Tuesday, February 21st – Letter-writing for Ben Varela

WHAT: Political Prisoner Letter-Writing
WHEN: Tuesday, February 21st, 2023
WHERE: from wherever you happen to be
COST: Free

“I greatly appreciate letters and your words of solidarity.” That’s from a recent letter we received from Ben Varela, who NYC ABC is encouraging folks to write this week, and we will write more about Ben below. For now, though, re-read that initial quote. It’s the same sentiment we hear time and time again from the political prisoners and prisoner of war we support. It seems really obvious, we know. Now think of the absence of those letters and words of solidarity. Think about being locked away for acting on your revolutionary desires or for being framed as a result of the wrong cops, from local to feds, deciding those desires and ideas are too powerful. As a collective, we organize support for those with whom we share affinity and those who come from many of the same movements and communities that we ourselves are a part. And, thankfully, we are but one collective in a broader universe of crews, collectives, organizations, cadres, formations, and individuals organizing similar support. All of that organizing only matters when reduced down to the individual reading this deciding that they, too, should act, in this case by writing a letter. So consider both the positive of writing to someone and the negative of letting another moment pass by without offering this lifeline of support.

Ben Varela is currently serving a three year sentence for shooting notorious Proud Boys member Tusitala “Tiny” Toese after Toese and other Proud Boys attacked a group of anti-fascists when counterprotesters failed to appear at an anti-vaccination event for which they were providing “security.” As the Proud Boys chased folks with baseballs bats, clubs, and maces, Ben made the decision to defend himself and others from being attacked, drew his pistol, and shot. Toese was hit, but suffered an injury that was only enough to stop the attack, not life-threatening. You can support Ben by writing a letter and by contributing to his commissary fund.

Please take the time to write a letter to Ben (and share a photo of your completed envelopes with us online):
Benjamin Varela #434577
Stafford Creek Corrections Center
191 Constantine Way
Aberdeen, Washington 98520

Tuesday, January 24th – Letter Writing for Alex Stokes

WHAT: Political Prisoner Letter-Writing
WHEN: Tuesday, January 24th, 2023
WHERE: from wherever you happen to be
COST: Free

We are living in a time in which there is more to keep up with than is seemingly possible, both in terms of repression, but also resistance. As everyone reading this probably knows, forest defender Tortuguita was shot and killed in a raid by multiple armed police forces just days ago, on January 18th. There have also been several more arrests, with ‘terrorism’ charges being levied at even more protestors opposing Cop City. As horrific as this repression is, it points to the serious challenge posed to the Cop City project by the Forest Defenders, and the strength of the intersectional movements supporting them.

This brings to mind other recent episodes of heavy repression against those resisting oppression and fighting; the abolitionist uprising following the murder of George Floyd in the summer of 2020, and the anti-fascist resistance surrounding the attempted coup of January 2021. Fortunately, good people did what they could to help expose the murderous nature of racial policing in the United States in the former, and to help defend their communities against fascist violence in the latter. Unfortunately though, good comrades are being locked behind bars for both, sometimes with brutally long prison sentences.

One of these is Alex Stokes, who we are asking everyone to write to this week. From Alex’s support site:
On January 6, 2021, protestors gathered outside the New York State Capitol in Albany, NY in support of the Stop the Steal rally in Washington DC. A handful of counter protesters spoke out against them and a melee broke out after a Proud Boy tased a Black man in the neck. Alex was watching from the sidelines and ran to help others. Police did not intervene until the violence had ended and ultimately arrested three Black activists. Alex was charged with several violent felonies. The Proud Boys that engaged in the violence were not arrested at the scene.

Alex’s family and friends maintain that he was railroaded by the system. He was a journalist under a court-ordered gag-order for over a year. His previous work and experience with dangerous hate groups were inadmissible for his defense, but the prosecution picked apart his social media accounts and portrayed his actions as premeditated. He was found guilty on all charges and sentenced to 20 years in prison, despite the fact that no one died and neither of the victims received life-altering injuries.

In addition to being a journalist and an activist, Alex is also a talented artist with an interest in graphic novels if anyone wants to send him some reading material. There is also a donation page set up to help with Alex’s legal bills to help overturn the horrendously long sentence he is serving. More information at freealexstokes.com

NYC ABC is asking you to please help send Alex some love and solidarity. Write him a letter!
(As always, please refer to the “Write a Letter” section if it’s your first time writing someone inside.

Please take the time to write a letter to Alex (and share a photo of your completed envelopes with us online):
Alexander Contompasis 22-B-5028
Upstate Correctional Facility
Post Office Box 2001
Malone, New York 12953

Illustrated Guide Version 14.9 Uploaded!

