Jack is being held in Fulton County Jail on chargse related to the Stop Cop City and Defend the Forest movement. Please write to him to let him know he is loved and supported! Please remember to address envelopes to ‘John’ but you can refer to him as Jack inside the letters.
Jack loves rock climbing, history, Pilates with Nicole, Buddhism, poetry, vegan prison recipes, hip hop, straight edge, punk, carpentry/diy construction, sewing, he wants to hear anecdotes that felt special to you from just everyday things. You could write about a sunset or a wholesome gathering or a way a song made you feel.
His birthday is coming up on March 1! Let us celebrate him!
Early on January 27th, comrades gathered to honor Tortugita by wheat-pasting posters on the building and gluing the card reader outside the bank shut (although the tap function remained available, for anyone who was wondering). A belated day of the Forest Defender, may the pigs never expect us when we are always late. Viva Tortugita, may Bank of America stop funding ATL or cumble, and long live the struggle.
Bank of America branch locked in response to BOA funding: Mountain Valley Pipeline, Cop City linked to Tortuguita’s murder, and the genocide of Palestinians in Gaza.
Chicago, Illinois — A Bank of America branch was locked and windows wheatepasted with flyers containing links to the bank’s abhorrent acts of cruelty. People are calling on BOA to drop its funding of the Mountain Valley Pipeline, a 303-mile pipeline described as “a scar across Appalachia.” The MVP will supply fuel to the Radford Army Ammunition Plant. RAAP is operated by BAE systems, which supplies the Israeli government with weapons used to murder Palestinians. BOA also funds Cop City, the 85-acre militarized police training compound that the Atlanta Police Foundation is attempting to build in Atlanta, GA. Construction for Cop City desecrates and bulldozes the Weelaunee Forest, the largest urban forest in the United States, dubbed one of the lungs of Atlanta.
“While I do not live in Appalachia, as a descendant of Appalachian migrants, the destruction of mountains, communities and ecosystems in Appalachia for the purpose of supplying fuel to an ammunition plant that supplies the Israeli Occupation Forces with weapons used to kill the indigenous people of Palestine enrages and disgusts me. The struggles of ordinary people across the world are interconnected, and Bank of America funds so many causes of environmental destruction and human suffering and death.” an anonymous Midwesterner said.
This action was taken in solidarity with Appalachian’s Against Pipelines, a direct action campaign of pipeline fighters opposing MVP construction on the ground. Block every path! No pipelines through Appalachia, or anywhere! Solidarity forever! Stop Cop City and Free Palestine!
P.S. IMPORTANT ADDITION:
Some of the flyers used in this action state “SHUT ELBIT DOWN!” This is due to Bank of America’s documented financing of a $500 million dollar loan to Elbit Systems, an Israeli weapons manufacturer. Elbit Systems Ltd. has been the centerpiece target for the direct action campaign led by Palestine Action, which has produced hard hitting actions that have included lots of red paint, smashed up offices, and other creative tactics. Palestine Action’s bold attacks have resulted in some very clear successes in England, where they have forced Elbit to shut down two of their facilities through these sustained direct actions.
The bank BNY Mellon has recently been identified by the U.S. offshoot of Pal. Action as a target and has seen some similar clever tactics deployed against it in recent months. However, BNY Mellon offices are often tucked away in suites or skyscrapers. It can be more difficult, by design, to interrupt their business of death dealing and capitalist $$$ swapping. Bank of America, on the other hand, perpetuates its business in much more accessible locations and exists almost everywhere: in small towns and cities, in skyscrapers and surrounded by the cul-de-sacs of suburban sprawl. One can easily imagine BOA as a supplemental target to BNY Mellon because of its similar financing of Palestinian genocide through Elbit. One can also easily imagine actions like this one, or with other tactics in play, could be taken at BOA branches all over Turtle Island.
QR code on the wheatpasted flyers leads to this link for more info:
The Weelaunee Defense Society Chicago Chapter invites you to join in Chicago’s first commemoration of the Day of the Forest Defender. We will have a candelight vigil at sunset at Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary to remember the life of beloved Forest Defender Tortuguita by marking the one year anniversary since their tragic murder at the hands of the Georgia State Patrol, Atlanta Police Department, and the Atlanta Police Foundation. Free Hot Cocoa and Hot Tea will be provided. Feel free to come with words, poetry or prayers to share. Viva Tortuguita.
Driving: There should be ample paid parking for a few dollars an hour on Montrose Harbor Drive. Public transit: The following public bus & train routes serve this beach: CTA Bus Routes: 78 Montrose 81 Lawrence 151 Sheridan CTA Red Line Station: Lawrence & Wilson
January 18 4:00 PM – 5:30 PM Montrose Point Bird Sanctuary 345 W Montrose Harbor Dr Chicago IL 60640
