$ A B C F 2 U P D A T E Q UA R T E R LY P U B L I C AT I O N O F T H E A B C F F a l l / Win 2008 "Any movement that does not support their political internees is a sham movement." - O. Lutalo Issue #51 Bashir Hameed: A Fallen Comrade Remembered In the 80s, however, the ABC began to gain What is the Anarchist Black Cross Federation? popularity again in the US and Europe. For years, the A B C ’s name was kept alive by a The Anarchist Black Cross (ABC) began provide support to those who were suff e r i n g number of completely autonomous groups shortly after the 1905 Russian Revolution. It because of their political beliefs. scattered throughout the globe and support- formed after breaking from the Political Red In 1919, the org a n i z a t i o n ’s name changed ing a wide variety of prison issues. Cross, due to the group’s refusal to support to the Anarchist Black Cross to avoid confu- In May of 1995, a small group of A B C Anarchist and Social Revolutionary Political sion with the International Red Cross. collectives merged into a federation whose Prisoners. The new group, naming itself the Through the 1920s and until 1958, the org a n- aim was to focus on the overall support and Anarchist Red Cross (ARC), began to pro- ization worked under various other names defense of Political Prisoners and Prisoners vide aid to those Political Prisoners who but provided the same level of support as the of Wa r. were refused support by the PRC. other groups working as Anarchist Black Various groups have since merged in In the early decades, the organization had Cross. numerous networks throughout the globe chapters throughout Europe and North After 1936, the ABC expanded its aid to working on various prison issues. T h e America. These chapters worked together to places such as Greece, Italy and Spain. Anarchist Black Cross Federation (ABCF) provide assistance to prisoners only in In 1958, the organization collapsed but has continued its mission to focus on the aid Russia. Soon other groups, such as the r e e m e rged in 1967 in London, England. and support of Political Prisoners. We take Latvian Anarchist Red Cross, emerged to Once again ABC chapters spread throughout the position that PP/POWs demand our top provide aid in other Eastern European coun- the globe providing support for imprisoned p r i o r i t y. We strive to continue with the same tries. Armed with the ideas of mutual aid a n d comrades. Sadly, by the end of the 1970s dedication and solidarity to our fallen com- s o l i d a r i t y, these groups worked tirelessly to only a handful of ABC chapters still existed. rades as those before us have shown. Introduction: The ABCF is: “Crucially important to maintaining the anarchist integrity of this o rganization is the fact that Branch Groups and Support Groups Prisoner Committee are freely autonomous to take on whatever initiatives they can to further the Unity of Purpose of the A B C F. So long as these initia- BILL DUNNE SEKOU KAMBUI tives do not contradict any preexisting agreements (Ta c t i c a l #10916-086 (W. TURK) Unity) that have been made by the A B C F, it is not necessary for Box 2068 #113058 / Box 56 all groups to approve of and/or agree with programs, projects or work of other ABCF collectives.” [from the ABCF Constitution Inez, KY 41224 SCC (B1-21) and Structure] Elmore, AL 36025 OJORE LUTALO The following definitions are used to describe the below terms #59860 / Box 861 JAAN LAAMAN whenever they appear in the ABCF Update or any other A B C F Trenton, NJ 08625 #W41414 l i t e r a t u r e . BOX 100 MALIKI LATINE South Walpole, MA P o l i t i c a l P r i s o n e r ( P P ) : A person incarcerated for actions car- ried out in support of legitimate struggles for self determination #81-A-4469 02071 or for opposing the illegal policies of the government and/or its Box 51 political subdivisions. [Special International Tribunal on the Comstock, NY Violation of Human Rights of PP/POWs in U.S. Prisons and 12821 Jails, Dec. ’90] Federation Chapters P r i s o n e r o f Wa r ( P O W ) : Those combatants struggling against colonial and alien domination and racist regimes captured as ARCATA ABC NJ ABC prisoners are to be accorded the status of prisoner of war and PO Box 380 No Current Address their treatment should be in accordance with the