September 15
5pm MCC Chicago
71 W Van Buren
In solidarity with political prisoners
5pm Rally & march, 5k marathon run, walk, bike, roll
7pm Bands & DJs
Via @shitcagogigs4fuckers on Instagram.
Running Down The Walls 2024
Tag: solidarity
Update 3 on Casey Goonan
Update from the Casey Support Committee
August 12, 2024
On July 23rd Casey was indicted by a federal grand jury on three charges all relating to the same incident. Two of the charges allege destruction of property by fire/explosives and carry a 5-20 year sentence each if convicted. The third charge alleges possession of an unregistered firearm and carries a maximum of 10 years (note: “firearm” here is referring to the alleged destructive device, not a gun). Casey’s lawyers have officially agreed to represent them in federal court.
Casey is back in Santa Rita in federal custody and expects to remain where they are for the time being. All the transfers and changes in custody were jarring and Casey will hopefully be able to finally settle into a routine. Alongside their already rigorous usual studies they have been pursuing their own legal self-education in preparation for their ongoing case.
In observance of Black August, Casey will be participating in FLEA days along with one other person from their pod- 24 hour fasts in commemoration of New Afrikan revolutionaries on the days they were assassinated. Here is more information about the history of Black August for those wanting to learn more!
People across the country have been putting out beautiful statements of support! These are so important as they demonstrate the incredible love people have for Casey for their years of commitment to community, solidarity, and mutual aid.
Statement of Solidarity with Casey Goonan by Stevie Wilson
Message of Support to Free Casey Goonan: Free Them All! by Hybachi LeMar of Black Autonomy Federation – Chicago
The support team has also been working on launching a crowdfunding campaign for Casey, so please stay tuned and start thinking about how to mobilize your networks or throw a fundraiser yourself! Updates will come soon. We can currently already accept large donations from individual donors in the form of checks, please reach out for more information to make this happen.
If you would like to write Casey, you can do so at:
Casey Goonan #UMF227
Santa Rita Jail
5325 Broder Blvd
Dublin, CA 94568
Casey is still excited to receive mail including updates on news and current affairs as they have been feeling cut off from the world.
As a reminder:
- Do not discuss the case. Casey is still pre-trial and receiving mail concerning their case can seriously endanger them.
- Do not valorize Casey. They are a person and a member of our community, not a symbol or martyr. Casey isn’t looking for praise, but rather to maintain correspondence.
- Do not write anything you wouldn’t want Fox News, a cop, or a judge to see. Assume that intelligence and law enforcement agencies are reading your letter.
- As you correspond with Casey, they may send requests aside from books or commissary. Please coordinate directly with Casey’s Support Committee regarding additional asks.
If you wish to help keep money on Casey’s books, there are several ways to do this:
- At the jail via the TouchPay kiosk in the lobby.
- Sending a money order in the mail. The money order must be made payable to “Casey Goonan #UMF227” and there must be no other material in the envelope. No cash or personal checks will be accepted.
- Online with a credit card via one of the vendor platforms run by GlobalTel such as accesscorrections.com or connectnetwork.com. You will have to create an account. If the platform offers different fund options, the fund you want to get Casey money for commissary is called the “Trust Fund”.
Your ongoing support is so needed and appreciated. To receive these updates by email, message cscommittee@proton.me
Stay strong! Stay tuned!
Love & Struggle from the Casey Support Committe
Message of Support to Free Casey Goonan: Free Them All!
Via Free Hybachi LeMar, audio recording available on the original post.
“Revolutionary Greetings.
My name is Hybachi LeMar and I’m a member of the Black Autonomy Federation Chicago Local Organizing Committee. I’m sending this message to support the release of scholar activist dedicated community organizer and friend Casey Goonan.
When I was houseless, he let me eat and sleep in his home. Each morning we asked each other, “What’s your positive affirmation for the day?” We take a meaningful moment before sharing a positive truth, both of us knowing it’s significance in our lives when we internalize it as an instrument of our liberation. More often than not, for the years I’ve known Casey, he’s neglecting his own needs to prioritize those of others, has led me to ask him instinctively, if he’s taken his meds yet. And I’ve lost count how many times he thanked me for reminding him before asking if I remembered to take mine too.
With barely anything in his pocket, I watched him fill a perfect stranger’s diabetic medication prescription. He’s loved, and I don’t mean by me, but by street walkers and other commoners throughout Chicago.
