Archive
BK/NY – Saturday, August 13th – Eric McDavid: Over Ten Years To Talk About
WHAT: Speaking Tour
WHEN: 7pm Saturday, August 13th, 2016
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
From Sacramento Prisoner Support:
Eric McDavid, a former anarchist prisoner, will be talking about ten plus years of experiences including federal prison time, the post release period, and moving forward. Eric will discuss the importance of supporting political prisoners along with so much more. If you are in the area, please come, check it out and tell a friend!
In the six month span between when his first and second co-defendants took deals to cooperate with federal authorities and testify against Eric, he started down a long road as an anarchist prisoner. If being charged with “conspiracy to damage and destroy property by fire and explosive” and utilizing an entrapment defense, it doesn’t make things any easier if one’s co-defendants agree to make up testimony, simultaneously betraying larger struggles to avoid any discomfort.
After twenty-eight months in “total separation,” a form of isolation at the Sacramento County Jail, Eric was convicted at trial. Subsequently, Eric was sentenced to an outrageous 19 years and 7 months due to a terrorism enhancement, and shortly after taken into the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP). Eric was then transferred to a medium security federal prison– FCI Victorville, where he ended up spending the majority of the sentence before being moved to a low security prison in San Pedro, California.
While Eric was imprisoned, he and his support crew laid the groundwork for an appeal. At the same time, a new federal prosecutor was assigned to the district in which Eric was initially tried. When, through multiple Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests, Sacramento Prisoner Support found there was sufficient documentation of withholding evidence at trial, and after a habeas petition was filed, the new prosecutor made an offer to Eric’s attorneys that would eventually bring him home. If he would agree to a single felony charge of general conspiracy, which carried a maximum sentence of five years, and if the district judge would sign off on it, Eric would be released with time served plus a maximum of two years supervised release.
It has been over a year and a half from the day of his release and Eric has a lot to share– the nine years he endured from arrest through supervised release as well as all he has experienced since. There’s more, much more, but we’ll wait for him to tell you about that.
To learn more about Eric’s case, please visit: supporteric.org
NYC – Tuesday, June 9th – Letter-writing to Marius Mason and Eco-prisoners
WHAT: Political Prisoner Letter-Writing Dinner
WHEN: 7pm sharp, Tuesday, June 9th, 2015
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
What’s less surprising, that a cop stole a dead man’s credit card to buy a diamond ring or that chimpanzees can cook? You’re right, it’s a draw. Also not surprising is that it’s again time for NYC ABC’s every-other-week political prisoner letter-writing dinner (the acronym, PPLWD, just rolls off the tongue). This week, in honor of the call for a June 11th International Day of Solidarity with Marius Mason, Eric McDavid, and long-term eco and anarchist prisoners, we will be sending letters to several imprisoned comrades. Thankfully this year, we won’t be sending a letter to Eric, who has been released.
Three days later, join us, with members of Marius Mason’s local support crew, for a rousing night of Punk Rock Karaoke.
We’ll be joined by a member of Marius’ local support crew and will have information about the other prisoners. If you don’t already know about the folks to whom we are writing, make sure to check out our Illustrated Guide To Political Prisoners and Prisoners of War.
NYC – 7:00pm, Friday, June 12th – Punk Rock Karaoke for Marius Mason and Longterm Anarchist Political Prisoners!
WHAT: Punk Rock Karaoke
WHEN: 7:00pm, Friday, June 12th
WHERE: ABC No Rio – 156 Rivington Street New York, New York 10002
COST: $5-20, sliding scale (it’s a benefit y’all).
Every year in New York City, founding members of Marius Mason‘s support group and NYC Anarchist Black Cross have hosted an event for the Day of Solidarity with Marius Mason, Eric McDavid, and All Longterm Anarchist Prisoners, and this year Punk Rock Karaoke NORTHEAST is getting in on the action!
We once again will storm the venerable punk halls of ABC No Rio for a night of punk rock sing-a-longs! All money raised will benefit Marius Mason and Eric McDavid.
This event is BYOB. We will be selling set-ups (cups, ice, and mixers) so all you have to do is bring a bottle — we’ll handle the rest. We will also be selling incredible vegan baked goods — sweet and savory.
Tell your friends and come ready to have an awesome time!
More info on the benefit:
Marius Mason is serving a 22-year sentence for acts of environmentally motivated property destruction and is fighting to gain access to gender-affirming health care after announcing his transition last year.
Eric McDavid was originally sentenced to almost 20 years in prison after being entrapped by an agent provocateur, and after a surprise ruling by the federal courts, was released this year after almost a decade of incarceration. Building a new life for himself is the next phase of struggle for Eric, and we are committed to continuing our solidarity with him post-release.
