finishes in the cinema, and folks go abolitionist philosophy. and what are the social home since the action is over. relations that we want. All More than 100 years ago, anarchists in three are just proposals, there are many and social warfare. Whatever it is: a fine, That is also the case sometimes; some the same type of organisation that had a ways of how to put it. But of course, all the laws and the whole mechanism contemporary ABC groups stop being different name for a while, were actively of these go together. We can’t create and collective illusion that make them active after the most visible and actual opposing the tsarist regime, and just few an analysis as first, and then destroy work, the borders, a criminal case, the part of repressions that are happening at years later they became an enemy to prisons, and then think of how we want cop which passes by in a police car on their places are over. But it doesn‘t mean the Bolshevik state, same as to all other to live. We do it all in one piece, and your street, the papers, the courts, the it should always go this way. states states on Earth. Coming through that is what makes our abolitionist ideas whole so-called public order etc. Not both Tsarist and Bolshevik prisons and strong. all repression is visible: some of them There are plenty of reasons why executions back then, and today fighting are so much part of our everyday life ABC groups would stop existing after against prisons and state repressions all The positions presented above also that we rather don’t consider them to be repressions. For example, very often over the world, Anarchist Black Cross means a damn huge amount of work repressions in our usual understanding, people who are involved in ABC group as an idea gains not only sad but true to be done. And that’s why your local whether the state is opening a large are part of other projects, and starting historical perspective on revolution, the ABC group should go on. As destroying criminal case against our comrades or an ABC group might be a practical State and its prisons, but also brings a prisons is a hell of an effort, it has to it’s cops are beating us up on the streets. necessity to organize against repression, clear abolitionist perspective to ABC’s be said also that repressions never Our desire for liberation is equally in especially if no anti-repressive groups long term goals and everyday struggle. stop – obviously, that is quite against an conflict with ‘small’ and ‘big’ repressions, already exist. Among other reasons, example of an ABC group that appears and prisons uphold all of them. there might be some traumatic It‘s clear: we absolutely need to destroy as repressions come and falls apart as experiences that were connected to the all prisons; this institution of control they go. Practically then, think of ways how you support work that had been done. that takes a role of being a connecting as a group can work with all of that. All of this is understandable. But many glue in relation to other systems of What might to be done to keep ABC Basically, keeping ABC group going of us who participated in ABC noticed a oppression, such as patriarchy, class group going? means working with it as with a kind of a or racism. Prisons never solved any project. But there is no recipe for every problems and only created countless First of all, try think of repression in group, on what has to be done to keep numbers of them, destroyed so many a wider context. It might seem that going. Before setting particular goals, try lives, cultures and beautiful human and repression is a relatively short-term to talk to each other inside your group. animal beings. situation but repression is actually a part Discussion can be much more useful of The Situation. That means that The than a manual. Discuss these or any However, we all know it’s not easy as Repression is always present. The State other ideas that you find meaningful: that. Destroying prisons is not a single is always out there and it’s control over people lives itself means repression • What kind of anti-repressive or abolitionist work is missing in our local area? taking care of each • What is the new thing that your ABC group could come up with from an anarchist tactical perspective of fighting prisons and the State that hasn’t been present in other your area and could be meaningful? ABC work can be hard, stressful and • What kind of projects or initiatives inspire you? emotionally be challenging at times. • Are there any legal support groups that you can be in contact with? Does it make Seeing our friends and comrades be sense to start one? arrested, beaten, have their houses raided by police, sit through trials, go • How could you make happen some periodic educational events, connected to to prison and more can be seriously raising the level of security culture and awareness? Are there ways how you could tough. Many people in ABC groups will make such events more interesting, interactive and easier? What can be done to also be active in