c n en Front and Back Co er b Na Balloon
Captain Poe at Cit Hall, S mmer 2020
Photo b Ridhima
INTERVIEW W/ V When
a
he idea
I
a
a
a a
a a a
a
I a
.F a
a
a
a a I a
I a a a ,
a .T
.P a
a
a 1800 . I N Y a R ,I a ,
a ,a
a
a a a .T a a a
a
.T a, .T .W
a ,a , a : a a a a
a a
a ,a
.T a
a a
a W a a
a
,
a
a G
B
a
a
a
e ha
he
a a a a
a
ace made h
a a
a
a
a a a
a
gh an
a C Ha a a a a a a
a a a
a a
a
a a
,
a a
a a a .
a a
a a
a a
a
a
,
.I
a ,
.W
a a
a
a
a a
a
a a .T a a .
-S a F a A a R a
a
.T a a a a a
a
a a a
,
a a
a a
a Ma , a Pa a a P a a. I a a , a Ba L a a a L Ma a a a a a a .T .I a a a a N Y C C a a a a a a a .O a a (Ra K ,A aH , Na Ha )a . a a , a a a a .W a a a a a .
a
,
.I a
I
ab li i n each-in?
a
c
a
a
?
a
fi
Wha ignifican hif ab li i ni mind e ? T a
d ced
lead
I C a
a a
a a ,
a
aged
a Ha a a I a a a a a a NYC, a I a a a Ba
Ma
-
I
a a
Wha enc T a
a
a a a
a a
f ab li i n in
Wha i T E a
ne challenge he
a a
a US, ,a
ace face
a a
a
a
a
nd a
a a
a a
.T
a
ac icing ab li i n? a
a
a
a
, a a
a a a
a a
a a a
a a
a a a .T .A , a a -
a a
a
a
a a a ,a a
a a
"Let's Talk Abolition" , J l 2020
' a
a a
a a
,
Cit Hall Park, NYC
a a a
.
a
a .F a .W a a a
a
a
a a
a
,a a
a a
a a
,a
a .S
,a a a.
a
: a
LAUGH AND A LESS N Hi ng adical and e l i Ab li i n Pa k! We eali e ha fi ime j ining he e . He e' a li le me hing a h f ea ing he em d
na ie , elc me f me f hi ill be l i n. I a f a l f hel n a n.
O e
e
10 e l l i n.
i na
#1. S e ch. Y ' a a a .R , a .A '
e
a a a ,
a
, '
a
a
a a
.T a
a
a .T a a
a a
a a
a a .
l
i na
ma ching in
he
#2. G ggle , I a .T a a a a a ,a a .Y a , .I ' I a a a a .I a a a a a a a a .T a a ' a a a a a .Y a , a a a a a . Ma a , .I a .B a a a .I a .T ' a a a a a a a a a a ' a .T a . #3. Aim. I
'
a
a
a
a a a
,
.I a
a a
a
a
a
a I'
.
If
hi
d e n'
make he
la gh, ig ff
h
e i a .
ha
i
a
lea
kee
#4. Bikes To The Front or Back. At any moment shit can hit the fan, and your bike immediately becomes a health hazard if it's in the middle of the march. Something could all of a sudden have hundreds of people tripping over your sleek single speed. This is how I broke my glasses (refer to tip #2.) Bikes in the front or back, or stand on the side of the road and watch people trip over somebody else's bike because it won t be just you.
#8. Respect. Respect women, respect non-binary, queer, fem, transgender individuals. I shouldn't have to say this but I do. Simply put, don't be an ASSHOLE to these people unless they are cops. Otherwise, these are the leaders of our revolution.
#9. Not The Quite The Dating Scene. Fellas take it from me - this may not be the right place to try to pick up people. Although I think connections can #5. Black O ned Businesses. (Mostly happen anywhere, there's still a time or place for everything and perhaps it's for new comers and allies). Don't not in real time on the battlefield. Some destroy or deface small black owned women have to fight the "Man" and the businesses. Stop it, this is a BLACK men. It s a lot, and some just aren't LIVES MATTER movement. Black here for that. Or have time for that. I people own businesses, it should go without saying. Matter of fact, if you see tried to ask this girl for her number during a march and guess what number a black owned business during your she gave me? (Please refer to tip #8). tirade, you better stop, go in and buy something. I suggest Brooklyn Tea in BedStuy. #6. Allies. Don't be afraid to go to jail for your black comrades if you are willing/able. You can actually get OUT, or quite frankly they may not even arrest you. This is not at all an insult, but it is something that we laugh at later (when you get out of jail).
