NYC – 8 Jan – Card-signing for international prisoners

WHAT: Political Prisoner Letter-Writing Dinner
WHEN: 7pm sharp, Tuesday, January 8th, 2013
WHERE: CAGE – 83A Hester Street New York, New York 10002 (directions below)
COST: Free
First: Happy New Year! If you didn’t get a chance to come to the New Year’s Eve noise demonstration we organized, please take the time to read this reportback. To hear nearly 100 people calling out the names of comrades locked behind the walls of the Metropolitan Correctional Center was motivating. So much so, in fact, that folks had to take that energy into the streets. And much of that energy still lingers, pushing us to continue the work of supporting our comrades who are still in prison. By now, you probably know that one way we do that is through every-other-week political prisoner letter-writing dinners. We’ve lost count, but this week’s dinner will be about the 140th we’ve hosted. This week we are focusing on the international anarchist, earth, and animal liberation prisoners.

Here in the states, folks are being persecuted for possibly even associating with anarchists or animal liberationists. Around the globe, the state and capital collude in much the same way, and as a result rebels are imprisoned for acting on their desire for a free world. Please join us in sending cards to these imprisoned comrades. We’ll see you at supper!

NYC – Tuesday, June 19th – Letter-writing for Marissa Alexander – NEW LOCATION

WHAT: Political Prisoner Letter-Writing Dinner
WHEN: 7pm sharp, Tuesday, June 19, 2012
WHERE: CAGE – 83A Hester Street New York, New York 10002 (directions below)
COST: Free

Never let it be said that the folks in NYC Anarchist Black Cross are lazy. Since our last letter-writing night, we’ve co-organized a benefit for two long-term earth and animal liberation prisoners as well as a Father’s Day Eve noise demonstration outside of the Metropolitan Correction Center in downtown Manhattan. Now, one day before the summer solstice, we’re hosting another of our every-other-week political prisoner letter-writing dinners. This week we are writing to self-defense prisoner Marissa Alexander.

Marissa Alexander was repeatedly abused and assaulted by her husband, Edward Rico Gray, including while she was pregnant. On August 1, 2010, Marissa’s premature newborn daughter was in the Baptist South N.I.C.U. fighting for her life. At that exact moment,  Marissa, too,  fought for life in her own home against her husband. Marissa tried to escape her husband, only to find herself trapped in their garage. Unable to open the garage door, she took action and likely saved her own life. Marissa legally owned a licensed handgun. In fact, she was also licensed to carry a concealed weapon.  When her husband entered the garage, Marissa fired a single warning shot into the ceiling.

Florida, under its controversial “Stand Your Ground” law, allows that a person may use force in self-defense when there is reasonable belief of a threat, without an obligation to retreat first. Such has been the defense of George Zimmerman in the Trayvon Martin killing. And yet Marissa Alexander, who did first retreat and had no previous criminal history, was denied a “stand your ground” defense and convicted of three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon with no intent to harm. She has since been sentenced to 20 years in state prison.

If you are unable to make it to dinner, please take the time to write a letter to Marissa at:
Marissa Alexander DC# J46944
Lowell Annex
11120 NW Gainesville Road
Ocala, Florida 34482-1479

For more information, visit justice4marissa.com

BK/NY – Tuesday, August 16th – Support Recently Transferred New York State Political Prisoners

What: Political Prisoner Letter-Writing Dinner
When: 7pm (sharp), Tuesday, August 16th, 2011
Where: 885 Park Avenue, Brooklyn, New York (see below for directions)
Cost: Free

In the words of The Clash, London’s burning. Folks there have had enough of being bullied and murdered by cops and they are fighting back. It’s incredible to see how they’ve come together to drive out the police who have all of the crown’s resources and training at  their disposal. There is plenty to be learned from what is happening there, not to mention the uprisings that continue around the world. During times like this, it serves us to reflect upon those in the United States who have similarly struggled and, in turn, have been captured. With that, NYC ABC brings another of our political prisoner letter-writing dinners. This week we are writing to three folks in our own state, all recently transferred to other prisons. Please join us in writing to Herman Bell, David Gilbert, Seth Hayes, and Jalil Muntaqim.

While we expect to see you on Tuesday, if you can’t make it, please take the time to write letters to Herman, David, Seth, and Jalil:

Herman Bell #79-C-0262
Great Meadow Correctional Facility
11739 State Route 22
Post Office Box 51
Comstock, New York 12821-0051

David Gilbert #83-A-6158
Auburn Correctional Facility
Post Office Box 618
Auburn, New York 13021

Robert Seth Hayes #74A2280
Sullivan Correctional Facility
Post Office Box 116
Fallsburg, New York 12733-0116

Jalil Muntaqim* (Anthony Jalil Bottom) #77-A-4283
Attica Correctional Facility
Post Office Box 149
Attica, New York 14011-0149
*Note: Make sure to address the envelope to Anthony Bottom and the letter to Jalil.

The deal, as always, is that you come bringing only yourself (and your friends and comrades), and we provide you with a delicious vegan meal, information about the prisoners as well as all of the letter-writing materials and prisoner-letter-writing info you could ever want to use in one evening. In return, you write a thoughtful letter to a political prisoner or prisoner of war of your choosing or, better yet, keep up a long-term correspondence. We’ll also provide some brief updates and pass around birthday cards for the PP/POWs whose birthdays fall in the next two weeks thanks to the Anarchist Birthday Brigade.

DIRECTIONS:
Getting to 885 Park Avenue is simple:
From the J/M/Z:
Flushing Stop: Walk southeast on Broadway (toward Sumner Place, away from Thornton Street) and make a right on Park Avenue. We’re halfway down the block, on your right.
Myrtle Stop: Walk northwest on Broadway (toward Melrose Street, away from Troutman Street) and make a left on Park Avenue. We’re halfway down the block on the right.

From the G Train:
Flushing Avenue Stop: Walk south on Marcy Avenue (toward Hopkins Street, away from Wallabout Street) and turn left on Park Avenue. We’re three and a half blocks down on the left.
Myrtle-Willoughby Avenues Stop: Walk north on Marcy Avenue (toward Stockton Street, away from Vernon Avenue) and turn right on Park Avenue. We’re three and a half blocks down on your left.

If you have any questions, feel free to get in touch. Otherwise, we’ll see you at supper.

This event is brought to you by your friendly neighborhood Anarchist Black Cross.–

NYC ABC
Post Office Box 110034
Brooklyn, New York 11211

nycabc[at]riseup[dot]net
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Free all Political Prisoners and Prisoners of War!
For the Abolition of State Repression and Domination!