We'd love to extend a loving thank you to the folks who attended and put on the benefit for The Final Straw last night at the Odditorium including the staff of that place, Ashley for putting the show together, the bands (being Asherah, Autarch, Desperate Measures and Lacrymosa), AshevilleFM staff who tabled, Asheville Anti-Racism and the lovely faces who attended. The show was a smash-bang success!
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For the majority of this show, we spoke with Sascha and Igor who live in Prague about Operation Fenix, which began in April 2015 when the police of the Czech Republic commenced an operation against the anarchist, anti-authoritarian and animal liberation movement. During the course of this wave of repression, there were a number of house raids during which equipment was confiscated, and it has since come to light that agent provocateurs were used heavily in the arrests which took place. In this interview, we talk about how anarchists in Prague are handling this scrutiny, as well as ways to combat divide and conquer tactics used by cops, how the media is weaponized against anarchists, and what someone might do about these things.
For more information on this and for sending support, visit http://antifenix.noblogs.org/
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We also present an update on the land occupation near the town of Notre Dame des Landres in France called la ZAD, which is a long running resistance against the building of an airport which would devastate the ecology of the area, destroy farmland, and evict many long term residents. This is specifically an update on the State of Emergency which has been declared and the call to action being requested. Included in the show is a statement read for us by a comrade in Asheville.
More on the ZAD at http://zad.nadir.org
You can find the text of this portion in the transcript area of this r4a post.
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But first, here is an announcement from the North American ABC network:
In February 2017, political prisoner Zolo Azania will finally be released from prison. He will have served 35 years, 27 were on death row. During his final year inside, Zolo wants to participate in the Indiana Dept. of Corrections (IDOC) Work Release Program.
As Zolo says: âI want to be moved into some type of viable program so that I can gain additional life skills in preparation for my re-entry into the community.â
The IDOC should grant Work Release to Zolo based on the person he is today, his record of good behavior, his re-entry needs, and Indianaâs commitment to rehabilitation. However, the IDOC has denied Work Release for Zolo, apparently based on the fact that he was convicted of murder-- 34 years ago.The IDOC's denial of access to Work Release for Zolo is unfair and unwarranted!
PLEASE CALL, EMAIL OR WRITE TO COMMISSIONER BRUCE LEMMON, INDIANA
DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS AND SAY:
(1) Offer Zolo the kind of re-entry plan he deserves: Work Release (WR)
(2) After 34 years Zolo needs WR to gain skills and money necessary for re-entry
(3) Zolo is a model prisoner and has shown a commitment to better himself
(4) Evaluate Zolo based on who he is today, not on his 34-year old conviction
COMMISSIONER BRUCE LEMMON
Phone: 317.232.5711
Address: 302 West Washington Street, Room E-334
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204
Email: blemmon@idoc.in.gov
To find more information about this issue, and for access to a sample letter to send to Commissioner Bruce Lemmon, you can visit http://www.zoloazania.org and if you like you can call the number 773.425.6716 to contact supporters.
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The following is an excerpt from an article entitled
*Last member of 'Nato 3' may die in prison from Huntington's Disease*
by Kevin Gosztola
Shadowproof
Jared Chase is the last member of the âNATO 3,â who remains in prison. Chase suffers from Huntingtonâs disease and faces additional charges for an alleged aggravated battery against a prison guard. He is set to go on trial in April. If convicted, there is a significant chance Chase could die in prison because of how his imprisonment has compounded the effects of this neurodegenerative disease.
In May 2012, Chicago hosted a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) meeting to discuss policies in the Afghanistan War. A number of activists traveled to the city to protest NATO, including Chase, Brian Jacob Church and Brent Betterly. They became known as the âNATO 3â after they were targeted by undercover Chicago police and arrested on May 16. The state of Illinois accused the âNATO 3â of making explosives.
The Illinois Stateâs Attorney Office quickly labeled the young men âterroristsâ in a criminal complaint and charged them with state terrorism offenses. On February 7, 2014, after a lengthy trial in which the key role of undercover cops became even more apparent, a jury acquitted the âNATO 3â of all terrorism charges. But they were found guilty of arson-related offenses and âmob actionâ charges.
In April 2014, a judge sentenced Church to five years in prison, Betterly to six years, and Chase to eight years for arson offenses. The judge allowed prosecutors to present evidence against Chase related to the alleged aggravated battery incident involving the spraying of urine and feces on a guard, even though the state intended to pursue a separate trial.
âHeâs Dying Before My Eyesâ
Betterly, who was released from prison in April 2015, was last with Chase while they were beat up by guards during their arrival at the Stateville prisonâs receiving center. After sentencing, they were put on the same bus and moved to the prison. Guards from the Illinois Department of Corrections awaited their arrival, which resulted in a âpretty violent interaction,â according to Betterly.
During a recent pretrial hearing on December 7, 2015, Chase showed up to court with a black eye and a swollen face. Betterly said heâs lost a considerable amount of weight, perhaps fifty pounds. Supporters are terribly concerned about his health.
âHeâs dying before my eyes. Thatâs not embellishment at all,â Betterly declared. âThe charge he carries nowâit carries a minimum of three years. He wonât survive it.â
Betterly noted the prisons are not capable of taking care of diseases âthat are generally serious but treatable.â A disease like Huntingtonâs is âprobably something they donât encounter much. They completely have no idea how to care for somebody with Huntingtonâs. Theyâre not equipped to do it. Heâll die. If heâs found guilty and sentenced to even the minimum, he wonât make it. Thatâs my opinion.â
Chase is in solitary confinement at the Pontiac Correctional Center, a facility where a number of violent and/or mentally ill inmates are incarcerated.
State prosecutors allege that on October 4, 2013, Chase sprayed âhuman wasteâ on a Cook County prison guard, Officer Trevor Hapanionek. He was charged with four different charges for one alleged act.
Multiple Cook County guards testified during sentencing about the basic details of what they claim happened on October 4, but Dr. Kathleen Shannon, a neurologist who had assessed Chase, testified that his misconduct against guards was likely a result of Huntingtonâs disease.
Shannon informed the court the disease makes it difficult for a person to avoid outbursts. It makes one easily irritable and can lead to mania. On average, a person who develops the disease can die in 17 years. A person usually goes through multiple stages of disability until spending the final 8 years of their life in a nursing home or hospice care.
It is hereditary. Chaseâs dad died from the disease, and according to Shannonâs best estimate, the onset of Huntingtonâs disease began in 2008.
To read the rest of this article and find out ways to support Jared Chase and get him the medical attention he needs to save his life, check out the links at http://freethenato3.wordpress.com
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