Category Archives: Politics

Ketino of the Black Rose/Rosa Negra Anarchist Federation on Anarchism, Anti-Imperialism and Internationalism

A picture of a red war ship with a US flag on the ocean, "TFSR 01-18-26 | Ketino of the Black Rose Federation on Anarchism, Anti-Imperialism & Internationalism"
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This week on The Final Straw Radio, we’re featuring a conversation with our guest, Ketino, to speak about Especifist anarchism and anarchist approaches at anti-Imperialism. Ketino is a member in Florida of the Black Rose / Rosa Negra Anarchist Federation and they grew up in Cuba. You can learn more about Black Rosa, or BRRN, at BlackRoseFed.Org

Other links:

First up, here are a few prisoner struggle updates

Announcements

Prisoners For Palestine

It was announced on January 14th that members fo the Prisoners For Palestine hunger strike, from the Palestine Action case in the so-called UK, ended their strike after 73 days without food after a key demand was met with Elbit Systems being denied an important government contract. You can read their statements at PrisonersForPalestine.org and check out our November 30, 2025 episode for some background on the cases.

Xinachtli

From Xinachtli’s support crew (Instagram at @FreeXinachtliNow):

On January 1, Xinachtli (state name Alvaro Luna Hernandez) was transferred to the Carol Young Medical Facility. In the moment, this was a major victory getting him moved from McConnell, and Xinachtli shared that he felt the power of the people!
However this victory was short-lived. The transfer was carried out without any notice to his attorney, and made Xinachtli unable to communicate with them before his latest court hearing on January 6, effectively blocking his right to counsel.
Within days of the transfer, we also learned that Xinachtli had been placed in a cell with no running water, and a broken sink and toilet.
In Xinachtli’s words: “They bring me a bowl of water. I first use it to drink, and then I use the rest for hygiene for the remainder of the day. I also have not been able to flush the toilet in days.
Prison conditions in the U.S. are deeply dehumanizing. For Xinachtli, who is attempting to recover after months of medical neglect, these conditions risk further delaying his recovery and compounding the harm he has already endured.
We know that applying pressure works. A director of TDCJ called organizers earlier this month begging for an end to the “hundreds of calls.” Contrary to their request, we will not stop until Xinachtli is FREE.
Xinachtli’s current demands are:

  • That he be moved to a cell with running water and functioning plumbing.
  • That he receive his ID card so he can purchase needed items and receive his commissary order from January 2.
  • That he receive all of his personal property from the McConnell Unit.

Contacts:
• Carol Young Medical Facility TDC): (409) 948-0001
◦ WARDEN: (**129)
• Region III Director Jerry Sanchez: (281) 369-3736
• TDC) Executive Director: (936) 437-2101
You can sign up for slots and find tips for making calls, including scripts, at https://bit.ly/xphoneblast

Repression in Alabama Prisons

In the last few days, according to supporters of the Free Alabama Movement as we approach the February 8th call for a statewide work stoppage Kinetic Justice, Hannibal Ra Sun and Raoul Poole have been transferred to another prison and prisoners across the ADOC have had food rations cut. To learn how to advocate for these three FAM leaders now at Kilby CI and read the press release announcing the upcoming strike actions, check our shownotes :

following their announcement of an upcoming labor strike, Melvin Ray, Robert Earl Council (Kinetik Justice), and Raoul Poole — three prominent voices in the film “The Alabama Solution” — were taken to Kilby Prison.

In anticipation of the strike, the AL Dept. of Corrections has also reduced access to food in its prisons. This is a dangerous violation of [prisoners] constitutional rights.

Call Kilby: (534) 215-6600

Demand they keep these men — and all those in state custody safe.