other groups so may be get more people interested? simultaneously experiencing repression • Consider the idea of making benefit events for collecting money for your project and supporting others to survive and/or for prisoner support. How can you make such events more effective and repression. get more people involved? How can you connect such events to other ideas and discussion you’ve been having with your group? Prisoner support work can mean an intimacy with death. We may lose the • Look out for events that you could participate in as a group and present your people we love due to medical neglect, begin to affect us (otherwise we wouldn’t ideas, perspective and work that you are doing. suicide or even at the hands (or guns) be human). • Has there been any large and/or known state repression cases in your context of the police. Coping with grief and that you are familiar with and which could be a lesson for more people in your area managing chronic stress are important One way this is recognised is in the and beyond? How can you make in-depth analysis of what happened and what it skills for ABC organisers. concept of ‘vicarious trauma’. Vicarious can potentially teach you? trauma has been described by the Many people burn out from prisoner Headington Insitute as the “process of • Think of starting cooperative and common projects with other ABC groups and support and anti-repression work and change that happens because you care other friendly collectives near your area and even further. this is why taking care of ourselves about other people that have been hurt, • What are some possible short-, middle- and long-term goals for your ABC group and each other is super important! This and feel committed or responsible to that might exist? section of the zine aims to explore this help them. Over time this process can topic and share some resources. lead to changes in your psychological, • What are the practical ways in which you could connect your ABC work outside physical and spiritual wellbeing.” of prison with things that are happening on the inside? How can that can empower Vicarious trauma & ABC work and widen the struggle? Increasingly trauma conversation and • What are the limitations of your ABC group? As anarchists, as people resisting the writing acknowledges the effects of dehumanising nature of capitalism and long-term and complex trauma, beyond • Is there anything that can bring people in your ABC group closer together as the state, we see a lot of fucked up one-off traumatic incidents like a car friends and comrades? What could empower you as a project, or as a group of shit. We may experience this ourselves accident. It shines a light on the potential active individuals? directly (like prison), or we may support cumulative consequences of bringing • What is your relation to the dichotomy of political and social, especially in relation people we are close to surviving certain other people’s grief, fear, anger, and to ‘political’ and ‘social’ prisoners? What are the limitations of such divisions and chronically stressful and traumatic despair into our own awareness and where do these divisions rise from? What has to be done to bring this discussion situations. Or we may just be reading experience over a longer period of to the broader public? and writing about what other people time. Some of these changes might be are going through. Either way, we are noticed through different signs. • What can be done to keep your group activities more sustainable? exposed to a lot of heavy and upsetting Go on and talk to your comrades. Share ideas, make things happen, organise – the things and it is obvious this is going to sky is the limit. Physical and physiological signs can There can also be changes in how we Taking Care of Ourselves - Some Ideas include: see and experience the world: Resources on vicarious trauma suggest • Hyperarousal symptoms (e.g., • Changes in spirituality and beliefs some strategies that can help. These nightmares, difficulty concentrating, around meaning and purpose. We include: being easily startled, sleep difficulties) may start to question what we believe • Repeated thoughts or images or lose hope or lose our sense of • Escaping - taking time off, watching regarding traumatic events, especially purpose. Our political worldviews and movies, reading etc when you are trying not to think about it beliefs may change over time too in • Resting - making sure we get adequate • Feeling numb response to the ongoing trauma we rest and respite from it all • Feeling unable to tolerate strong witness. For example, for many going emotions to prison may increase their rage and • Playing - Doing fun things, exercising • Increased sensitivity to violence keep them going in their fight. For many our bodies etc • Cynicism, Anger, Disgust, Fear others, prison will make them feel that • Nurturing a sense of meaning and • Generalized despair and fighting back is pointless and hopeless hope - finding things that keep us hopelessness, and loss of idealism