He’s organized fundraisers in one particular area of the city on several occasions. We’d pass out $20 bills he prefilled in envelopes, for every single houseless person on the street, or asking for change. From one corner to the next, up one gentrified block and up another, not letting him know the contents, or lingering around for thanks; often with the clenched fist of unity and a solidarity smile.
It was heartwarming to hand out gloves, masks, hygiene supplies like cases of hand sanitizer, chips, and other community needs for free, under the el train one blistering winter amidst the pandemic from a makeshift warming center he’d open each weekend. A smile on people’s faces glow from appreciation, from those of us who know him, to the newcomers asking ‘And this is for free?’ when glancing at the fold-out tables, not far from the turnstile.
“Mm-hmm! Yep! Help yourself,” Casey responds, wishing them a good day and to take care, which is substantial to folks rendered socio-economically invisible in the city.
Free, the root word in freedom, has been top priority as an agenda item for Casey from dusk til dawn every day of every year that I’ve known him.
He likes to remind everyone how special we are in this world, by showing how easy and necessary it is to care for each other, and to help a world that could certainly use it, offering a space and a table of togetherness, and free education.
As a publisher, he provides an invaluable resource for writers. With freedom inspired by billions of us, it speaks not only to our conscious, but to our collective benefit to know we’re substantially freer in this world with him inside it. We, particularly poor folk throughout the city, appreciate him.
The socio-economically engineered gentrification spiraling genocide by poverty in Chicago’s northside has been as politically protracted as an alienated southside housing he helped me leaflet. His spirit of spending his last to buy insulin for the diabetic outside the electric doors at Walgreens is the same one alive in the Holy Land 5 that sends medicine and food supplies to orphans in Palestine.
Casey Goonan is a walking model of our aspired-after ideals as Human Beings. A genuine listener, whose aura is evident in the integrity of compassion. His ideals against genocide are shared by me and each of us around the globe who envision a world released from it’s grip.
Free Casey Goonan! Free Jack Mazurek! Free the Cop City 61! Drop the charges against the Merrimack 4 and the Mountain Valley pipeline defenders! Free the Holy Land Foundation 5! Free Leonard Peltier! Free Mumia Abu-Jamal! Free Cletus C Rivera! Free them all!
In solidarity with the Columbia University Hinds Hall demonstrators and the CUNY 22.
Love and soli.”
Statement of solidarity with Casey Goonan by Stevie Wilson
Many years ago, while imprisoned at SCI-Smithfield, and struggling to keep our study groups afloat, I received an e-mesage from Casey Goonan. I had no clue whom he was. He said he reached out because he heard about the work I was doing inside and wanted to offer any assistance he could. He did, and he continued to do so. Casey has been one of the most consistent and ready allies/accomplices of imprisoned people. Whether producing zines that center imprisoned voices, mailing zines to imprisoned people at no cost, coordinating phone zaps to combat repression by prison officials, raising funds for mutual aid, building social media presence for imprisoned folx or just lending an attentive ear to the concerns of imprisoned people, Casey has been unstinting in his support of anyone, anywhere, who is being oppressed.
My friend, my comrade, my brother, is currently being held in a county jail in CA. I wish I were out there to do more for him, to manifest by love and solidarity for him. What I want everyone to know is that Casey Goonan is an amazing ally/accomplice of oppressed people everyone. In this, his time of need, he should be supported and cared for. I ask people to keep close tabs on the situation, show up for Casey and make sure that while he is inside, jail officials do not harm him or exacerbate his condition. I don’t ever claim to speak for all imprisoned people, but I feel confident in saying that thousands of imprisoned people across this land have benefited from Casey’s efforts. We ask you support our comrade and care for him.
Always,
Stevie
Via In The Belly Zine.
Update 2 on Casey Goonan
Casey Support Committee
Update 7/13/24
Thank you for your interest in supporting Casey!
Casey’s arrest and incarceration have obviously caused immense distress and disruption to Casey’s life. They have entered the belly of the beast! Yet their dedication to abolition, commitment to study, perseverance, humor and spirit continue to shine through despite their conditions.
LEGAL UPDATE
Casey’s state charges were dismissed and the case has been moved under federal jurisdiction.
One federal charge has been unsealed, a single count of arson, 18 U.S.C. 844(f)(1). If convicted, this charge alone could mean 5-20 years plus a quarter million dollar fine. We are anticipating that additional charges could follow.
Last week, Casey was moved to SF County Jail to appear in court on outstanding warrants. The transfer forced Casey to spend over 24 hours in a holding cell without access to insulin, to endure several hours long bus rides while shackled, harassment from correction officers, sleep deprivation, and inadequate access to food needed to regulate their blood sugar. These experiences were very disregulating and their mental and physical health have been fluctuating as a result.