Short talks from:
Lawyers who represent Marius Mason
Members of his support group
Former political prisoners on what support means to people on the inside
For more information on June 11: June11.org
For more information on Marius Mason: supportmariusmason.org
For more information on Eric McDavid: supporteric.org
Punk Rock Karaoke is a DIY, fund-raising event that benefits a different community group each time.
Featuring songs from:
Against Me!, Bikini Kill, Black Flag, Bratmobile, Buzzcocks, Choking Victim, The Clash, Circle Jerks, Crass, Dead Kennedys, Descendents, Devo, Flogging Molly, Fugazi, Gogol Bordello, Gorilla Biscuits, Jawbreaker, Joy Division, Minor Threat, The Misfits, NOFX, Operation Ivy, Pixies, The Pogues, Ramones, Rancid, Screeching Weasel, Sex Pistols, Sham 69, Sleater-Kinney, The Smiths, The Specials, Stiff Little Fingers, Wire, X, X-Ray Spex + More!!!
BK/NY – Tuesday, January 20 – Letter-writing to David Gilbert and Maliki Shakur Latine
WHAT: Political Prisoner Letter-Writing Dinner
WHEN: 7pm sharp, Tuesday, January 20th, 2015
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
David Gilbert photo courtesy Breno Altman
This year has already brought us immense joy and sadness. Just days into 2015, we’ve welcomed home our comrade Eric McDavid and continued to mourn the loss of Phil Africa. The state is a monster that acts as a god, both giving and taking lives. As anarchists, we struggle to see the gods of state and capital utterly annihilated. So, hot on the heels of our New Year’s Eve Noise Demo, we in NYC Anarchist Black Cross want the start of this year to show our commitment to the political prisoners and prisoners of war closest to us. These are comrades who deserve, short of the full freedom we all desire, a minimum of strong solidarity. We enter 2015 focusing on folks held behind New York State walls.
This week we will be writing , David Gilbert and Maliki Shakur Latine. We’ll be watching a couple of short interviews and are fortunate to have a guest speaker– Ainsley B.
David Gilbert, a longtime anti-racist and anti-imperialist, first became active in the Civil Rights movement in 1961. In 1965, he started the Vietnam Committee at Columbia University; in 1967 he co-authored the first Students for a Democratic Society pamphlet naming the system “imperialism”; and he was active in the Columbia strike of 1968. He went on to spend a total of 10 years underground, building a clandestine resistance. More information: j.mp/DavidGilbert_PP
In 1969, Maliki Shakur Latine and his brother joined up with the Black Panther Party (BPP). The government’s tactics against the organization forced many members to go underground, including Maliki Shakur Latine and his brother. Plans to challenge the influx of deadly drugs entering his community in Harlem were cut short by a gun battle with police on July 3rd, 1979. The altercation resulted in arrests and some arrestees became career informants for the government. A month later, on August 7, 1979, Maliki Latine was arrested in St. Albans, Queens, by a joint task force investigating a series of bank expropriations. Maliki Latine and Jose (Hamza) Saldana were indicted on charges of attempted first-degree murder, four counts of criminal possession of a weapon, and criminal possession of stolen property. On October 1, 1981, the two were sentenced to 25 to life. More information: j.mp/MalikiLatine
We expect to see you on Tuesday. If you can’t make it, please take the time to write a letter to David and Maliki:
David Gilbert #83-A-6158
Auburn Correctional Facility
Post Office Box 618
Auburn, New York 13021
Maliki Shakur Latine #81-A-4469
Clinton Correctional Facility
Post Office Box 2000
Dannemora, New York 12929
Illustrated Guide Version 9.7 Now 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 as well as removing Joel Bitar (TIME SERVED!) and Jason Sutherlin (TIME SERVED!). Unfortunately, this version also includes the addition of Eric King, an anarchist awaiting trial for alleged politically motivated property destruction in Kansas City.
NYC – Tuesday, October 28th – Come to a Green Scare(y) Halloween Card-Writing
WHAT: Political Prisoner Letter-Writing Dinner
WHEN: 7pm sharp, Tuesday, October 28th, 2014
WHERE: CAGE – 83A Hester Street (UPSTAIRS) New York, New York 10002 (directions below)
COST: Free
Well, here we are, saddened. Another space in NYC is closing. We’ve been fortunate to call CAGE home to our every-other-week Political Prisoner Letter-Writing Dinners for over two years. So we thank them for providing us space to support political prisoners and hope they find a new home soon.
In light of the coming holiday, we are sending Halloween cards to targets of the Green Scare.
