Political Prisoners

Repression, Art, and Resistance

Brandon — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 16:43:38 -0700

Lines of Resistance: Prison Art from the Middle East
612 Markham St., April 9-17
by Brandon Gray

Dozens gathered at Beit Zatoun Gallery last Sunday to experience firsthand the stories and art of Turkish and Iranian political prisoners who have suffered horrific repression yet persevered to continue their struggle for freedom and equality.

The evening, hosted by Toronto Anarchist Black Cross, featured a screening of The Tree that Remembers, a powerful documentary film that explored the nightmare that was and is the Islamic Republic of Iran. Through bittersweet art and personal stories, we are taken from the American CIA & British MI5-orchestrated military overthrow of elected President Mossadegh through the iron grip of an imperialist puppet called the Shah, the revolutionary uprisings of 1979, followed by the bloodbath committed by the Khomeini regime in the 1980s. The film ends leaving us with the hope and reflections of life in exile here in Toronto.

Locked Up: Alex Hundert speaks

Mick — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 01:01:44 -0800

I would encourage people to read this short interview and drop Alex Hundert a letter. None of us are free unless all of us are free!

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Locked Up
Alex Hundert speaks on his case, the impunity of the state, and life on the inside

by Dawn Paley
Media Co-op

For Alex Hundert, maintaining a routine has been one of the only ways of asserting any kind of control over his life. Jailed since October 23 on politically motivated charges stemming from resistance to the G-20, Hundert has taken to reading two papers a day and writing letters to friends and other prisoners to pass the time.

On Monday, Hundert and his lawyer are challenging the Ontario Crown Attorney’s office's ability to lead the prosecution, due to their bias. I had a chance to speak with Alex by phone on Saturday afternoon, these are some of the thoughts he wanted to share.

Why Misogynists Make Great Informants

Mick — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 07:15:40 -0700

Some people may have seen this article already, which has been making its rounds on Facebook and the blogosphere, but INCITE! blog editors loved it so much that they wanted to share it and I couldn't agree with them more!

This article is particularly relevant in Ontario given the recent infiltration of various anarchist and activist groups in the province and ongoing misogynistic bullshit in our movements.

The piece was originally published in make/shift magazine’s Spring/Summer 2010 issue and written by Courtney Desiree Morris.

Why Misogynists Make Great Informants: How Gender Violence on the Left Enables State Violence in Radical Movements
By Courtney Desiree Morris

Media round up of Toronto 900 rallies in Canada

Linchpin — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 08:56:33 -0700

Here's an incomplete round-up of media coverage of the Solidarity rallies that have been held across Canada for the Toronto 900 and the remaining political prisoners that are still being held. We will update this blog post as more reports are sent in. Please comment below or use our contact form if you have any media reports on the solidarity rallies. Free all political prisoners now!

National coverage
Protests continue over police actions at G20 Canwest News Service

2,000 protest G20 summit arrests CBC

Solidarity with Toronto 900 protests continue across Canada Digital Journal

Sacco and Vanzetti in Ottawa: How Media and Police are Politicizing the RBC Arson Case

Linchpin — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 17:41:27 -0700

As Canada is reeling from the police repression of the G20 protests in Toronto it's important time to remember that the first "G20" arrests took place weeks before the fence was even built with the targeting of three men in Ottawa allegedly for the arson of an RBC bank branch. While Common Cause remains critical of the arson I would encourage people to read the below article by Jesse Freeston of the Toronto Media Coop that puts the arrests in a historical context of anti-anarchist repression.

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Sacco and Vanzetti in Ottawa: How Media and Police are Politicizing the RBC Arson Case
June 23, 2010
by Jesse Freeston

Sacco and Vanzetti come to Ottawa

Statement From SOAR in Defence of Our Comrades

Linchpin — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 16:33:02 -0700

While there are differences on questions of politics, strategy and tactics between Common Cause and SOAR, we stand in full defence all political prisoners and strongly denounce the state's campaign to criminalize anarchists and long-time community organizers. We have participated in and helped organize solidarity demonstrations in cities across Ontario and called for national mobilizations to free all political prisoners. In addition, we continue to work in the community and labour movements to build solidarity for those still under arrest. That's why we are publishing SOAR's statement on the arrest and imprisonment of their activists below.

STATEMENT FROM THE SOUTHERN ONTARIO ANARCHIST RESISTANCE IN DEFENCE OF OUR COMRADES

Toronto Community Mobilization Network Call for immediate support and solidarity

Linchpin — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 09:35:26 -0700

July 1, 2010

From June 25-27, elites from the world’s most powerful economies met in Huntsville and Toronto to draft policies to further exploit the environment and people, bolstering the systems that sustain colonialism, wars and displacement.

With global attention on Toronto, tens of thousands of people mobilized in a historic week-long convergence in opposition to these policies. Daily demonstrations highlighted struggles for Indigenous sovereignty; environmental justice; migrant justice; an end to war and occupation; community control over resources; gender justice; and queer and disAbility rights.

Also unprecedented was the over $1.2 billion spent on security, the most in G20 summit history, which paid for a dizzying array of weaponry and nearly 20,000 police—plus a security fence that turned Toronto into a fortress to host a select few and a police state to terrorize the rest of us.

G20 Arrests and Organizing for Freedom

Mick — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 23:10:44 -0700

There's a lot of really horrific testimonials coming out about the brutal police repression that activists and the public in Toronto experienced during the G20 weekend. By far the best source is the Toronto media co-op.

That said, I think the article "G20 Arrests and Organizing for Freedom" by Vancouver-based organizer Harsha Walia on her arrest and strategies to resist repression hits all the nails squarely on the head.

Harsha Walia wrote:

4strugglemag issue 15 now online

Mick — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 18:18:26 -0800

Here's the latest announcement from the Toronto Anarchist Black Cross Federation and thier steller publication 4strugglemag.

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Hi all,

Check out issue 15 of 4strugglemag

We've launched a new website that will make it easier for you to read and share articles.

Please see below for a message from editor and political prisoner Jaan Laaman, asking for your support in our efforts to send hundreds of free copies to our prison subscribers each issue.

Thanks for your continued support of 4strugglemag - an important voice for prisoners across the continent.

Toronto ABCF
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Issue 15 – International Women’s Day, Revolutionary & Prison Struggle, Book Reviews, Sri Lanka and National Liberation, Political Prisoner Updates