BK/NY – Tuesday, December 6th – Letter-Writing Dinner For Animal Liberationist Joseph Buddenberg

WHAT: Political Prisoner Letter-Writing Dinner
WHEN: 7pm sharp, Tuesday, December 6th, 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

This week at the twice monthly NYCABC letter writing dinner for political prisoners we will be focusing on Joseph Buddenberg.  Joseph pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act (AETA) after being indicted, along with Nicole Kissane who is awaiting sentencing, for “travel in interstate and foreign commerce for the purpose of causing physical disruption to the functioning of animal enterprises, to intentionally damage and cause the loss of real and personal property, including, but not limited to, animals and records used by the animal enterprises, and caused economic damage in an amount exceeding $100, 000″ by allegedly releasing thousands of animals from fur farms and destroying breeding records in Idaho, Iowa, Minnesota, Montana, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania. For this, under a non-cooperating plea agreement, he has been labeled a terrorist and is serving two years in federal prison.

Joseph was recently transferred to the medium security federal prison FCI Victorville where he is expected to be for the remainder of his sentence.  Before he was transferred, Joseph was recently having trouble receiving his mail and gaining access to vegan food at USP Lompoc.  There was a successful call in campaign to get him the dietary needs in accordance with his ethics.

If you can’t make it to dinner, please write to Joseph at:
Joseph Buddenberg #12746-111
FCI Victorville
Post Office Box 3725
Adelanto, California 92301

BK/NY – Tuesday, July 5th – Letter Writing Dinner for Eric King

WHAT: Political Prisoner Letter-Writing Dinner
WHEN: 7pm sharp, Tuesday, July 5th, 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

“This court is a farce. I stand by what I did. I’m happy I did it. I’m sorry that I got caught. I would have loved to attack more government buildings.” – Eric King

We hope to keep the momentum of the spirit of solidarity going following this Monday’s Noise Demo outside of MDC in Brooklyn for the Eastchester 120 and prisoners everywhere with a letter writing dinner to anarchist political prisoner Eric King. Eric was recently sentenced to 10 years in federal prison after pleading guilty to attempting to burn down a congressman’s office that was empty at the time of the attack.

While we fully understand that there are many reasons to internalize the rage one may feel against the State in their courtrooms and not express it in a verbal or physical manner during its proceedings, we must recognize how inspiring Eric’s continued defiance is. Reports from Eric’s sentencing hearing state that in addition to the above quote, Eric flipped off the prosecutor, told the judge to shut-up, and gave the State a lesson in perspective. According to UnicornRiot, Eric felt it necessary to point out that the government was “disgusting” for its favoring racist police and the “oppressive treatment of the poor and persons of color.”

As we have previously stated here on this website and at length in our PP/POW Updates + Announcements packet, Eric has had a particularly awful experience at CCA Leavenworth, which is a capitalist, profit-driven, private prison. Recently there was a campaign to get him properly fed vegan food in accordance with his ethics as his malnourished body was suffering on a daily basis. It is likely that Eric will be moved to a federal prison within the next 1-2 months. However, in the mean time, he can still be reached at:

Eric King 27090045
CCA Leavenworth
100 Highway Terrace
Leavenworth, Kansas 66048

The support crew for Eric is holding a fundraising drive in which you can contribute money to help out Eric buy food and other items from commissary, make phone calls, get books, and help cover the travel cost of his friends and family who visit him. For donations of $20 or more you can choose to receive a beautiful Support Eric King T-Shirt. https://fundrazr.com/campaigns/316cDf

NYC – Tuesday, October 14th – Letter-writing for Luke O’Donovan

WHAT: Political Prisoner Letter-Writing Dinner
WHEN: 7pm (sharp), Tuesday, October 14th, 2014
WHERE: CAGE – 83A Hester Street (UPSTAIRS) New York, New York 10002 (directions below)
COST: Free

Have you ever been squarely punched in the nose? If so, you know how disorienting it is. Of course there’s the pain, but with the punch comes a lot of blood and a shockwave through your skull. Your head gets rocked back and the violence is all too palpable. The language and imagery of violence is again (still?) in vogue, popularized by folks who have likely never meted out or received much of it. It’s difficult for us in NYC ABC not to feel disgusted when we see this aesthetic trend followed in radical communities, knowing the kind of violence our friends and comrades regularly endure.