They have just arrived back at Santa Rita/Alameda County Jail under federal custody. We anticipate that Casey will stay at Santa Rita for the foreseeable future as they await trial. We are hopeful that things will stabilize now that the recent rounds of transfers and unpredictable court appearances have settled down for the moment.
In the move to SF and back to Santa Rita, Casey lost access to the books and mail that they had been sent while previously at Santa Rita. We are intending to look into getting their belongings returned, but in the meantime they would appreciate more books, zines and printed out news articles. Any excess or duplicate literature can be shared inside.
Freeing Casey will likely be a long fight. Just as Casey has persistently for years cared for, supported, and struggled alongside incarcerated comrades, we aim to replicate these actions in solidarity with Casey as they continue their struggle from the other side of the wall.
WAYS TO SUPPORT
Write Casey
With the case now being federal, Casey has a new PFN. Their mailing address is now:
Casey Goonan #UMF227
Santa Rita Jail
5325 Broder Blvd
Dublin, CA 94568
Casey is excited to receive mail including updates on news and current affairs as they have been feeling cut off from the world.
What not to write about:
- Do not discuss the case. Casey is still pre-trial and receiving mail concerning their case can seriously endanger them.
- Do not valorize Casey. They are a person and a member of our community, not a symbol or martyr. Casey isn’t looking for praise, but rather to maintain correspondence.
- Do not write anything you wouldn’t want Fox News, a cop, or a judge to see. Assume that intelligence and law enforcement agencies are reading your letter.
- As you correspond with Casey, they may send requests aside from books or commissary. Please coordinate directly with Casey’s Support Committee regarding additional asks.
For those who have written Casey and have not heard back yet, Casey mentioned that they hadn’t received any of the mail that was sent to them at Santa Rita after June 22nd. With Casey going in and out of different jurisdictional systems, it is likely that much of their mail has been lost, ‘lost’, or returned to sender. Casey also wants people to know that the mail system is very slow so it may take a while for people to hear back from them.
Send Casey some commissary funds
Casey’s support team has made sure that they have some funds on their commissary account upon arrival back at Santa Rita.
If you wish to help keep money on Casey’s books, there are several ways to do this:
- At the jail via the TouchPay kiosk in the lobby.
- Sending a money order in the mail. The money order must be made payable to “Casey Goonan #UMF227” and there must be no other material in the envelope. No cash or personal checks will be accepted.
- Online with a credit card via one of the vendor platforms run by GlobalTel such as accesscorrections.com or connectnetwork.com. You will have to create an account. If the platform offers different fund options, the fund you want to get Casey money for commissary is called the “Trust Fund”.
Fundraising
In addition to making sure Casey has commissary funds, we are preparing to fundraise for Casey’s legal representation. Stay tuned and on call for more info on fundraising.
Casey knows they have the support of their community and appreciates everyone who has shown up in court, written letters, sent literature, and expressed care and solidarity.
This will be a long struggle, and we commit ourselves to it until Casey is free. Please join us!
To receive these updates by email, message cscommittee@proton.me
Love and Struggle,
Casey Support Committee
Update on Casey Goonan
Update via the Casey Support Committee
7/3/24
Over issues of poor basic conditions in their housing unit, Casey went on hunger strike, refusing trays and only taking liquids from June 22 to June 27. At one point, Casey went hypoglycemic and ate some gummy worms (C is diabetic.)
The strike had 4 main demands:
- A pencil sharpener so that people can consistently write letters, grievances, etc.
- An increase in water pressure so that people don’t have to put their lips to the faucet in order to drink.
- An end to weekend lockdowns, the jail predictably claiming that this is due to “staffing issues”
- Increased yard time and use of recreational equipment. (Currently the unit only receives 1 hour of yard time a week on a bare yard with no equipment, balls, etc.)
In parallel with the hunger strike, Casey filed grievances on each of these issues and circulated a petition around the unit regarding the issue of weekend lockdowns.
On the morning of June 27th a deputy met with Casey and committed to meeting the first two demands. (A working pencil sharpener and increased water pressure.)
With the meeting of these two demands, Casey agreed to end their hunger strike and ate lunch on June 27th. Casey said they intend to eat, get rest, and to study further on the policies and case law surrounding such lockdowns which already seem to violate policy and federal law. Deputies have also agreed to take up the remaining two demands with their superiors.
Casey wants everyone to know they are doing well despite their conditions. Casey appreciates all the letters and books and wants everyone to know that all mail is processed really slowly but they do intend to respond in due time.
