Jerry’s Mailing Address

If folks want to drop anarchist Grand Jury resister Jerry (Gerald) Koch a line of solidarity, love, and support, the BOP lists his address as:

Gerald Koch
68631-054
MDC Brooklyn
PO Box 329002
Brooklyn, NY 11232

New York: Anarchist Gerald Koch imprisoned for refusal to cooperate with Grand Jury

From Jerry Resists:

Jerry was taken into custody of US marshals today at 4:18 PM. Throughout his hearing, he did not answer any questions; he remained silent the entire time.

About sixty people showed in support of Jerry. The court room was packed, and he knew as he was taken by the marshals that we support and love him. The crowd yelled out their support for him as he was escorted out of the room.

Jerry asked that we release this statement to his supporters after his incarceration:

By the time you read this, I will be in the custody of the United States government for continuing my refusal to cooperate with a federal grand jury. This is the right thing to do.

I continue to believe that the government is using this federal grand jury in an abusive manner to force me to divulge information about my political associations and social networks.

If we mean what we say when we talk about radical politics, then we do not participate in witch hunts, inquisitions, or the assembly of black lists. As an individual, I will not lend legitimacy to government brutality and intimidation; I will not be used. As an anarchist, I will summon the courage to be stronger than the forces of the State’s all-too-real repression; I will not break.

Your show of truly powerful support has done nothing but strengthen my resolve in refusing to cooperate. We must not let ourselves be isolated by the government’s heavy-handed tactics. We must not give the state that last inch it tries to break in every one of us.

With Love, with Dignity, in Solidarity

Jerry Koch

If you haven’t already, please sign up for a recurring donation so that we can ensure that Jerry has immediate access to his commissary and will be able to be in touch with his loved ones. You can sign up and make donations at Jerry’s support site at jerryresists.net

Chicago: Undercover police officer from NATO 5 case still attempting to infiltrate local social movements

From Truthout:

On March 27, Chicago teachers and their supporters – including parents, students and community residents – rallied against the largest mass public school closure in US history. News of the mobilization sparked huge public interest before the demonstration – including from an undercover police officer calling himself “Danny Edwards.”

The day before the big rally, “Danny” reached out in individual emails to fellow volunteer street medics he had met a year earlier after he took a 20-hour training with Chicago’s local street medic collective, Chicago Action Medical (CAM). CAM’s volunteer emergency medical technicians (EMTs), nurses, doctors and trained street medics provide emergency medical treatment at local protests.

“Danny” – who admitted to us on May 6 that he is, in fact, a Chicago police officer – could have saved himself the trouble and his department the expense. After all, organizers had already coordinated directly with top CPD brass about their plans for the next day and widely promoted their intent to stage nonviolent civil disobedience.

After the CTU rally, “Danny” also tried to recruit at least one CAM volunteer street medic via email on April 30, the day before a May 1, 2013, immigrants’ rights march, to pair up with him as a partner. There were no takers, so he showed up alone at the rally sporting marked medic regalia.

His latest undercover sortie as a fake volunteer street medic bookends a hectic year for him.

Full story

New York City: Gerald Koch’s contempt hearing tomorrow (Tuesday May 21st)

From Jerry Resists:

Jerry’s contempt hearing is tomorrow, May 21st at 3:45 PM on the 20th floor of 500 Pearl Street.

We expect that he will be taken into custody by U.S. marshals tomorrow.

Because the hearing is public, we will be able to be in the courtroom with Jerry. Bring a photo ID if you will be going into the court house. No electronics are allowed and will be checked with security.

We suggest folks arrive 45 minutes to an hour early: security takes a while, and we want to show Jerry–and the feds–that we support him, and all grand jury resisters.

Bring banners or flyers. Spread this widely.

Resist state repression! Support Jerry! Support all political prisoners!

Sunday May 19: Denver Emergency Community Meeting in Solidarity with Assata Shakur

Emergency Community Meeting in Solidarity with Assata Shakur
Sunday May 19th 3pm
27 Social Centre (2727 W. 27th Ave, Denver)

On May 2nd, the FBI named Assata Shakur (fsn Joanne Deborah Chesimard), one of “America’s Most Wanted Terrorists”. Her addition to this listing has show an evolution in the DOJ’s longtime war on black liberation.

We are calling on all people of conscience, all liberationists, radicals, revolutionaries, any other concerned folks to meet on May 19, Malcolm X’s birthday and strategize how we as a community may aid in the struggle to keep Assata free.

Assata is a former Black Panther and member of the Black Liberation Army (BLA). Throughout the 1970′s and into the 1980′s, the BLA was an active clandestine organization seeking to attack capitalism, white supremacy, and imperialism.

In May 1973, Shakur was involved in a shootout on the New Jersey Turnpike, during which New Jersey State Trooper Werner Foerster and BLA member Zayd Malik Shakur were killed and Shakur and Trooper James Harper were wounded.