#7. Call This Number. Universe forbid, if you do happen to get zipped and go to jail there's a number that you can call -
#10. Lastl , Don't tell anybody where you got this paper from or who gave it to you. Burn after reading.
(212 679 6018). Some will write this number on their arm or hand like in high school. We have been advised to put it where it won't be visible or make you noticeable. Some would say just use your memory, but in that case you would be better off just tattooing it on your forehead. Some will choose not to remember the number or write it down because they already have a lawyer. That's not you or me (refer to step #6).
- Yung Acab
Passionate Strong Yo ng Creati e Obser ant
THING Y UR LA YER I HED Y U KNE BEF RE Y U G T ARRE TED SOME WAYS TO PROTECT YOURSELF BEFORE AN ARREST Lock your phones WITH A PASSCODE, not a thumb scan, NOT a facial scan. Turn off your GPS location Memorize important numbers if you can. If you have to write the numbers down, write them somewhere not visible to cameras such as the part of your leg, right above your ankle (if you re wearing pants) or any place on your body that s covered by clothing. Cover up any marks on your body that make you more easily identifiable. Make sure that someone in your group knows your full legal name and date of birth.
WHAT TO SAY TO POLICE IF YOU ARE ARRESTED? THREE THINGS: Your name Your date of birth You DO NOT have to ans er questions about here ou ere born OR hether ou are a U.S. citi en I DON T WANT TO TALK TO YOU, I WANT MY LAWYER!"
SO FOR EXAMPLE: If the cops/detectives/FBI cops show you a picture of yourself and ask you what you were doing in that picture. Your response should be: I DON T WANT TO SPEAK TO YOU, I WANT MY LAWYER! If they show you a video of you or someone else and ask you to talk about that video. Your response should be: I DON T WANT TO SPEAK TO YOU, I WANT MY LAWYER! If they show you a picture of someone you know (or don t know) and ask you about that person, your response should be: I DON T WANT TO SPEAK TO YOU, I WANT MY LAWYER!
There is NO SUCH THING as making small talk with a cop. If the are asking ou a question, it IS for a reason no matter HOW small or innocent a question may seem DON T ANSWER IT! This includes questions about The facts of your case How you were arrested Who you were arrested withInformation about other people you share spaces with And really, ANYTHING other than your name and date of birth.
If they tell you, it will feel good to get the information you know off your chest . Your response should be: I DON T WANT TO SPEAK TO YOU, I WANT MY LAWYER! If they tell you that they are just trying to get to know you with their questions. Your response should be: I DON T WANT TO SPEAK TO YOU, I WANT MY LAWYER! If they ask you if you have to use the bathroom. Your response should be:Sure but remember I DON T WANT TO SPEAK TO YOU, I WANT MY LAWYER!
The same way police try to trick everyone into thinking a person is resisting arrest by yelling STOP RESISTING! Is the same way you should be making it clear that you don t want to speak to the police and that you want your lawyer. Encourage other comrades you are arrested with to do the same things as well. Make a chant about it if you have to: WHAT DO WE WANT? LAWYERS!!! WHEN DO WE WANT THEM? NOW!!! Or YOU RE A LIAR, WE WANT OUR LAWYERS!
OTHER IMPORTANT THINGS TO REMEMBER WHILE YOU RE DETAINED! AVOID GIVING AWAY YOUR DNA! BE CAREFUL WHAT YOUR LIPS TOUCH! When they offer you a cup or bottle of water, don t let the cup touch your lips. Hold the cup as far away from your mouth as possible. This applies for foods as well, try breaking a piece of the food off and then putting it in your mouth.
Sing it while you all are being transported to bookings. Sing it while they have you all in a cage. Just make it CLEAR, YOU AREN T SPEAKING WITHOUT YOUR LAWYER!
If they offer you a cigarette, they aren t just being nice! Try to hold off, but if you do end up smoking, keep your butts somewhere on you!