We’ve finished the latest version of the NYC ABC “Illustrated Guide to Political Prisoners and Prisoners of War” and it’s available for viewing (and download) by clicking on the tab at the top of this page. This update includes updated mini-bios, photos, and address changes for several prisoners. Unfortunately, we are adding a prisoner to the guide this month–antifascist Daniel Baker.

BK/NY – Tuesday, November 2nd – Letter Writing for Daniel Baker

WHAT: Political Prisoner Letter-Writing
WHEN: 7pm sharp, Tuesday, November 2nd, 2021
WHERE: The Base – 1302 Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn, New York 11221 (directions below)
NOTE: The Base is on the ground floor, is wheelchair accessible, and has a gender neutral toilet.
COST: Free

We all know that life outside the walls is one precarious step away from the other side. Some released former political prisoners have referred to being out not as “freedom” but as minimum security, and unfortunately they know exactly whereof they speak. Truly no one is free while any single person is not. We know it, and the agents of authority know it just as well.

So while it is no surprise that the State surveils and targets those who actively work against oppression, the case against Daniel Baker is particularly shocking. To be charged and convicted for a hyperbolic post on a corporate social media platform is egregious, and the silence from so many apostles of “free speech” across the political spectrum is both predictable and appalling.

Our commitment to solidarity won’t waiver though, so this week NYC ABC is asking you all to join us in writing to recently sentenced political prisoner Daniel Baker.

Daniel Baker is an anti-fascist activist who was arrested on January 15, 2021 for social media posts that called for defense against possible far-right attacks on the state’s capitol in the wake of the January 6th riots. Daniel was facing up to 10 years for two counts of transmitting a communication in interstate commerce containing a threat to kidnap or injure. On October 12th, 2021 he was sentenced to 44 months in prison and 3 years of supervised release.

If you can’t make it out, but still want to support Dan, you can write to him at:
Daniel Baker #25765-509
USP Atlanta
Post Office Box 150160
Atlanta, Georgia 30315

Tuesday, July 27th, 2021 – Letter-writing to Gage Halupowski

WHAT: Political Prisoner Letter-Writing
WHEN: 7pm, Tuesday, July 27th, 2021
WHERE: YOUR HOME
COST: Free

On July 19th, 1936, right-wing authoritarian generals and their fascist allies revolted against the timidly left-leaning government of the Spanish Republic. Though no friends of the liberals in power, Spanish anarchists saw the existential threat to the working classes—and humanity—that fascism posed, and fought heroically not to save the government, but to repel the coup. What followed has been called revolution (as people in liberated cities and villages dramatically re-organized their social and economic lives), civil war, triumph, defeat, and folly, depending on who you ask and where their ethics lie. Whatever you call it, it was the first major international battle against fascism, and included some of the largest experiments in real-world anarchism the world had seen. This confluence is no coincidence, since every form of centralized government contains the seeds of fascism. As Buenaventura Durruti put it: “No government fights fascism to destroy it. When the bourgeoisie sees that power is slipping out of its hands, it brings up fascism to hold onto their privileges.” Y la Lucha continua…

July 25 is the International Day of Solidarity with Anti-Fascist Prisoners. In honor of this, NYC ABC and Page One are asking folks to write a letter to anti-fascist political prisoner Gage Halupowski.

Gage Halupowski was arrested along with two other protesters in the wake of clashes in Portland’s Pioneer Courthouse Square, later indicted on four criminal charges, including second-degree assault, unlawful use of a weapon, attempted assault of a public safety officer, and interfering with a peace officer. In November 2019, Gage was convicted and sentenced to six years in state prison.

Please take the time to write a letter to Gage (and share a photo of your completed envelopes with us online):
Gage Halupowski #21894460
Snake River Correctional Institution
777 Stanton Boulevard
Ontario, Oregon 97914-8335

BK/NY – Tuesday July 28th – Letter Writing for International Antifa Prisoners

WHAT: Political Prisoner Letter-Writing
WHEN: 7pm, Tuesday, July 28th, 2020
WHERE: YOUR HOME
COST: Free

Since the last July 25th International Day of Solidarity with Antifascist Prisoners, the worldwide struggle against the nightmare of fascism and the far-right has grown and intensified. The news steadily reports racist and bigoted attacks, the harassment of journalists, the increasing presence and violence of organized fascist and far-right groups, and the demonization of those who most militantly oppose them. Unidentified federal agents roam U.S. cities in response to uprisings against cops killing Black folks (and policing in general). While the bigoted, nationalist imagination reproduces itself on a global scale, it also attempts to turn us all into prisoners of the border. Meanwhile, there are still many prisoners around the world, held for their explicit rejection of fascist ideology and organizing. Therefore, NYC ABC, in collaboration with Page One Collective, is answering the call and encouraging folks to support those in prison through the simple act of writing a letter as we continue our every-other-week letter-writing events while maintaining social distance by writing from home.