Casey signed off with “Love and Struggle.”
♥️♥️♥️
___________
All inquiries, asks, offers, or requests to subscribe to these updates can be sent to cscommittee@proton.me
TOPPLE THE COLONIZERS- SOLIDARITY FOREVER
In celebration of May Day—International Worker’s Day—actionists defaced the McKinley monument in McKinley Park, Chicago.
William McKinley, the 25th president of the so called “United States”, was a violent colonizer who orchestrated the colonization & annexation of Hawaii in 1898, and oversaw the US takeover of Puerto Rico, Guam, the Phillippines & Cuba. McKinley, whose reign focused on expansionism, protectionism & US imperialism, was assassinated by anarchist Leon Czolgosz in 1901. Czolgosz’s final words prior to his execution by electric chair were “I killed the President because he was the enemy of the good people– the good working people. I am not sorry for my crime. I am sorry I could not see my father.”
The monument to US imperialism was covered with messages of “Topple Colonizer,” “Land Back,” “Fuck you from Hawaii, Ceasefire Now,” “Free Palestine,” “End Every Empire,” “Solidarity Forever,” “End US Imperialism” & “Leon Czolgosz we love you.” The statue from 1904 is made from the melted down bronze sculpture of Christopher Columbus—fuck McKinley, fuck Columbus, and fuck every president and settler colonial entity. We must topple and attack US occupation & violence and the monuments and institutions that glorify it. Decolonization Now, from Turtle Island to Palestine. SOLIDARITY FOREVER!
Submitted Anonymously
Attack on Army Recruitment Center: We Will Not Be Complicit in US Imperialism
On Sunday, an autonomous crew targeted and redecorated a US Army Recruitment Center in the Avondale neighborhood of so-called Chicago.
One week ago, Aaron Bushnell self-immolated outside the zionist embassy in so-called Washington DC. He follows an unnamed self-immolation outside the zionist embassy in so-called Atlanta. In addition, in 2023, a man self-immolated in Kinshasa, DRC in protest of the genocide in Congo over capitalist green and resource extraction of cobalt and copper for the world’s technology.
As such, comrades took the following actions against the recruitment center for the 33,000+ Palestinian martyrs since October 7, for Aaron Bushnell, and for all those struggling against the US imperialist machine:
- Painted Avenge Aaron, Gaza will Haunt You, and Free Gaza across the military machine recruitment center windows
- Smashed windows of the main army recruitment office
- Covered surveillance cameras with spray paint
- Poured red paint on windows of the Marines recruitment office
As US imperialism and capitalism abound, we target the US military in its enforcement of imperialism from Haiti to AFRICOM to Palestine and beyond. We reject the US airdrops of “aid” in Gaza with one hand while it uses the other to provide logistical, materials and political support to the ongoing Nakba.
We encourage all in the heart of empire to escalate tactics against the US military weapons manufacturers and entities complicit in genocide – from the BDS list, to zionist groups in Chicago and beyond, to those engaging in the predatory recruitment of individuals to the military – often targeting Black high schoolers. We encourage all military personnel to de-enlist and let the shame of your colonial service push you to radical action.
All it takes is a small group of people experimenting, building trust, and taking action together. Make a plan, gather your tools, go out, and attack. Remember to bloc up and leave your phones at home! There’s a Navy recruitment center and crisis pregnancy center/fake clinic next door to where this attack happened.
We remember Aaron’s last words:
“I will no longer be complicit to genocide. I am about to engage in an extreme act of protest. But compared to what people have been experiencing in Palestine at the hands of their colonizers – it’s not extreme at all. This is what our ruling class has decided will be normal.”
May we commit to escalated action such that US militarism crumbles into the abyss. Glory to al the martyrs.
Via anonymous submission.
Art project at Chicago zi0nist gym
We took it upon ourselves to redecorate a gym on the North Side that is commonly frequented by zi0nists. Our crew left two messages on the second story walls of the outdoor bleachers reading: ABOLISH “ISRAEL” and فلسطين حرة (Free Palestine in Arabic). May those zi0nist cowards be reminded with every breath, in every space, that their genocidal project is coming to an end. May every zi0nist coward never know a moment of peace for the rest of their miserable lives. May every prison wall fall and every prisoner know freedom and justice– from Chicago to Palestine: abolish these blood-soaked empires, and free them all!
Via anonymous submission.
Chicago Bank of America Vandalized
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.
Reposted from Scenes from the Atlanta Forest.