It is with violence and a radical defense against it in mind that we focus our next political prisoner letter-writing dinner on Luke O’Donovan. On New Year’s Eve of 2013, Luke was seen dancing with and kissing other men at a house party. Later in the night he was insulted with homophobic slurs, and attacked by several people. Luke unsuccessfully attempted to escape, at which point several witnesses reported watching between 5 and 12 men ganging-up on Luke and stomping on his head and body, evidently with the intent to kill him. Luke was called a faggot before and during the attack. Throughout the course of the attack, Luke and five others were stabbed. Luke was subsequently imprisoned and charged with five counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon as well as one count of attempted murder while none of the other individuals involved in the altercation were charged.

Luke’s trial concluded on August 12, 2014, when he accepted a plea deal. While initially facing over 100 years in prison, the deal Luke accepted includes two years in prison and eight years on probation. At the time of sentencing, the judge added to the negotiated plea that Luke will be banished from the state of Georgia for the eight years of his probation.

We’re lucky to have a guest speaker who was in Atlanta for Luke’s court proceedings and will have more information on Luke’s case and ways to help. For more information on Luke’s case, head to letlukego.wordpress.com

While we expect to see you on Tuesday, if you can’t make it, please take the time to write a letter to Luke:
Luke Patrick O’Donovan #1001372271
Washington State Prison
Post Office Box 206
Davisboro, Georgia 31018

NYC – Tuesday, September 2nd – Letter-writing to Walter Bond

WHAT: Political Prisoner Letter-Writing Dinner
WHEN: 7pm sharp, Tuesday, September 2nd, 2014
WHERE: CAGE – 83A Hester Street (UPSTAIRS) New York, New York 10002 (directions below)
COST: Free

Okay, so it’s almost over. First it’s Labor Day, then Running Down the Walls, and the next thing you know it’s autumn. We’re pretty sure we know calendars and that’s how they work– Independence Day [sic], Labor Day, Running Down the Walls, end of summer. You can use that in planning for the remainder of your year. “Is it Running Down the Walls already? I swear it comes earlier and earlier every year. I’d better start stacking firewood and get my rake ready.” And so we set our gaze on fall. Of course, in NYC ABC all that changing weather means is a different menu at our every-other-week letter-writing dinners. And before we can get to Running Down the Walls 2014, we have another dinner to serve. This week we are focusing on Walter Bond. We’re very lucky to have a guest speaker who will present the history and recent updates of Walter.

Walter Bond is an imprisoned Animal Liberation Front operative who in the Summer of 2010 was arrested for the A.L.F. Lone Wolf arsons of the Sheepskin Factory in Denver, Colorado, the Tandy Leather Factory in Salt Lake City, Utah and Tiburon Restaurant in Sandy, Utah.

If for some bizarre reason you can’t make it to dinner, please write to Walter (and/or send him a book) from home. His address is:

Walter Bond #37096-013
USP Marion – CMU
Post Office Box 1000
Marion, Illinois 62959

NYC – Tuesday, July 8th – Letter-writing to Alvaro Luna Hernández

WHAT: Political Prisoner Letter-Writing Dinner
WHEN: 7pm sharp, Tuesday, July 8th, 2014
WHERE: CAGE – 83A Hester Street (UPSTAIRS) New York, New York 10002 (directions below)
COST: Free
NYC ABC has been very fortunate lately. We’ve been invited to table at some great events and have hosted talks by close comrades. This kind of community building really gives us the momentum to work on our core projects, including the upcoming every-other-week letter-writing dinners.

This week we are focusing on Alvaro Luna Hernández. Alvaro Luna Hernández is a Chicano-Mexicano political prisoner sentenced to 50 years in prison for aggravated assault on a cop when he disarmed a sheriff attempting to shoot him.