and they may abandon their social sense of understanding of what you are inspired, that could be reading about • Guilt regarding your own survival and/ movements that were once a huge part going through, or have been through historical comrades, going to gatherings, or pleasure of their life. spending time with particular people etc. • Trying to cultivate a sense of joy and wonder - check out the book ‘Joyful Behaviour and relationship signs may • Changes in identity – you may feel • Mourning our losses - grief is such Militancy’ which shares a different include: disconnected from certain identities a huge part of ABC work at times, understanding of joy (which is not that you once held dear (such as finding a way to mourn in a healthy and necessarily skipping in the meadows • Difficulty setting boundaries calling yourself an anarchist or nourishing way is super important or even happiness) but more of a • Feeling like you never have time or feminist). You may find that you can’t • Marking transitions - this may include becoming who we are in working for energy for yourself. cope with organising any more and this celebrating small achievements, like liberation • Feeling disconnected from loved affects your sense of who you are. having a successful event or completing ones, even when communicating with a new zine, or reflecting at the end of the Building Care into our Collectives them • Changes in beliefs related to major year • Increased conflict in relationships psychological needs (e.g., beliefs • General social withdrawal regarding safety, control, trust, esteem, • Investing time in ourselves - this means A lot of the ‘self-care’ suggestions create • Acting out/exhibiting the “silencing and intimacy). In an ABC context, this investing energy in ourselves beyond some idea that it’s our fault if we burn response” – finding yourself unable might mean that perhaps you no our political work, this might involve out because we haven’t taken care to pay attention to other’s distressing longer trust certain friends because studying, or learning self-defence, of ourselves well. While our personal stories because they seem they let you down while you were in gardening and more. Whatever we also actions for sure contribute to our health overwhelming and incomprehensible, prison. Or it can mean that after police yearn for, we need to cultivate it too. and survival, they are part of a much bigger system than ourselves - from and directing people to talk about less infiltration that intimate relationships • Being aware of our risk factors - distressing material feel impossible. how our collectives share labour to knowing your signs when you are how capitalism destroys our access to • Decreased interest in activities that teetering on the edge, learning to used to bring pleasure, enjoyment, or healthcare, and so forth. So no blame or listen to your body and take action to shame - let’s just all care for each other relaxation. Sexual difficulties. meet your needs, so that you can set • Irritable, intolerant, agitated, impatient, better so we can better destroy what better boundaries with projects and destroys us! needy, and/or moody. Impulsivity. the amount of support work you can • Increased dependencies or addictions realistically do involving nicotine, alcohol, food, sex, Here are some suggestions and ideas shopping , internet, and/or other • Connecting with other people - for what ABC groups can do to take care substances especially those who have a shared of each better in our groups: • Encouraging regular time off organising • Working collectively especially when • Valuing people might involve: for each other, making people feel shit gets distressing (so we all feel more challenging multiple and intersecting supported that they can take a step back supported) forms of oppression in groups, if they need. supporting people that have • Ensuring appropriate decision making experienced abuse or violence, • Have adequate expenses policies/ in groups so people feel able to share squashing machismo, having support financial support when appropriate to their feelings, opinions and ideas for folks experiencing repression, support people to participate - this • Autonomy – building a group where supporting people that have burnt out might mean using ABC funds to pay folk feel control and agency over their etc. Basically not treating each other like for healthy meals when touring so we own work and tasks we are disposable. are not just getting sick doing this work because we cannot afford to pay for • Having regular check-ins with your • Having fun!!! Trying to make tasks lunch. group about how you are all feeling/ enjoyable, like cooking a fundraising coping and support you might need dinner and listening to music, or taking • Ensure solid introductions to how right now snacks to court etc. groups work/how to do things and give support for new people. Create • A culture where everyone calls each • Express care for each other in any way opportunities for people to learn new other