The Press Release announcing the strike is here:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 2, 2025
FREE ALABAMA MOVEMENT (FAM)
ANNOUNCES STATEWIDE SHUTDOWN ADOC 2026
Effective February 8, 2026
Alabama — The Free Alabama Movement (FAM) announces a coordinated, statewide shutdown of Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC) facilities beginning February 8, 2026. This nonviolent action comes in response to decades of unconstitutional sentencing practices, forced prison labor, and the ongoing humanitarian crisis throughout Alabama’s prison system.
With the release of the documentary The Alabama Solution, state officials can no longer deny or ignore the overwhelming evidence that Alabama’s prison system is in catastrophic failure and requires immediate, sweeping reform. The documentary exposes systemic corruption, violence, and deliberate neglect that incarcerated people have endured for generations. The truth is no longer hidden behind prison walls — it is publicly available, undeniable, and morally urgent.
Despite federal investigations, DOJ findings, and repeated warnings, the State of Alabama has failed to enact meaningful change. Therefore, incarcerated people across the state are exercising their lawful right to peaceful protest through a statewide shutdown and work stoppage.
LIST OF DEMANDS

  1. Repeal Alabama’s Habitual Felony Offender Act (HFOA)
    Abolish the outdated and excessively punitive enhancement statute that has produced life and virtual-life sentences far beyond any rehabilitative purpose and out of step with modern standards of justice.
  2. Make the Presumptive Sentencing Guidelines Retroactive
    Apply current presumptive sentencing standards to all eligible prior convictions so that people sentenced under older, harsher laws can receive the same fair and consistent treatment as those sentenced today.
  3. Make HJR 575 Retroactive (Drive-By Shooting Statute Reform)
    Apply the legislative clarification of Alabama’s drive-by shooting statute retroactively so that individuals who were improperly charged or enhanced under the statute can receive review and relief.
  4. First-Time Offender / Capital Murder Reform Bill
    Create revised sentencing options for first-time offenders and end Juvenile Life Without Parole by providing parole eligibility after 20 years, recognizing the capacity for growth, change, and rehabilitation.
  5. Parole Board Reform and Clear, Objective Criteria
    Mandate transparent written standards, meaningful hearings, and review procedures that ensure fair, non-arbitrary parole decisions for every eligible incarcerated person.
  6. Medical Furlough & Compassionate Release Expansion Expand and enforce mechanisms for the release of elderly, terminally ill, severely disabled, and medically fragile individuals so they can receive appropriate care in the community instead of dying in prison.
  7. Establish a Statewide Conviction Review Unit
    Create an independent conviction review body with the authority and resources to investigate wrongful convictions, excessive sentences, and cases involving prosecutorial or judicial misconduct.
  8. Abolish Forced Prison Labor
    End uncompensated and coerced prison labor by guaranteeing fair wages, voluntary participation, safe working conditions, and basic labor protections for incarcerated workers.
  9. Strengthening Families Act (Including Conjugal Visits)
    Implement policies that protect and strengthen family bonds, including conjugal and overnight family visits, expanded contact visitation, increased access to phone and video communication, and parenting and family-support programs.

STATEMENT FROM FAM
“For decades, incarcerated men and women in Alabama have lived in conditions that violate human rights, constitutional protections, and basic dignity. With the undeniable evidence now in the open, we are left with no alternative but to demand justice through collective, peaceful action. This shutdown is not an act of hostility — it is an act of survival, truth, and human rights.”
Bennu Hannibal Ra-Sun
Kinetic Justice Amun
CALL TO ACTION
We call upon:

  • Civil rights and justice organizations
  • Faith-based institutions
  • National human rights observers
  • State and federal officials

Families, supporters, and the public to stand in solidarity and demand immediate reform of Alabama’s prison system.