Deeply effected by witnessing the murder of one of his friends by a known racist cop (yes, it’s redundant), Alvaro dedicated his life to fighting police brutality, especially as it was manifest against the Chicano community. From 1976 through 1990, Alvaro was falsely accused of murder (and after public outcry eventually released) and severely beaten by police, all the result of his work to end police brutality in Houston, Texas.

In 1996, Brewster County Sheriff Jack McDaniel came to Alvaro’s house, allegedly to arrest him for robbery (side note: the robbery charge was summarily dismissed). The cop didn’t have an arrest warrant and when Alvaro, unarmed, questioned the cop’s abuse of power, the cop pulled his gun. Before he could shoot, Alvaro disarmed the cop without injuring him, and fled.

Upon his capture, Alvaro was found guilty and sentenced to an unbelievable 50 years in prison. Since his imprisonment, he has been denied access to library materials, faced increasing censorship of his mail, and had to deal with retaliation from prison staff over his filing of grievances.

If for some bizarre reason you can’t make it to dinner, please write to Alvaro from home. His address is:

Alvaro Luna Hernández #255735
James V Allred Unit
2101 FM 369 North
Iowa Park, Texas 76367

For more information, visit freealvaronow.blogspot.com

BK/NY – Tuesday, April 29th – May Day Pizza Party + Card-Writing for Anarchist Political Prisoners

WHAT: Political Prisoner Letter-Writing Dinner
WHEN: 7pm sharp, Tuesday, April 29th, 2014
WHERE: The Base – 1302 Myrtle Avenue Brooklyn, New York 11221 (directions below)
COST: Free

NOTE: This week, letter-writing will be in Brooklyn, at our favorite anarchist space– The Base. For more information, visit thebasebk.org.

You’ve probably been working too many hours a week to even notice the full-blown war being waged against you by the ruling class. It is real and it is continuing. And of course there is another war– the war against folks imprisoned for their political beliefs and actions. And here’s where we bridge the two. This week, NYC ABC will be hosting our seventh annual May Day card-writing night. We will be sending greeting cards to anarchist political prisoners and there’s an easy (too easy? POSSIBLY!) way for you to help. Just come by, eat some food, sign some cards, maybe meet folks you don’t already know, and show some base level solidarity with those behind bars.

If there’s absolutely no way you can come eat a ton of pizza and sign a lot of May Day cards, but still want to support political prisoners, please consider sending some books from their wish lists.

NYC – Tuesday, March 4th – Letter-Writing Dinner For NATO 3

WHAT: Political Prisoner Letter-Writing Dinner
WHEN: 7pm sharp, Tuesday, March 4th, 2014
WHERE: CAGE – 83A Hester Street (UPSTAIRS) New York, New York 10002 (directions below)
COST: Free
Obligatory reference to the horrendous Northeast weather. Also, there is no such thing as global warming…It seems in the last couple of years, the feds have decided to stop going after seasoned activists and started to implement a strategy of entrapping young activists.  From many of the Muslim entrapment cases to Eric McDavid‘s case to the Cleveland 4, the federal (and some state) governments have thrown informants and undercover cops at activists all over the country–a point made cogently in this article by CrimethInc. We feel the need to call bullshit on these made-up, fake terrorism cases that exist to justify the expenditures made by the state before major meetings of warmongers like NATO.

In that vein, three young Occupy activists were hounded, cajoled, and entrapped by two undercover cops (named “Mo” & “Gloves.” How clever!)  during the months leading up to the anti-NATO summit in Chicago back in 2012. The three men, dubbed the NATO 3— Brent Betterly, Jared Chase and Brian Jacob Church, were indicted on all sorts of state terrorism charges that had never been tested, we think, to justify the mass expenditures and repression of dissent that took place at this mass mobilization.

While a jury acquitted the men of the serious terrorism charges, they were found guilty of charges related to arson and mob action and are facing up to 30 years in prison at sentencing. In short, they continue to need our support and solidarity through the end of their sentences and beyond.

This Tuesday, come join NYC ABC for a night of letter writing to lend solidarity and support to these three activists and find out more about this case and others. We will be serving a free, tasty, vegan dinner and as usual, supplying the pens, envelopes, postage, paper and anything else you need to scribe your missive. We will also be giving updates and announcements on other political prisoners, local events and issues.