out/flags up when the pace is you can. Whether it is sending each skills. unsustainable or potentially harming other silly memes or bringing cakes each other to a meeting. These small acts of care • Pay attention to the division of labour can really help people feel loved and in your group and don’t take each other • Paying attention to the partners of appreciated. for granted! Be especially aware of race, prisoners who often do the most support gender, class and other factors that can work practically and emotionally, while around trauma and burnout prevention) often deeply affect who does what. coping with their own grief and loss These are just a few ideas! Explore more • Organising accessible counselling or about their partners imprisonment in your ABC groups about how you • Be aware of who is often setting the fundraising to pay for a counsellor for can make this work a little bit easier by pace in the group and check in with • Destroy machismo!! We can encourage people experiencing repression so that caring for each other better. each other if it’s sustainable for you all. prisoners to write honestly about how people have solid, reliable support and they are feeling, make sure in workshops • Talk about how you communicate the weight of emotional labour is not all In the words of Kevin Van Meter: and talks we talk about the reality of as a crew and what you expect from on each other prison and not try to dismiss people as each other. Find a way of getting things • Medical and health support - for weak if they are finding situations harder “Our task is to care together as we done and tracking your action points example, connecting with local or expressing their vulnerability more struggle together. By pushing forth the so it’s not just one person reminding herbalists who can make herbal visibly complexity of experience and realities everyone, which can be exhausting and medicines to help bodies cope with that arise in caring for those who are disempowering for people. • Don’t judge people for drinking or stress, like the J20 who received support mentally and physically ill, traumatized, drug use if this is connected to trauma • Organise fun/nice/adventurous from the herbal community in the US dying, survivors of intimate violence and or repression, everyone is at a different opportunities for yourselves, like during their stressful trial incarceration, addicted, suffering from point of their journey in healing and traveling to an event in a different city, or chronic pain, struggling against the • Creating collective models of care for finding coping tools doing a speaking tour in a different city. imposition of binary gender, and working childcare, elder care, supporting people These ‘perks’ can help keep us going • Centre the person who is experiencing in the care and medical industries our with chronic illnesses etc (and respite for when we may have done years and repression and make sure they have as movements deepen our relationships with carers) years of heavy things like endless prison much power and agency as possible. one another and construct new fronts for visits. • Creating face-to-face time together to A lot of traumatisation relates to feeling revolutionary struggle. It is these everyday work together so we are less isolated powerless. Make sure anyone you realities that need to be considered on • Getting training for our groups e.g. and feel more connected to each other. support is actively involved in decision the long arc of sustained organizing and Workshops, courses, reading groups, Invest time in building your friendships! making about the support they want and revolutionary change” gatherings and skillshares (especially need. Anarchist Black Cross Guide produced by Macmillan Cancer resources Support Prison Abolition In this chapter you will find links to materials in the English language, which are • Treatment Industrial Complex - A new • Abandoned: Abolishing female prisons to report from the US on how for-profit useful before, during and after prison. prevent sexual abuse and herald an end corporations are undermining efforts to treat to incarceration - Article by David W. Fran. and rehabilitate prisoners for corporate gain. We assume this category as very broad to think of; a category for a thick book Exploring examples in the US and the UK. about literature, films, and practical knowledge. Now, due to the context of a zine, Gender and Queer Struggles we will relate accordingly to zines, films and some books. The choice of materials • Abolition Now! Ten years of strategy • Lockdown: prison, repression and gender we present and link to in this chapter is influenced by our personal preferences and struggle against the prison industrial complex - Short book of different articles nonconformity - A 22-page zine analysing and experiences, and relates to our organizing in so-called European and North around prison abolition, mainly US focused the enforced gender segregation and American contexts. We also copied some brief descriptions