Category Archives: Prisons

FBI raids of Almighty Latin Kings + Queens Nation of NC (12/11/2011)

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from http://www.ashevillefm.org/the-final-straw/12/2011/fbi-raids-of-almighty-latin-kings-queens-nation-of-nc

This weeks interview is with Sara Lee of the Greensboro support group for Almighty Latin Kings and Queens Nation in North Carolina. During the hour, Sara Lee talks about the history of the ALKQ Nation and it’s development in North Carolina, including being fundamental to the drawing together of Crips, Bloods, MS13 and community and faith groups in Greensboro in 2008 to draft a gang truce and common statement of the necessity for organizations of all stripes to focus on community enrichment and safety. On Tuesday of last week (December 6th) at 8AM, an elite FBI SWAT team, the ATF & the Greensboro-FBI committed synchronized and violent raids on houses and families allegedly aligned with the ALKQ Nation here in NC, rounding up 13 people and harassing their families for 3 to 4 hours.

Anarchists, like Sara Lee, are calling for support for the ALKQN defendants who they’ve worked with on anti-prison struggles here in state.

The defense network is made up of family, friends, allies and anarchist comrades. The arrested current and former members of the ALKQN organization in state are being indicted by a Federal Grand Jury on Racketeering and RICO charges.

More information on the case (as well as a link for donations for legal costs) can be found at http://alkqnsupport.com/

There will be a Noise Protest at the Detention hearings in support of the defendants on Tuesday, December 13th @ 10AM & 2:30PM outside of the L. Preyer Federal Courthouse at 324 West Market St in downtown Greensboro.

Support CeCe McDonald

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This week’s show features a conversation with Katie Burgess of the Trans Youth Support Network about the case of CeCe McDonald. Chrishaun âCeCeâ McDonald is a young African American transgender woman who is charged with two counts of âsecond degree murderâ after an incident that began when she was violently assaulted because of her gender and race. We’ll talk about some of the realities of how gender and race are dealt with by police and prisons and critiques of the effectiveness of Hate Crimes legislation.

There are 3 upcoming days of action around the case: 11am on 11/21/11 in Minneapolis, a day of call-ins/faxes/emails on 11/22/11, and court solidarity on 12/05/11.

Tranzmission Prison Project + CA Prisoner Hungerstrikes Resume

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from AFM

Today’s show featured an interview with with Bender, a volunteer with Tranzmission Prison Project. From their facebook, “The Tranzmission Prison Project is an Asheville, NC based group which offers support for queer, trans, and gender non-conforming people who are incarcerated. This support comes in the form of providing people with books, zines, resource lists and penpals.” We talk about the group, Prison Abolition and how to get people involved. Contact them at tranzmissionprisonproject@gmail.com

But, first, we talk a bit about Occupy Asheville and the resumption of hunger strikes by prisoners in CA. Prisoners there are claiming that the state officials have not implemented any of the rights demanded by hunger strikers in July. AND the CDCR (California Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation) has stated that it will be punishing hunger strikers as if they were rioters. Please support their cause, starting by visiting Prisoner Hunger Strike Solidarity to keep up on news.

Police Abolition: An interview with Kristian Williams

Today’s show features an interview with the Portland-based author and activist, Kristian Williams. Williams speaks on his first book, Our Enemies in Blue: A History of Policing in America), on recent articles about community policing and the counterinsurgency training shared between the U.S. military and domestic law enforcement agencies and the growing movement calling for the abolition of police in the United States, and the Pacific Northwest in particular). The show will air at 1pm EST at www.ashevillefm.org and be archived for a week at www.ashevillefm.org/the-final-straw .


Check out www.kristianwilliams.com for more information on the interviewee

The Mount Hope Infinity

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In November of 2008, 13 identified individuals entered a mega-church in Lansing, MI, known for it’s active anti-gay stance and organizing. These 13, deemed the Mount Hope Infinity as the number of Jane and John Does (20) kept growing in the civil law suit that followed, threw leaflets telling the congregation (particularly the youth) that it’s ok not to be straight, kissed at the pulpit and chanted slogans. A two and a half year civil suit was subsequently brought by the Alliance Defense Fund (a legal group devoted to the end of persecution to Christians) under the auspices of the “Freedom of Access to Clinical Entrances Act” (a law passed to stop people from blocking access to clinics that offer abortions). This week’s hour is a discussion with one defendant about the case, the events and the aftermath.

Bash Back! communique on Mount Hope: http://www.myspace.com/bashbacklansing/blog/448202823

The Mount Hope Infinity website: https://themounthopeinfinity.wordpress.com/

Eric McDavid, Marius Mason and June 11th Day of Solidarity (June 10, 2011)

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In recognition of June 11th as a Day of Solidarity with Long Term Anarchist Prisoners, this week’s The Final Straw (now 1-2pm EST on Fridays) will present the second of two shows on the Green Scare. I’ve interviewed supporters of Marius Mason and Eric McDavid, both victims of the Green Scare serving 20 year sentences and, also, Anarchists.

The first was an interview with Will Potter, author of Green is the New Red and is archived on archive.org

This week we’re speaking with Jesse, a Midwest organizer of June 11th Solidarity about the history of June 11th and the importance of being out here for the folks in there. We’ll also be speaking with Sarah on Marius Mason’s struggle as well as with Jennie from Sacramento Prisoner Support, which handles the case of Eric McDavid. Both Marius and David are anarchists facing around 20 years each for crimes that either: a.) didn’t harm anyone; b.) didn’t ever happen (Eric was convicted of conspiracy despite lacking intent). Both cases involve snitches cooperating with the law enforcement. Both cases concern people taking action (or thinking about it) to defend the earth.

For more info check out the following pages:

http://june11.org
http://supportmariusmason.org
http://www.supporteric.org