YOU ARE THE ONLY PERSON WHO CAN GIVE AWAY YOUR CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO REMAIN SILENT. So just remember, no matter how much they threaten you, no matter how much they promise you will go home faster if you talk to them, no matter how confident you are that your friends won t snitch on you
ALL CALLS (e cept to la ers) ARE MONITORED. That means, if you are given your one phone call, unless you are calling to your lawyer THEY ARE LISTENING. So DO NOT talk about your case (or anyone else s ) over the phone. Also, don t trust everyone who you share a cage with. Sometimes the cops place undercover cops into a cage with you to try to get more information. Don t fall for it! Don t talk to them about your case, your chargers, etc.There s so much more to share, but knowing these basics can really help save you, your lawyer, and your case a lot of stress in the long run. Look out for each other and share this information as far and wide as you can. And never forget, WE KEEP US SAFE! -An Abolitionist Public Defender
L
E Y UR N h tm
E
e you ive up your soul, Bl ck m ? s it the me? ome cl im to f me? r h ve you ot re lize this is merely me, Bl ck m ? It s sh me, Bl ck m … Th t you r ther your e o shi e Th your he rt to show Th t you b rter your soul For pseu o piece of ol , Bl ck m … It i t t ke lo for th t tie to become oose Th t brief c se sh ckle Those suits excuse To sh re f lse rr tives of you, Bl ck m … o...wh t s the truth, Bl ck m ? s ll th t you ccomplishe e ou h juice, Bl ck m ? I m ski , Y U, Bl ck m . h t s ll of your ccomplishme ts mou t to if you h to se re te key p rts of you, Bl ck m ? t i truth, Bl ck m . Loose your oose, Bl ck m . Lose your oose, Bl ck m . It s ok y, just be you, Bl ck m .
PT. N I E AND REPETITI N We have never chanted the same words because we cannot think of anything new to say. The calls and responses that are integral to the African-American tradition do not go droning on for lack of better phrases. Mimicking, like playing the piano, is song-making meaning-making. The repetition itself is a song. These compositions are hundreds of years in the making. Are these protest songs? Some might say so. Are they spirituals? Maybe. Who inspires us? Nothing but each other. Cowbells, bucket drums, boots, hands, and voices are our instruments (our modes of demolition, of abolition). Words become irrelevant once repetition becomes the song. The meaning and our solidarity to us, to the cops, and the people around us have been made clear. Our vocabulary is one purely of noise and unbridled courage. And our noise is both a song and the verbification of the word we . We stop relying on the words to relate to each other as our relation becomes the noise itself. We can feel it in our toes. The Black women (you can typically find us at the front of the march) dance along to the beat or rather bring everyone into it. And our dances are at once a fuck you! and a statement of love. Our noise, like overdrive on a guitar, is rebellion and a declaration of the unique power that the oppressed people of the world embody. I look into the eyes of my sisters and brothers and I can feel the heat of the Southern sun burning in our souls, hear the prison walls clamoring, and envision the chains breaking into millions of pieces. We become the noise and the noise is integrated into our movement and the movement. Fuck Tha Police saw a surge at the beginning of the uprising. But, I admit somewhat anecdotally, that seems to have died down. This signals an acceptance (and perhaps even a favoring) of noise as protest and as song. We have also seen an increase of noise demos to advocate for prison abolition and show solidarity with the souls of the incarcerated. This is in part due to the simple fact that chanting is almost impossible to hear through prison walls. And because incarcerated people are able to noise back at us. But it is not just convenience that compels the human animal and the especially Black intellect to scream and bang and hit. Again, it is the understanding that has come with our current moment that noise is its own song. The stomping of our feet through the streets are repetitions of each other. We are a swarm; we move like water. And just as a river waves with the wind, our voices adapt to the mood of the streets. But the marches on the street are not our only concert halls. One morning we drove to the house of a specific landlord, a chronic gentrifier. And the landlord, although not my personal parasite, thirsts for the rotten fruits of labor done by people whose history is connected to mine. People like me who have been systematically deprived of our ability to noise with worlds designed to corrupt and discourage language and music. Once we arrived, our cars formed two concentric circles; we looped real slow like a carousel. We became a repetitive movement around a cul de sac of mcmansions. A honk from a bullhorn was our cue and then we sang. Not with our throats but with our hands, with pots, pans, and radio systems. We re so loud that sirens and dispersal orders booming from the NYPD speakers don t have nothing on us. Noise takes up the rest of the space that we cannot fill with our bodies. It reaches further than our hands ever could. If this was not the case, we would protest in silence. The world is full of us and our noise will make this world burst at its seams.