for films, represented in but still very real and inspiring. classification in prisons as well as strategies pop culture media. Some of the films may seem cheesy and you could be surprised for resistance. why some of them were included on the list. • Are Prisons Obsolete? - Incredible book by Angela Yvonne Davis, 2003, Seven Stories • Prison Abolition is a Queer issue - A4 Watch, read, wonder, explore, think. Sometimes you can find great material to Press . handout on why prison abolition is a queer analyze in something you would not expect to be anything else than a waste of issue • Instead of Prisons: Handbook for time. Abolitionists_ Comprehensive text on • Prisons Will Not Protect You - An anthology alternatives to prison and the decarceration by the radical LGBTQ group “Against Zines and Books • Solidarity Without Prejudice - Long term movement Equality” prisoner John Bowden asks what criteria Transformative Justice could be used when supporting prisoners • Prison Abolition is Practical - Article by • Resource section on Prisons by Against • Creative Interventions - Toolkit to stop Nathan Goodman Equality_ A full library of links and articles • Tenacious, Art and writings by women in interpersonal violence about queer struggle and prison prison - Regular zine coming out of the US • The Abolitionist Toolkit -Toolkit for • Furthering Transformative Justice, Building produced by prisoners abolitionists developed by Critical • Still We Rise - A resource pack for Healthy Communities - An interview with Resistance transgender and non-gender conforming • Thoughts on Prisoner Support - Written by Philly Stands Up people in prison long term prisoner John Bowden Policing and Repression • Towards Transformative Justice -pdf • The Queer, feminist and trans politics of Prisoner Support and Solidarity • On the Out - A zine about life after prison, produced by Generation Five prison abolition toolkit produced by Bristol ABC. • Never Alone - A zine about supporting • What About the Rapists? - Zine Collection Videos, Films and and Podcasts prisoners by those on the outside. Produced • Under the Yoke of the State - Selected of articles representing different approaches by the Empty Cages Collective and Bristol anarchist responses to prisons and crime, vol Podcasts to the problem of harm and domination ABC. 1. 1886 – 1929 in our communities, from transformative • Resisting Gender Violence Without Cops or justice-based accountability processes Prison Industrial Complex • On Repression Patterns in Europe_ A Prisons Talk by Victoria Law to retributive-based acts of survivor-led zine from ABC Dresden bringing analysis • Decolonization Means Prison Abolition Film • Captive Genders: Transembodiment and retaliation. and interviews with anarchist folks who of a discussion at a conference in Portland. Prison Industrial Complex - Book about encountered repression and terrorist • Crimethinc Radio #4: Prisoners of the World Racism and Colonialism gender and the P.I.C. An important read. charges in European context in last several Unite • Beyond Walls and Cages - Prisons, borders • Challenging the Prison-Industrial Complex: years. • Crimethinc Radio #6: Making Police and global crisis Important book linking Activism, Arts, and Educational Alternatives_ Obsolete Organising and Resistance migration and the P.I.C. Edited by Jenna Book about how to creatively challenge the • Crimethinc Radio #8: Prison Abolition and M Lloyd, Matt Mitchelson and Andrew prison industrial complex. • How Nonviolence Protects the State - Community Accountability Burridge, 2012. Written by Peter Gelderloos. • Crimethinc Radio #17: Conspiracy! State • Close Supervision Centres - Torture Units in Repression Strategies and Anarchist • The New Abolitionists: (Neo)slave the UK #2_ Publication produced by Bristol • Winds from Below: Radical community Resistance Narratives And Contemporary Prison ABC about Close Supervision Centres. organising to make a revolution possible. • Crimethinc Radio #27: Anti-Police Riots in Writings Written by prisoners about the Book produced by the Team Colours • The Prison Works. Occasional texts on the Ferguson contemporary prison system in the US roles of prison and prison labour - By Joe Health and Prisons • Crimethinc Radio #50: The History and Prisoner Writing and Organising Black/Bra Bros. Published by the Campaign Future of Prison Strikes and Solidarity • Dying with cancer: a booklet for prisoners. Against Prison Slavery and Brighton • A-Radio Berlin. Presentation: the Prison escape from the extermination camp at off-duty British soldiers and a civilian. prison and anti-repression zines. https:// Strike in the USA 2016 Sobibor, the most successful uprising by przeciwkowiezieniom.noblogs.org Salvador (2006) • A-Radio Berlin: Belarus. Former anarchist Jewish prisoners of German extermination Salvador (Puig Antich) is Spanish film prisoner about his experiences on how to camps. • Empty Cages Collective - organising directed by Manuel Huerga. It is based survive jail against the