PRESS CONTACT

  • Free Alabama Movement (FAM)
  • Email: freealabamamovement@gmail.com
    #StatewideShutdownADOC2026

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Featured Track:

Michael DeForge on Art and Organizing + Xinacthli Medical Emergency

Michael DeForge

"Michael DeForge on Art and Organizing | TFSR 12-14-25" and a screenshot page of 4 black and white comic panels featuring bolt cutters cutting a fence ("We performed our little rituals around security"), masks reflected in windows ("the masks were one of them, 'skeletons' idea. we'd go on not knowing each others faces"), building in the dark with broken windows and masks hovering ("at the debrief later that night, I'd start an argument"), masked people walking ("I wouldn't participate in the argument, I'd instead set two other members off against each other, I'd instigate in a way that wasn't obvious")
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This week we’re sharing Ian’s talk with cartoonist Michael DeForge about the intersection of organizing and art. The conversation touches on Michael’s recent organizing efforts in solidarity with Mskwaasin Agnew, who was among those detained by Israel as part of the Flotilla to bring aid to Gaza. They also discuss the good and bad of instructive political stories and Michael shares details about his upcoming collection from Drawn and Quarterly, scheduled for release in early 2026.

Xinachtli

But first we’re sharing an interview that Outlaw Podcast did with Jazz from the support crew for Xinachtli. Xinachtli is a Chicano anarchist who’s been serving a 50 year sentence since 1996 for aggravated assault, and now, nearly 30 years into his sentence (22 of which have been in solitary confinement according to his support website) is suffering accumulated health issues. During a collapse of his health, he was moved to the infirmary but he’s been denied any treatment, diagnosis or access to his medical care. While in infirmary, he had personal items from his cell  thrown away, including his commissary card The demands for Xinachtli are simple and you can find the numbers and links in our show notes:

  1. Call to put pressure for his demands on TDCJ and McCConnell unit.

  2. We are asking organizations to sign our demand letter to TDCJ. Link can be found in our bio or tinyurl.com/xsupportletter

  3. Join us on December 13 to protest in Austin, Texas.

  4. Donate to the campaign to support legal expenses.

WHAT YOU CAN DO NO. 1: PHONE AND EMAIL BLAST

  • Call the McConnell Unit to demand they give X access to commissary and his medical records IMMEDIATELY. McConnell Unit: (361) 362-2300
  • Call TDCJ Health Services to demand X receive his medical records and is transfered to a hospital for treatment IMMEDIATELY.
    TDCJ Health Services: (936) 437-4271
  • Call or email TDCJ State Classification Committee to demand they reclassify X so he can be transferred to a medical facility.
    TDCJ SCC: (936) 437-6231
    classify@tdcj.texas.gov

Phone blast signup: https://bit.ly/xphoneblast

If you’re on instagram, you can learn more about Xinacthli’s condition and how to get involved via his site @FreeXinacthliNow and if you can hear our conversation from 2024 with Xinacthli or a recording of him speaking about his arrest from 2010.

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Featured Track:

  • Slip by Autechre from Amber

Continue reading Michael DeForge on Art and Organizing + Xinacthli Medical Emergency

Prisoner Support Panel Discussion

line drawing of prison overgrown by nature with the owrds "TFSR 8-24-25 | Prisoner Support Panel"
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As we enter into the 2025 Week of Solidarity with Anarchist Prisoners, we’re sharing a discussion with three anarchists doing prisoner support in different national contexts, prompted by topics brought by the guests. You’ll hear first from Moshe of ABC Belarus, then Nicole of the Solidarity Apothecary and finally from Anya of Solidarity Zone speak on topics such as service work in solidarity, gendered dynamics of care work, difficulties in organizing ongoing and longterm anti-repression work from within exile and diaspora communities, burnout and self-care.

ABC Belarus and Solidarity Apothecary are members of the new federation, Solifdarity.International that we spoke about in our August 10th, 2025 episode.

. … . ..

Featured Track:

  • The Sticks by The Budos Band from The Burnt Offering

Continue reading Prisoner Support Panel Discussion

2020 Uprising Prisoner Malik Muhammad Speaks from Snake River DC in Oregon

two sketches of Malik Muhammad (one from in front, the other in profile) plus "TFSR 8-17-25 | 2020 Uprising Prisoner Malik Muhammad Speaks from Snake River DC in Oregon"
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This week, we’re sharing a recent interview with anarchist prisoner Malik Muhammad. Malik is 3 years into a 10 year concurrent federal and Oregon sentence for alleged use of molotov cocktails during the 2020 uprising and is currently incarcerated at the Snake River Detention Facility, in the hole.