Between 1973 and 1977, Shakur was indicted in relation to six other alleged criminal incidents—charged with murder, attempted murder, armed robbery, bank robbery, and kidnapping—resulting in three acquittals and three dismissals. In 1977, she was convicted of the first-degree murder of Foerster and of seven other felonies related to the shootout.

Shakur was incarcerated in several prisons in the 70s. She escaped from prison in 1979 and has been living in Cuba in political asylum since 1984. Since May 2, 2005, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has classified her as a domestic terrorist and offered a $1 million reward for assistance in her capture. On May 2, 2013, the FBI added her to the Most Wanted Terrorist list and increased the reward for her capture to $2 million. Attempts to extradite her have proved less than fruitful for the U.S. government and FBI, and to this day, Assata lives in freedom in Cuba.

Mother’s Day: Remembering the MOVE firebombing of 1985

On Mother’s Day 1985, Phildelphia police firebombed a row house on Osage Avenue, killing 6 adults and 5 children, completely destroying 61 houses, and making 250 residents refugees in their own city.

The intended goal of the police action was to remove the MOVE Organization, an anti-capitalist and deep ecology based movement mostly comprised of veterans of black liberation movements. MOVE had been a thorn in the side of city officials and the local ruling class for a decade. In 1978, a raid that resulted in the death of a police officer and the arrest and life imprisonment of 9 MOVE members, failed to destroy MOVE. By 1985, the city had made a decision that they would not fail again at liquidating the organization.

This Mother’s Day, remember those who were murdered by the Philadelphia Police in 1985, and drop a letter of love and support to the imprisoned members of MOVE who could only watch the news from their prison cells to learn of the fates of their loved ones.

More on the MOVE 9

June 8th: Denver J11 Solidarity Event: scott crow on Infiltration, Repression, and Political Prisoners

Saturday June 8th
27 Social Centre
2727 W. 27th Ave Unit D
Denver, CO 80211

For the last several years, June 11 (june11.org) has been commemorated as an international day of solidarity with long term anarchist prisoners, and specifically Eric McDavid (http://supporteric.org/), and Marie Mason (http://supportmariemason.org/).

This year, in solidarity with June 11th events across the world, the Denver Anarchist Black Cross will be hosting an evening event with scott crow, a long term anarchist community organizer from Austin Texas. (More on Scott below).

Dinner will be provided, as well as various educational materials. We’re also going to be encouraging some participatory after events, so, if possible, come prepared for a late night!

PLEASE NOTE! WHILE THIS EVENT IS IN SOLIDARITY WITH JUNE 11TH EVENTS, IT IS TAKING PLACE ON SATURDAY JUNE 8TH!!!!

—
scott crow is a community organizer, writer, strategist and speaker who advocates the philosophy and practices of anarchism for social, environmental, and economic aims.

He is the only son of a working class mother who started his political journey in the anti-apartheid, political prisoner and animals rights movements during the Reagan years. In the late 80s he fronted two political electronic industrial bands and through the 90s ran a successful antique/art cooperative business.

For over two decades he has continued to use his experience and ideas in co-founding and co-organizing numerous radical grassroots projects in Texas, including Treasure City Thrift, Radical Encuentro Camp, UPROAR (United People Resisting Oppression and Racism), Dirty South Earth First! and the Common Ground Collective, the largest anarchist influenced organization in modern U.S. history to date.

In addition to grassroots organizing, he has worked for regional and national organizations, including Greenpeace, Rainforest Action Network, Ruckus Society and A.C.O.R.N. With his partner, he produced the documentary film Angola 3: Black Panthers and the Last Slave Plantation. These political activities lead to him being labeled a “domestic terrorist”by the FBI beginning in the late 90’s with investigations that continued for almost a decade.

He has appeared in various media outlets including the New York Times, CNN, Democracy Now!, Texas Observer, Infoshop, Left Turn, Anarchist News, Z Magazine, Austin Chronicle, Austin American-Statesman, Pacifica Radio and AlterNet as well as the documentaries Welcome To New Orleans, Better this World, and Informant. Public Radio’s This American Life called him “a living legend among anarchists” and the New York Times characterized him as “anarchist and veteran organizer… that comes across as more amiable than combative…”.

His writings have appeared in the anthology What Lies Beneath: Katrina, Race, and the State of the Nation ( 2006 South End Press), his book Black Flags and Windmills: Hope, Anarchy and the Common Ground Collective (2011 Pm Press) as well as various radical print magazines and online sites over the last decade.

From his home in Austin scott recently worked at Ecology Action an anarchist worker-run recycling center cooperative, consults in building worker cooperatives, travels for speaking, and organizes projects. In his spare time, he and his partner bike around town, raise a barnyard of funny animals and dream of sustainable futures.