prison industrial complex in the The Green mile (1999) on the Francesc Escribano book Compte • A-Radio Berlin: Interview with Anarchist UK. www.prisonabolition.org The lives of guards on Death Row are enrere. La història de Salvador Puig Antich, Black Cross Belarus on the repression, affected by one of their charges: a black man which depicts the time Salvador Puig Antich Ukraine and the refugees • Community Action Against Prison accused of child murder and rape, yet who spent on death row prior to his execution by • A-Radio Berlin: Chile. The hungerstrike of Expansion (CAPE) - Grassroots coalition of has a mysterious gift. garrote (the last one by mean of this), under Mapuche Political Prisoners in the Iglesias groups fighting prison expansion in the UK. Franco’s Francoist State in 1974. Case cape-campaign.org Guerilla (2017) • A-Radio Berlin: Anarchist Black Cross in Guerrilla is a six-part British drama miniseries Sacco e Vazetti (1971) Czech republic. Antifenix Presentation • The Incarcerated Workers Organising set in early 1970s London, against the The story is based on famous events • The Channel Zero Network. Network of the Committee - A union for the incarcerated backdrop of the Immigration Act 1971 and surrounding the trial and judicial execution anarchist podcasts and radios fighting for prison abolition started by the British black power movements, such as of Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti, Industrial Workers of the World (IWW). the British Black Panthers and Race Today two anarchists of Italian origin, who were Some Cheesy and Not Cheesy Films Mostly in the US and the UK. Supported Collective. A plot is a love story set in the sentenced to death by a United States court prisoners to organise the biggest prisoner We chose couple of our favorite pop culture atmosphere of one of the most politically in the 1920s. work strike in history in September 2016. (not only) films about prison. For more, explosive times in UK history. incarceratedworkers.org follow: https://solidarity.international/index. The Shawshank Redemption (1994) php/2018/06/05/movies-for-screenings Hunger(2008) The Shawshank Redemption is a drama film • INCITE! - Activist organization of radical and check out larger list of films. IRA fighters are struggling in a Northern Irish based on the 1982 Stephen King novella feminists of colour advancing a movement prison and setting up a hunger strike. Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption. Brubaker (1980) to end violence against women of colour It tells the story of banker Andy Dufresne, Brubaker is a 1980 American prison drama and through direct action, critical dialogue Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985) who is sentenced to life in Shawshank State film directed by Stuart Rosenberg. It stars and organizing. incite-national.org The film tells of two very different individuals Penitentiary for the murder of his wife and Robert Redford as newly arrived prison who share a prison cell in Brazil during her lover, despite his claims of innocence. • Critical Resistance - Building an warden Henry Brubaker, who attempts to the Brazilian military government: Valentin international movement to end the prison clean up a corrupt and violent penal system. Arregui, who is imprisoned (and has been Zero for Conduct (1933) industrial complex by challenging the belief tortured) due to his activities on behalf of a The film draws extensively on boarding that caging and controlling people makes us The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas (2008) leftist revolutionary group, and Luis Molina, a school experiences to depict a repressive safe. criticalresistance.org Set during WWII, a story seen through the transgender woman in prison for having sex and bureaucratised educational innocent eyes of Bruno, the eight-year- • Wild Fire - Anarchist Prisoner Solidarity with an underage boy. establishment in which surreal acts of old son of the commandant at a German project producing newsletters. wildfire. rebellion occur, reflecting anarchist view of concentration camp, whose forbidden noblogs.org The Stanford Prison Experiment (2015) childhood. friendship with a Jewish boy on the other Stanford University psychology professor • The Audre Lorde Project’s Safe OUTside side of the camp fence has startling and Philip Zimbardo conducts a psychological Organizations and Projects the System Collective - Organising efforts for unexpected consequences. experiment to test the hypothesis that the community safety resisting police violence. personality traits of prisoners and guards • TGI (Transgender, Gender Variant, and alp.org/programs/sos Escape from Alcatraz (1979) are the chief cause of abusive behavior Intersex) Justice Project - TGI Justice Project Take the tour around San Francisco’s • Bent Bars Project - a letter-writing project between them. In the experiment, Zimbardo is a group of transgender people—inside and notorious Alcatraz prison island and you’ll for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, selects