Fight Fascism with Abolition
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Dear Community,

The attack by Trump supporters on the capitol building in Washington DC on Wednesday reveals, once again, the relationship between white supremacy and policing, and the need to defund and ultimately abolish policing. Many have rightly pointed out what has been obvious to communities of color for decades upon decades: had the protesters been Black, Indigenous, or people of color, the police would have immediately cracked down with highly militarized force, as we’ve seen with Black Lives Matter demonstrations, Indigenous land protectors at Standing Rock, protests against immigrant detention, and in historical attempts at revolutionary armed struggle like that of the Puerto Rican independence movement in the 1950's which resulted in life-sentences for four Puerto Rican nationalists. Yet with Wednesday’s actions, unsurprisingly, police both passively allowed white supremacists to have their way, while in some cases actively aiding them in their protest.

Puerto Rican nationalists Irvin Flores Rodriguez, Rafael Cancel Miranda, Lolita Lebron, and Andres Figueroa Cordero, standing in a police lineup following their arrest after their action in the U.S. Capitol, March 1, 1954 (Source: NPR ([link removed]) )

Among many lessons from Wednesday’s actions, one stands out in our current climate of police reforms. The world watched as police showed restraint (and complicity), even as the far-right demonstration escalated. We know that the typical response to extraordinary instances of violence is to funnel more money toward policing, surveillance and imprisonment in the name of "restoring order." Joe Biden is already speaking about the need to target "domestic terrorism," while keeping the how of this vague. Anyone familiar with the impacts of the "war on terror" as well as Biden's history with policing is alarmed by this.

Whether the call comes from Republicans or Democrats, we know that it is our communities who are the targets of escalations of policing, surveillance and political repression. We must remain steadfast in the coming period and not bow to fear-mongering and pushes for expansion and strengthening of the prison industrial complex (PIC). Police do not need more resources, training, or reforms to be taught nonviolent tactics and de-escalation. As proven Wednesday, they are clearly capable of these things, as long as the people on the other side of their guns and batons aren’t challenging the status quo of white supremacy and racial capitalism.

As we anticipate more upheaval this year, our collective work to abolish policing and the rest of the PIC is ever more crucial toward the health and well being of all our communities. While some may view this week's events as a climax to Trumpism, the right-wing's actions at the capitol are a clear continued effort at laying a foundation for white supremacy to thrive. Rather than responding with a crisis mindset or as if these actions are in some exceptional, abolitionists and the general left must investigate the foundation we are building in this moment: how are we using this moment to strengthen and galvanize our movement for liberation and self-determination in ways that will grow and fortify our resistance for years--even decades--to come? Let's start by continuing to gather and circulate our resources and further development our resistance. Check out Critical Resistance's toolkit for developing campaigns to abolish policing here
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We must acknowledge that Wednesday's actions happened at the same time COVID-19 surges through jails, prisons and detention centers, as over 300,000 prisoners in state and federal prisons have tested positive for the virus, and over 2,000 prisoners have already died, according to The Marshall Project. ([link removed]) As the wildfire that is COVID-19 behind bars scours more and more institutions, we must double down on efforts to free prisoners, our people are who caged in the most severe conditions of repression. Check out some of the calls in California, Alabama and New York mentioned below to take action.

In Struggle,
Critical Resistance
What's the Call? FREE THEM ALL!

Several of our allied organizations have been working tirelessly to support prisoners resist the conditions of imprisonment and in some cases be released due to COVID-19.

Take action and support prisoners!

* Prisoners in Alabama are on strike! The Free Alabama Movement, founded and operated by imprisoned Black men, has sought to expose the Alabama department of corrections, calling for a statewide prison work strike on all prison labor and #30EconomicBlackOut, boycotting a list of companies that exploit prisoner labor. Support them by sharing & using this toolkit: bit.ly/FAMBlackout. ([link removed]) And check out more on their work here ([link removed] ) .


* CA Coalition for Women Prisoners (CCWP) ([link removed]) is coordinating solidarity efforts for prisoners in Chowchilla— where a massive COVID-19 surge took place in recent weeks. Make some calls and send some emails to demand prisoners are given the supplies and access to their basic needs and rights.Use this toolkit here: bit.ly/CCWF-Action ([link removed])


* The #StopCDCROutbreak Coalition is coordinating a push for the CA department of corrections (CDCR) to stop transfers of prisoners, which has caused CA’s COVID-19 outbreak inside. Sign the petition here: change.org/StopTheTransfers ([link removed]) and check out the toolkit to take action: Bit.ly/StopCDCROutbreak


* Release Aging People in Prisons (RAPP) ([link removed]) in New York is organizing petitions and phone / email zaps to New York officials to pass legislation and grant clemencies to release elderly prisoners.

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Mural by Leslie “Dime” Lopez at 4400 Telegraph Ave, Oakland, CA, 2019.
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