In the unlikely event that there is a better use of your Tuesday night, but you still want to support the prisoners (or want to send these three a book) you can write to them at:

Brent Betterly #2012-0519001
Cook County Department of Corrections
Post Office Box 089002
Chicago, Illinois 60608

Jared Chase #2012-0519003
Cook County Department of Corrections
Post Office Box 089002
Chicago, Illinois 60608

Brian Church #2012-0519002
Cook County Department of Corrections
Post Office Box 089002
Chicago, Illinois 60608

For more information and updates, go to:
freethenato3.wordpress.com

NYC – Tuesday, September 17th – Letter-Writing for Tyler Lang and Kevin Olliff

WHAT: Political Prisoner Letter-Writing Dinner
WHEN: 7pm sharp, Tuesday, September 17th, 2013
WHERE: CAGE – 83A Hester Street (UPSTAIRS) New York, New York 10002 (directions below)
COST: Free

It’s been a busy couple of weeks since our last political prisoner letter-writing dinner. We hosted Running Down the Walls 2013 and folks from our collective attended a North American Anarchist Black Cross conference in Colorado. Meanwhile, Raytheon the United States government continues to try and convince the world that plans to bomb Syria are justified and desirable. In this same period of time, two Los Angeles animal rights activists were arrested in rural Illinois for “possession of burglary tools.” And it is on these two NYC ABC focuses our next dinner.

After a traffic stop in which they refused consent to a police search, Tyler Lang and Kevin Olliff‘s car was searched anyway. Inside, police allege they found bolt cutters, wire cutters, muriatic acid, ski masks, and camouflage clothing.

Police believed these items were “burglary tools” intended to be used in a crime, and arrested Kevin and Tyler. The two are held on felony charges which carry up to 3 years in prison. They have remained in jail since their arrest on August 14th.

There is no evidence linking them to any crime or intended crime, nor were they arrested on anyone’s property, and their history as animal advocates is the only basis for these serious felony charges. A recent call-in campaign on their behalf resulted in threats of further punishments.

If for some nutty reason you can’t make it out, but still want to support Tyler and Kevin, you can write to them at:
Tyler Lang #4564
Woodford County Jail
111 East Court Street
Eureka, Illinois 61530

Kevin Johnson* #4565
Woodford County Jail
111 East Court Street
Eureka, Illinois 61530
*Kevin Olliff. Address envelope to Kevin Johnson

For more information, check out http://supportkevinandtyler.com

NYC – Tuesday, April 30th – May Day Card-Writing for Anarchist Political Prisoners

WHAT: Political Prisoner Letter-Writing Dinner
WHEN: 7pm sharp, Tuesday, April 30th, 2013
WHERE: CAGE – 83A Hester Street (UPSTAIRS) New York, New York 10002 (directions below)
COST: Free

You’ve probably been working too many hours a week to even notice the full-blown war being waged against you by the ruling class. It is real and it is continuing. And of course there is another war– the war against folks imprisoned for their political beliefs and actions. And here’s where we bridge the two. This week, NYC ABC will be hosting our sixth annual May Day card-writing night. We will be sending greeting cards to anarchist political prisoners and there’s an easy (too easy? POSSIBLY!) way for you to help. Just come by, eat some food, sign some cards, maybe meet folks you don’t already know, and show some base level solidarity with those behind bars.

BK/NY – Tuesday, October 25th – Come to a Green Scare(y) Halloween Card-Writing

What: Political Prisoner Letter-Writing Dinner
When: 7pm (sharp), Tuesday, October 25th, 2011
Where: 885 Park Avenue, Brooklyn, New York (see below for directions)
Cost: Free

As problematic as the language of “occupation” is in a nation that continues to occupy stolen land, a movement is spreading. From Rome to Oakland, comrades are making it clear that unless there is conflict with the state and capital, the so-called occupations are merely camp-outs. And on the ground, it is clear that folks are willing to physically defend the spaces they have built together. There is a lot to be inspired by and plenty of reason 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 two folks recently arrested and Walter Bond sentenced to another seven 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.

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!