Information about June 11th - International Day of Solidarity with Long Term Anarchist Prisoners

June 11th - International Day of Solidarity with Long Term Anarchist Prisoners 

About June 11th from https://firestorm.coop/events/2733-international-day-of-solidarity-with-long-term-anarchist-prisoners.html   - “June 11th is a way of combating amnesia, of trying to sustain a long-term memory in the anarchist space. Not only does this generate support for anarchists locked in the state’s prisons, it forces us to look back at what came before. Considering what previous generations did can both inspire us with ideas we’ve forgotten, and help us understand how our current practices came to be.” - acknowledging the prison industrial complex needs to be opposed overall and support for folk not anarchists is also important.

And here’s some readings and resources:

-https://june11.noblogs.org/ for June 11 2023: “Against Oblivion, Against Despair: A Call for June 11th…

Another year passes, and another June 11th is upon us. Once again we’re appreciating all that has unfolded in anarchist struggle over this period, both triumphs and hardships, outside the prison walls, and within. We’re appreciating the beauty in fighting back, and the strength that can be fostered when we refuse to succumb to both oblivion, and despair.

 

Against oblivion: we refuse to let the state disappear rebels, to erase their sweet or sharp words from our discussions, or to remove or obfuscate their contributions to our shared struggles. Instead, we remember them. Their actions, words, laughter, potential, and humanity. We can act as conduit for each other through prison walls and among generations. They can be kept involved as our struggles shift and change, and we can keep them connected to the outside world, and too the outside connected to them. 

 

Against despair: up against the power of the state, it can feel as if nothing can be done. Despair is a very particular space to inhabit. Despair is not hopelessness, as hopelessness can be a fair assessment of circumstances. One can see and acknowledge hopelessness with a full heart and strong spirit. But despair, despair destroys courage. What is despair, but to value the knowing of suffering without acting against it. We refuse to wallow in the realm of despair, indefinitely. We refuse to let despair destroy our courage.

 

Instead, we will offer hope to one another. Not a naive or misguided hope that offers false solutions. But instead, an impassioned belief in our capacities as individuals, and capabilities together, to continue on. We can learn from people, like prisoners, who face the full power of the state in isolation and maintain their principles, their humor, their courage, and their resolve. We will act not just based on what’s possible or “strategic,” but on what we know to have value and meaning both out of care and love for each other and in an acting for our own selves, our own aliveness and spirit. Imprisoned comrades are often an incredible example of persevering in the face of hopelessness. Of coming out on the other side of it to the fierce activity of nothing to lose, and nothing worse to be feared.” 

-https://june11.noblogs.org/resources/ zines and posters etc.

-June 11: The History of a Day of Anarchist Prisoner Solidarity

Including a Chronology of Events 2004-2017 from https://crimethinc.com/2017/06/07/june-11-the-history-of-a-day-of-solidarity-strategizing-to-support-long-term-anarchist-prisoners 

-https://june11.noblogs.org/prisoners/ “Longterm Anarchist Prisoners - These are, of course, not all of the longterm anarchist prisoners, only all of those we have been in touch with, either directly or via their support crews. If you support a longterm anarchist prisoner who would like to have their situation or words featured on this page, please email us at june11th at riseup dot net.”

-https://supportmariusmason.org/ “Marius was convicted of sabotage and arson as part of the struggle against environmental destruction and all forms of domination in 2009. Marius was arrested during a period of targeted repression known as the Green Scare and is serving a 22 year sentence.”

-https://www.abcf.net/support-guide/ (also available as a pdf) Anarchist Black Cross Federation information including: INTRODUCTION: What is the ABC, the ABCF? Who are Political Prisoners? / PREPARATION / BEGINNING / CORRESPONDENCE / PHONE CONTACT / SENDING PACKAGES / VISITING PRISONERS / OTHER CONSIDERATIONS