PT.
ILENCE
Silence is a tactic. It can be weaponized by people who have been long ignored. Choosing to be silent, to refrain, to withhold is no small act of rebellion. Mistaking this for apathy is a privilege; the calls to action which allow for silence to be utilized politically are typically calls that are easily answerable by those with access to power. Silence is not the opposite of noise. The function of noise can be understood, at least in part, as one medium of creating meaning through the use of sound and repetition. And it is clear that silence can do precisely the same. Mass silence generates a noise of its own. But this is not to say that silence and noise are synonymous. They, simply put, have the capacity to function similarly and in tandem. At political demonstrations where noise is used to send a message, silence is often a necessary step in seeing the action to completion. Not only does it prevent us from being heard and consequently stopped before we can even demonstrate, it gives us a chance to experience the tension that can only be summoned by complete silence. That tension motivates us to take risks, and to get louder than we ever thought we could. As we march to our destination we must keep completely silent. In these moments, silence shields us and allows us to make noise. In music silence creates room and importantly, tension. 5 seconds into What They Do by Miles Davis there is a brief pause after he gives us just a taste of the mayhem of funk chaos to come. It s almost as if to say, You like that? Well it s only gonna get better . Davis doesn t hold back after that pause. It s like the deep breath you take before you shout. Q-Tip calls for silence about half-way through What? on The Low End Theory. The last few stanzas pop out and you feel like you re listening to the beat with new ears. When he says silence everything stops. Here is a moment which demonstrates his command over the beat, and over his poetry.Creating or demanding room for the absence of sound has a dramatic effect and it undeniably generates meaning. Those who demand silence are, during the pause, in control of the noise that preceded them and the noise that will follow. The relationship between silence and power is nowhere more prevalent than in instances of being monitored or listened to. In any discussion of silence it must be acknowledged that to be silent is of course, not always an act of rebellion. This experience is a feature of the modern age, a constant worry for the people and a necessary function of the police state. One of the first things you learn in anti-fascist organizing is don t say shit . We know this is the best code of conduct because anything that can be detected can be used against us. This type of silence is induced by the threat, or even blatant use, of violence. There is another violent manifestation of silence: suppression. The historic practice of revising history, outlawing or punishing cultural expression, and suppressing civic rights should all be considered practices in creating silence. We are told our votes are our political voice and that voting empowers us to have a say in how we are governed. It has long been the subject of anti-racist organizing, as it has historically been one of the many avenues of subjugating Black people. So we have found ourselves in a place where, regardless of how impactful our votes really are, voting is symbolic of liberty and individual rights. And it follows that voter suppression is symbolic for the routine silencing of the voices of the oppressed peoples of the country. Taking this into account, it is also true that voting does not offer us a viable way out. The conditions for an eternal silence have been created and recreated through the electoral system; there is no real opportunity for us here. We must ask ourselves, how can we use noise and silence to fight against being silenced.
Washing Washing “The revolution will not be televised.” That is a saying that has often resonated with me; one that many people often say without giving it much thought. Sometimes you may even hear people quote it the other way around thinking they are being clever, which they're not. “The revolution will be...” but it won't be, seeing as the people who have the most to fear in a revolution also happen to control the media. It could be happening right now underneath your nose while you're watching CNN and still don’t know what’s going on. Matter of fact, if you're relying on the news for your information, you don't know anything. Until you read shit like this. The day before the March on Washington was the day we arrived in DC. We checked into our hotel, then went back out to see what was going on. We managed to catch up to a march that had just started. The was a bus with music playing, people angry mood changed quickly, I mean quick. Groups were attempting to pass by a road the police had blocked off to prevent the bus from getting through, which people were not happy about because it was playing our soundtrack. Once the bus left we had no choice but to replace the music with even louder insults, which was music to my ears. It became confrontational. All of a sudden, the police were being pushed up against and trapped in between the barriers and cars used to keep the bus out. I was as close as I could get to the action when all of a sudden felt multiple blows to my body, to my surprise not from the police.
You see previously my partner and I had not been getting along, so I broke away from the group and I was doing my best to get arrested for a night (for some distance) when she found me. Not only were my efforts prevented, I got disciplined for it. Right in front of the cops. And they did nothing! What a disgrace. “Who Do You Protect?!” Things calmed down once people started to head back to where the Republican Convention was. I ended up behind a fence where buses were used to transport the speakers and politicians. I'm not sure what we expected to happen, but if we were there to hijack one of those buses to use as a new soundtrack bus, I was in. Eventually I ended up losing the group again (not intentionally this time) and caught back up to them somewhere around the block.