We speak about Malik’s politicization, their case, realities and organizing in the Oregon prison system, keeping connections with the outside, Malik’s writing and inspiration. You can find more about their case and at malikspeaks.noblogs.org and you can find their support’s mastodon at https://kolektiva.social/@malikspeaks .

You can write Malik via:
Malik Muhammad #23935744
Snake River Correctional Institution
777 Stanton Blvd
Ontario, OR 97914-8335

Continue reading 2020 Uprising Prisoner Malik Muhammad Speaks from Snake River DC in Oregon

Solidarity Collectives: 3 years into the Full-scale Russian Invasion in Ukraine

SolCol Collage featuring a man leaning on the hood of a car with drone equipment next to him, a cat sitting on a lamp, an FPV operator with a flare under their tripod, a masked & uniformed soldier, someone taking a photo of a large stone statue and "TFSR 4-6-25 | Solidarity Collectives: 3 years into the Full-scale Russian Invasion in Ukraine"
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This week, we’re featuring an interview with Anton, a longtime member of Solidarity Collectives, a group that supports anti-authoritarian and anarchist activists involved in the resistance to the Russian invasion of Ukraine as well as funding mutual aid projects for civilians and domesticated animals suffering or displaced by the invasion, bolstering left libertarian social movements during wartime, making propaganda and manufacturing FPV drones as well as a few other projects.

In this ranging conversation we spoke for 2 hours covering issues of anarchists participating in military structures, the state of the armed resistance, impacts of changes in the US administration and more.

Solidarity Collective Links:

Sol Col socials:

Anton’s  work related socials:

Other Links:

Media About the 3 Internationalist Anarchists Who Fell April 19, 2023:

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Featured Track:

Continue reading Solidarity Collectives: 3 years into the Full-scale Russian Invasion in Ukraine

Prefiguring Autonomy: Student-led Social Movement in Serbia Shake The Government

"TFSR 3-23-25 | Prefiguring Autonomy: Student-Led Social Movement in Serbia Shakes The Government" featuring a photo of a night-time demonstration in a Serbian city with red flares lighting the night
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This week, we speak with Ilik and Koko, two students from Serbia, and another anarchist comrade who participated in student and other movements earlier in this century to speak about the anti-corruption protest that have rocked the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) government of president Vučić’ since the deadly collapse of a recently opened concrete train platform canopy in Novi Sad on November 1st 2024, so far killing 16 people.

Starting with student demands for transparency and accountability from the government that were answered with violence and subterfuge, the protests have grown and drawn from wider and wider portions of the public into millions taking the streets, creating autonomous assemblies and plenums rejecting the political parties. The guests speak about the growth, the reactions against it, and the possibilites they see in what has the seeds that could bring it from social movement to social revolution.

Some other reading sources (thanks Rey!)

Announcement

Fundraiser for Journalist in North Gaza

As the Zionist Entity and it’s racist uncle, the USA, resume the genocide of Gaza, there’s a fundraiser going to support Hamza M Salha, a young journalist and English student and his extended family of 40 in the north.

You can find a video from Franklin Lopez about Hamza and links to his fundraiser at the following social media posts:

You can read some of Hamza’s writings below:

Continue reading Prefiguring Autonomy: Student-led Social Movement in Serbia Shake The Government

Bodily Autonomy and Health Education In An Easy To Swallow Package (Abortion Pill Zine)

Abortion Pill Zine Cover featuring flowers and houses
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This week, we’re sharing an interview Ian conducted with cartoonists Isabella Rotman, Sage Coffey, and Marnie Galloway on the subject of the Abortion Pill Zine: A Community Guide to Misoprostol and Mifepristone out now from Silver Sprocket (and freely readable on their website). They discuss the process by which this resource was assembled, the benefits of local, focused abortion organizing, the timeliness and timelessness of the fight for safe abortion care, and the power of comics to disseminate valuable and complex information.