Please take the time to write a letter to one or more of these anti-fascist prisoners (and share a photo of your completed envelopes with us online): supportantifaprisoners.wordpress.com/antifascist-prisoners

Illustrated Guide Version 14.8 Uploaded!

We’ve finished the latest version of the NYC ABC “Illustrated Guide to Political Prisoners and Prisoners of War” and it’s available for viewing (and download) by clicking on the tab at the top of this page. This update includes updated mini-bios, photos, and address changes for several prisoners. Unfortunately, we are adding two prisoners to the guide this month–anti-racists Gage Halupowski and David Campbell.

BK/NY – Tuesday, March 5th – Letter-Writing Dinner For Eric Hancock

WHAT: Political Prisoner Letter-Writing Dinner
WHEN: 7pm sharp, Tuesday, March 5th, 2019
WHERE: The Base – 1302 Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn, New York 11221 (directions below)
NOTE: The Base is on the ground floor, is wheelchair accessible, and has a gender neutral toilet.
COST: Free
Hey, is anyone worried that things in the world might be going TOO GOOD? You know, like maybe humanity isn’t on the brink of simultaneous global economic and ecological collapse? No? Just us? Okay, we’ll just brew another pot of valerian root tea, tamp down the unwavering existential dread, and get on with what we do–support political prisoners and prisoners of war.  This week NYC ABC is focusing our every-other-week political prisoner letter-writing dinner on an anti-racist named Eric Hancock, recently railroaded into a non-cooperating plea agreement after defending himself from knife-wielding white supremacists. In 2018. Where’d that valerian go, again?

In late April 2019, Eric Hancock accepted a sentence of one year imprisonment on a single charge of unlawful wounding, a class 6 felony in Virginia, in a non-cooperating plea agreement. The decision to accept this plea came after a year awaiting trial. Initially charged with both malicious wounding and aggravated malicious wounding, Eric faced a mandatory 25 years in a state that does not offer parole.

The charges stemmed from an incident that occurred on January 19th, 2018, which began with a fascist-affiliated band—The Sentinels, playing a show in downtown Richmond. This show eventually lead to a confrontation in which several white supremacists pulled out knives. Eric was stabbed outright and defended himself, which led to his being charged with the injuries sustained by two of his attackers. Between medical and legal expenses resulting form this attack, Eric is facing not only imprisonment, but also debt.

Eric’s support team is working to cover a bevy of medical and legal costs, and have set a goal of $15,000. Eric turned himself into custody February 28th with the full support and appreciation of comrades in Richmond and across Virginia. He has endured injury, injustice, and self-sacrifice with integrity, and his friends, family and supporters appreciate his commitment and bravery. For now, the best means of donating to Eric’s support is via Venmo: @SupportEric

If for some unforeseeable reason you are unable to make it Tuesday, please take the time to write to Eric on your own time:
Eric Hancock #161270
Richmond City Justice Center
1701 Fairfield Way
Richmond, Virginia 23223

NYC – Tuesday, August 6th – Letter-Writing to Jason Hammond

WHAT: Political Prisoner Letter-Writing Dinner
WHEN: 7pm sharp, Tuesday, August 6th, 2013
WHERE: CAGE – 83A Hester Street (UPSTAIRS) New York, New York 10002 (directions below)
COST: Free
With Running Down the Walls 2013 under a month away, we in NYC ABC have our hands full. But before we move forward, we give a strong Black August salute to our imprisoned Black liberation comrades. And while the state’s types of repression may have become more refined and better concealed over the decades, they still exist and are still heavily used. NYC ABC responds to the repression of comrades with unflinching support, most commonly with our every-other-week political prisoner letter-writing dinners. This week we are writing to Jason Hammond, the recently-jailed brother of alleged Anonymous and LulzSec hacker Jeremy Hammond.

On July 11th, Jason Hammond was arrested and charged with armed violence, aggravated battery and mob action. The arrest was made in connection with Hammond’s alleged role in the Tinley Park Five case. Over a year ago, in May, around 20 anti-fascists attacked a meeting of known white supremacists at a restaurant in Tinley Park, Illinois. Jason is charged with participating in the action against white supremacists and neo-Nazis attending the “5th annual White Nationalist Economic Summit and White Nationalist Meet-and-Greet.” Not a particularly catchy name, but then again, look who you’re dealing with.

As of now, Jason Hammond’s bail is set at $100,000 with no bond. That means in order to be released before his trial, his supporters have to come up with the entire $100,000.

To many folks close to Jason–- family, friends, close comrades, the timing of the arrest is simply too coincidental as his brother, Jeremy, is facing sentencing in mid-November. Jason has been steadfast and tireless in supporting his brother.

If for some insane reason you can’t make it out, but still want to support Jason, you can write to him at:
Jason Hammond #2013-0712237
Cook County Department of Corrections
Post Office Box 089002
Chicago, Illinois 60608