provisions of the Arcata, CA 95518 Geneva Conventions Relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of NYC ABC War of 12 August, 1949 (General Assembly resolution 3103) JAX ABC PO Box 110034 PO Box 350392 Brooklyn, NY 11211 Certain Days 2009 Calendar Jacksonville, FL 32235 PHILLY ABC 42 GORGEOUS FULL-COLOR PAGES OF LOS ANGELES ABC PO Box 42129 A RT AND WRITINGS! A G R E AT F U N D R A I S E R PO Box 11223 Philadelphia, PA 19101 FOR GROUPS! AN IMPORTA N T C O N T R I B U- Whittier, CA 90603 TION TO GRASSROOTS ORGANIZING! AND A TORONTO ABC M E A N I N G F U L G I F T ! MONTREAL ABC PO Box 97048 Certain Days - a QPIRG Concordia working group PO Box 42053 RPO Roncescalles Ave QPIRG Concordia Succ. Jeanne Mance Toronto, Ontario 1500 de Maisonneuve Ouest, suite 204 Montreal QC M6R 3B3 Canada 514-848-7583 fax: 514-848-7584 H2W 2T3 Canada q p i rg c o n c o r d i a . o rg – qpirg @ q p i rg c o n c o r d i a . o rg www.abcf.net 1 ISSUE #51 FALL/WINTER 2008 NEWS FROM THE FRONT Harold Thompson Passes On Daniel McGowan Moved 1942 - 2008 Daniel McGowan seems to be on the move yet again. Currently he is at the fol- Anarchist prisoner and jailhouse lawyer, lowing address, but please be advised it can change at a moments notice: Harold Thompson, passed away on Daniel McGowan 63794-053 Monday, November 10th. According to his Columbia County Jail website he passed away after suffering a 403 Jackson Street Portage, WI 53901 heart attack. Those who knew and support- ed Thompson will surely miss his spirit and Ruchell Magee Moved determination. Ruchell Cinque Magee was recently transferred to a new location. His new address is” Herman Wallace Hospitalized RNC: DePalma Pleads Guilty Ruchell Cinque Magee Herman Wallace, incarcerated member In October, Matt DePalma, a Michigan # A92051 C-2 107L of the Angola 3, was hospitalized for a anarchist, has pleaded guilty in federal C S ATF/ State Prison Corcoran short time on 11/28 after passing out during court to possessing Molotov cocktails. P.O. Box 5242 a visit. Wallace is reported to be doing fine DePalma had made at least five Corcoran, CA 9 3 2 1 2 but the community still has a watchful eye Molotov cocktails by the time he was on his health. arrested on August 28 in a Minneapolis apartment. He had allegedly told an FBI Alberto Torres Hearing Date Chubbuck Has New Address informant he planned to attack the Xcel Carlos Albert To r r e s ’ parole hearing According to the BOP w e b s i t e E n e rgy Center in St. Paul, where the con- will be during the week of January 19th. C h u b b u c k ’s address has changed. His new vention was held. This is two months earlier than was origi- a d d r e s s . He faces a maximum penalty of 10 nally anticipated. Byron Shane Chubbuck years in prison. # 0 7 9 0 9 - 0 5 1 Mexican Anarchist Freed 501 Capital Circle, NE RNC: McKay and Crowder After 7 years, 3 months, and 21 days Tallahassee, FL 3 2 3 0 1 The case targeting two RNC protesters, behind bars in Mexico City, Carlos A l b e r t o David McKay and Bradley Crowder, has Estrada Arroyo has finally been released. RNC: Man Sentenced for Act been postponed. He was released on Friday, September 5th. A 2 6 - y e a r-o ld man from Wa s h i n g t o n The two were allegedly part of an Carlos is an anarchist who was framed on state who slashed tires on a delegate bus Austin, Texas-based group that planned to false charges of robbery. It is believed that during the Republican National use Molotov cocktails to destroy property he was framed because of his participation Convention in St. Paul was sentenced on or injure police during the convention. in local student strike and other communi- December 12th to three years of probation Authorities gathered information by ty actions. and 100 hours of community service. infiltrating an Austin area affinity group as Joseph M. Robinson pleaded guilty far back as Feb. 2007. Olga Nevskaya is Freed Sept. 19 in Ramsey County District Court On August 21, 2008, St. Paul police Olga Nevskaya, the last imprisoned to first-degree damage to property. He was broke into a U-haul trailer rented by the defendant of the group, the New among 18 adults and one juvenile charg e d Austin activists without a warrants where Revolutionary Alternative (NRA), has been with felonies in connection with the Sept.