Since the early 1980s, public relations hacks have been working to reify the term “eco-terrorism.” By 2004, they became successful and a phrase that a decade earlier had no real meaning was now defined by the United States government and used to introduce legislation. Now we have comrades serving decades for economic sabotage and allegations of thought crime. With several recent animal liberation actions, and Tyler Lang & Kevin Olliff being tried as terrorists, it is clear that Earth and animal liberationists are both still active and still in the cross-hairs of the feds. Join us in letting them know they are not forgotten.
Read more…
NYC – Tuesday, June 10th – Letter-writing to Marie Mason and Eric McDavid
WHAT: Political Prisoner Letter-Writing Dinner
WHEN: 7pm sharp, Tuesday, June 1oth, 2014
WHERE: CAGE – 83A Hester Street (UPSTAIRS) New York, New York 10002 (directions below)
COST: Free
With wild asses getting wild against the state in Brazil and Spain, it looks like we will be heading into a very hot summer. It’s only through working together to pull this motherfucker down that we’re getting anywhere, and it’s time again to support the folks who have tried to do just that. The simple way NYC ABC does that is through every-other-week letter-writing dinners.
This week, in honor of the call for a June 11th International Day of Solidarity with Marie Mason and Eric McDavid, we will be sending letters to them. And the next night, join us as we co-host a multimedia extravaganza with members of Marie Mason’s local support crew. If you don’t already know about either Eric or Marie, they are the two folks targeted under the Green Scare who face the longest sentences, around twenty years each.
If, for some crazy reason, you can’t join us, please write to Eric and Marie (or send her a book) from home:
Marie Mason #04672-061
FMC Carswell
Post Office Box 27137
Fort Worth, Texas 76127
Eric McDavid #16209-097
FCI Terminal Island
Post Office Box 3007
San Pedro, California 90731
For more information about Eric, visit supporteric.org
For more information about Marie, visit supportmariemason.org
BK/NY – June 11th – International Day of Solidarity With Marie Mason, Eric McDavid and All Eco-Prisoners
WHAT: JUNE 11th
WHEN: 8:00PM, Wednesday, June 11th
WHERE: The Ho_se – 28 Lawton Street Brooklyn, New York 11221 (Directions below)
COST: $5-20, sliding scale
Every year in New York City, founding members of Marie Mason‘s support group and NYC ABC have hosted a June 11 event, and this year is no exception! We have an amazing multi-media presentation of words, images, music, and dancing. All proceeds will go to Marie Mason and Eric McDavid, who are both doing 20+ year sentences for their environmental activism.
Short talks from:
- lawyers who represent Marie Mason
- members of her support group
- former political prisoners on what support means to people on the inside
Slideshow:
Elektra KB (guest contemporary artist)
Music:
What A Fiasco! (cult singer-songwriter)
Known Universe (xVx hip-hop)
Remember When We Trashed the Golf Course (radical folk-punk)
Vulture Shit (stunning punk rock!)
For more information on June 11, see earthfirstjournal.org/june11
For more information on Marie Mason, see supportmariemason.org
For more information on Eric McDavid, see supporteric.org
For the Never Alone exhibit, see neveraloneart.org
NYC – Tuesday, October 29th – Come to a Green Scare(y) Halloween Card-Writing + Letter-Writing For Move Marie
WHAT: Political Prisoner Letter-Writing Dinner
WHEN: 7pm sharp, Tuesday, October 29th, 2013
WHERE: CAGE – 83A Hester Street (UPSTAIRS) New York, New York 10002 (directions below)
COST: Free
With grand jury resistance here in NYC, Feds sneaking around in Southern California, and other campaigns & projects across the country, anarchists have their hands full. The work that’s happening on these projects is, in many ways, inspiring. With that inspiration, there are plenty of reasons to become directly involved. It is in the spirit of direct involvement (and the magick of Halloween) that we host another Political Prisoner Letter-Writing Dinner. And what could be more ghoulish than the Green Scare?
Since the early 1980s, public relations hacks have been working to reify the term “eco-terrorism.” By 2004, they became successful and a phrase that a decade earlier had no real meaning was now defined by the United States government and used to introduce legislation. Now we have comrades serving decades for economic sabotage and allegations of thought crime. With several recent animal liberation actions, and Rebecca Rubin facing 5 to seven and a half years, it is clear that Earth and animal liberationists are both still active and still in the cross-hairs of the feds. Join us in letting them know they are not forgotten.
We are also taking this letter-writing night to answer the call to organize an event to get letters on behalf of Marie Mason, in an effort to get her moved from the isolation unit in FMC Carswell, where she is currently imprisoned. For more information on the campaign, visit movemarie.com
Read more…
NYC Anarchist Black Cross 