Links

Announcements

BAD News for February 2025

The A-Radio Network of anarchist and antiauthoritarian radios and podcasts just released the latest in their monthly series, B(A)D News: Angry Voices From Around The World for February 2025, episode 88. This one features Parias from Athens sharing an interview about resisting wind farms and green developmentalism in the Greek mountains as well as Črna luknja from Ljubljana speaking with antifascists from Budapest and Sofia about resisting Europes largest annual neo-nazi rally, the LukovMarch.

Support for Anarchists in Sudan

You can read a short publication by the Sudan Anarchist Gathering called Al-Amal in English thanks to the translation work of CNT-AIT France (or the original Arabic as well) at this blog. From the blog:

If you want to receive the next
issues, please contact us : contact@cnt-ait.info
If you want to support financially the Sudan Anarchist Gathering, you can use our paypal
https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/cntait1
(please validate “Sending ‘money to an individual’ to pay less bank charges) Send an email to contact@cnt-ait.info to inform us of the donation and also so that we can keep you informed of its use.

Continue reading Bodily Autonomy and Health Education In An Easy To Swallow Package (Abortion Pill Zine)

We Will Need Time: Two Libertarian Communist Perspectives on Events and Possibility in Syria

"TFSR 12-29-24 | We Will Need Time: Two Libertarian Communist perspectives on events and possibility in Syria"<br /> featuring a photo of two people (one with a rifle slung over their shoulder) hugging and facing away from the camera and towards a bombed-out building with graffiti reading "We Will Return" in Arabic
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In this episode, you’ll hear Cedric and Khuzama, two libertarian communists with connections to Syria and editor contributors to the blog interstices-fajawat.org , speaking about their observations of what’s been going on leading up to and through the ouster of Bashar Al-Assad, as well as complications among various factions on the ground and the view from the Syrian diaspora. The situation on the ground is changing fast.

And if you care to hear a perspective from an anarchist combatant affiliated with Tekosina Anarsist, which works with the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria affiliated with the SDF and Rojava Revolution, you can find our episode from December 22nd and the transcribed zine already online at our website.

Continue reading We Will Need Time: Two Libertarian Communist Perspectives on Events and Possibility in Syria

Peter Gelderloos on Memory, Community, Organization and Struggle

book covers of "They Will Beat the Memory Out of Us: Forcing Nonviolence on Forgetful Movements" and "Organization, Community, Continuity"
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This week, we’re airing an interview with anarchist author, Peter Gelderloos about two of his recent books They Will Beat the Memory Out of Us: Forcing Nonviolence on Forgetful Movements (Pluto Books, 2024) as well as Organization, Community, Continuity (Detritus, 2024). For this episode, we speak on movement memory, community, care work, organization and struggle.

Past interviews with Peter can be found here and his collaboration with Sub.Media is here.

Continue reading Peter Gelderloos on Memory, Community, Organization and Struggle

Out-Organizing Antisemitism with Ben Lorber and Shane Burley

book cover of "Safety Through Solidarity" with a star of david made of interlocking hands
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A recent conversation we had with the Ben Lorber and Shane Burley, co-authors of the recently published book, Safety Through Solidarity: A Radical Guide to Fighting Antisemitism. For the hour we discuss the roots of antisemitism in the West, pushing back on Zionism in the midst of the genocidal war on Palestinians, a rebirth of Bundism and addressing antisemitism in left spaces. I definitely recommend this book to folks and hope you enjoy the chat! And as always, thanks for supporting this project.

If you’re a non-Pacifica station looking for this weeks 58 minute radio show, you can find it here. We’re hoping Archive.Org will be back online and allow us to upload files there soon.

Past interviews with Shane:

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Featured Track:

Continue reading Out-Organizing Antisemitism with Ben Lorber and Shane Burley