fifteen male students to participate outside of prison—creating a united family in hear that nobody has ever successfully transsexual, gender-variant, intersex, and in a 14-day prison simulation to take roles as the struggle for survival and freedom. http:// escaped – but one man broke out and queer prisoners in Britain. bentbarsproject. prisoners or guards. www.tgijp.org disappeared, and this movie tells his tale. org Clint Eastwood is as fine and understated • The Anarchist Black Cross Federation - In The Name Of The Father (1993) • Generation Five - Organisation working to as ever as Frank Morris, and the movie Federation of groups supporting prisoners, In the Name of the Father is Irish-British- end child sexual abuse in five generations, manages to sidestep the majority of prison political prisoners and prisoners of war. American biographical courtroom drama film from an abolitionist perspective. movie cliches. http://www.abcf.net/ co-written and directed by Jim Sheridan. It is generationfive.org based on the true story of the Guildford Four, • Przeciwko Więzieniom_ A project of Escape from Sobibor (1987) • Sisters Inside - Australian based group who four people falsely convicted of the 1974 ABC Warsaw and virtual library of anti- work from an abolitionist perspective Escape from Sobibor is a story of the mass Guildford pub bombings, which killed four www.sistersinside.com.au Belarus Poland • abc-belarus.org – ABC Belarus • ack.most.org.pl – ABC Poznan and Warsaw • A World Without Police - a collective Russia of organizers from across the U.S. and Brazil • wiki.avtonom.org/index.php – ABC internationally. We work to connect people • cnario.noblogs.org – ABC Rio de Janeiro Moscow. struggling against the everyday violence • https://twitter.com/A4K_MOSCOW - ABC of the police, and to provide practical, Canada Moscow’s Twitter. organizational and theoretical tools for use in • 4strugglemag.org – 4 Struggle Mag • https://www.facebook.com/abc.russia.spb our movement. aworldwithoutpolice.org • torontoabc.wordpress.com – ABC Toronto - ABC St. Petersburg Anarchist News Sites • abc38.noblogs.org – ABC Irkutsk Colombia • rupression.com - Informational and • It’s Going Down - a digital community • abajolosmuros.org – Bogota CNA/ABC solidarity campaign for anarchists and center for anarchist, anti-fascist, autonomous antifascists in Russia accused of forming a anti-capitalist and anti-colonial movements. Czech terrorist network itsgoingdown.org • anarchistblackcross.cz – ABC Czech • 325 - Anarchist / anti-capitalist information • antifenix.noblogs.org – Antifenix solidarity Spain clearing house and DIY media network for campaign • www.nodo50.org/cna – ABC Spain social war. 325.nostate.net • https://solidaritatrebel.noblogs.org - England Solidaritat rebel, a solidarity group for • Contra-Info - is an international multi- • www.brightonabc.org.uk – ABC Brighton support accused anarchists in Aachen bank language counter-information and • bristolabc.wordpress.com – ABC Bristol robbery case translation node, maintained by anarchists, • greenandblackcross.org – Green and Black anti-authoritarians and libertarians across the Cross Sweden globe. en-contrainfo.espiv.net • [email protected] – ABC • Act for Freedom Now - News of Finland Stockholm insurrection and resistance from around the • www.amrhelsinki.org – ABC Helsinki • [email protected] – ABC Umeå globe. actforfree.nostate.net France USA • Anarchist News - Non-sectarian source for • www.anarchistblackcross-mars.antifa-net. • www.abcf.net – Anarchist Black Cross news about and of concern to anarchists. fr – Marseille ABC Federation anarchistnews.org • sbrooklynabcf.wordpress.com – South • Untorelli Press - Anarchist publishing Germany Brooklyn ABC project. untorellipress.noblogs.org • gefangenensolijena.noblogs.org – Prisoner • denverabc.wordpress.com – Denver ABC Solidarity Jena • nycabc.wordpress.com – NYC ABC • Elephant Editions - Collection of ideas, • abcrhineland.blackblogs.org – ABC dreams and experiments. elephanteditions. Rhineland net • abcdd.org – ABC Dresden • Anarchist Library - Site that collates • abcj.blackblogs.org – ABC Jena many publications for reading/download. theanarchistlibrary.org Ireland • abcireland.wordpress.com – ABC Derry Anarchist Black Cross Groups Worldwide • dublinabc.ana.rchi.st – ABC Dublin Australia: • htttp://abcmelb.wordpress.com – ABC Italy Melbourne • www.autistici.org/cna – CNA/ABC Napoli • www.facebook.com/abcoceania – ABC Oceania Mexico • www.abajolosmuros.org – ABC Mexico Austria Netherlands • www.abc-wien.net – ABC Wien • abcnijmegen.wordpress.com – ABC Nijmegen Dedication

This zine is dedicated to Anna Campbell. Anna was killed by Turkish forces while fighting alongside Women’s Protection Units (YPJ) in the defence of Afrin in March 2018.

Anna was a dedicated member of Bristol Anarchist Black Cross and took her committment to solidarity and mutual aid to her grave.

Rest in Power Anna

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