Indep Gabe
gton gton
pendent photographer e Quinones @Dawabisabikid"
A.P A.P Once I arrived there it was hard not to notice police
to protesters gathering. This time I found that there was a different energy. Just a few hours prior to this situation the police seemed pretty tame by comparison, but now they seemed a lot more aggressive, and well, just a lot more in general. I’m not exactly sure what caused things to erupt, but broke out between the police and protesters. A comrade got hit with pepper spray. A man seen running and juking out the cops (like a football player) had a lot of success before ultimately being tackled to the ground.
Just when you thought things couldn't get any worse, it started to get weird. Out of the literal “blue” Ran Paul and his wife just pop up out of nowhere. Is it “Ron” Paul? Or Ran? Is his name Ran? Who knows! One Paul. Nobody would name their child that if they loved them, right? I did not know who they were at the time but I did know that they were “somebodies” due to all the cameras and lights and attention they had on them. A few days later when I saw them on TV crying, I recognized them both and realized in fact that his name is RAND?!?!?!? Rand and his wife just popped up out of nowhere, in the middle of all this chaos. It was the craziest thing about the night. That was one place you never would have thought you would see them. It was odd, they could have been more discreet, walked in a different direction... Hey Ran, you should have stayed your ass inside somewhere and not in the middle of a Black Lives Matter protest doing your very best to look like Rand Paul. In most cases people wouldn't have noticed you and just thought you were some regular rich and powerful white guy, but certainly not Rand. And whatever happened to Ron? And why didn't he try harder to help with your name? Before you knew it, the streets were blocked off again. The police formed a barely barrier around Rand and his wife, which was supposed to be protection but which just brought more attention to them. Eventually they were rushed out, but before leaving they made sure to sign a couple autographs. (That's a joke.) After getting Rand out of there the police got back into formation, blocking off the road and the street adjacent. There they were on one side, and there we were on the other side. A weird silence crept through the air. I
Now this is starting to remind me of New York. This was the day before the march... The day of the actual event, things seemed pretty much like your typical speech on the Lincoln Memorial steps. People in crowds lined up. I got up close to a monitor to closing performance. Totally missed the point. Very centered around the importance of voting during a time where we don't have a candidate. Run to the polls, walk to the polls, crawl to the polls...? Ok like sir, we are tired of going to the polls. I voted for a black president and that still hasn't got the killing to stop. It’s time for future, rather back to the past to a conversation about abolition and how it is more relevant than ever. You may be surprised! Some of those bright ideas you have about human rights, black people, and changing the racist system may actually be old concepts that evolved in the minds of black women. I didn't want to bring this up but I wanted to make sure she felt heard if anybody does read this. At one point, Trayvon Martin's mother was introduced to the stage to speak and was literally interrupted by some people off stage. I couldn't tell what the disturbance was about but she was cut off and then led off stage within 2 minutes of speaking. And nobody even addressed it?? This was crazy for me, because in the circle I've been around especially since black women are the voice of the movement. I'm interested in knowing what happened, but even more interested in hearing what she had to say (way more than whatever Al Sharpton was saying).
After the speeches concluded, Sharpton helped organize everyone into a march formation. I didn't join. Instead our group took a detour and met up at the destination where the march ended. That broke out into another group of marchers, who weren't done marching just because the event was over. They were a group of individuals who really wanted to go out there and do something, even when the cameras were off. They considered themselves abolitionists, a term that I myself got more familiar with due to prior my experience in the (now notorious) Abolition Park encampment at City Hall in New York. I didn’t yet realize that I’d see a whole different group somewhere else in the streets identifying the same way. There were
people and went back to the hotel to dry off. Then we patiently waited for the next opportunity to go back outside. . [The day after I dried off, is when I started writing this article.] Our last night in DC, we found ourselves at Black Lives Matter Plaza, which doesn't blocked off with barricades and decorated with pictures of victims of police brutality between the plaza and the path which leads to the White House. Right across from there was a post of Secret Service agents who looked like they had been outside way longer than us. The White House was still visible, looming in the background with its lights off, which added to its creepiness. When we arrived, the mood seemed (almost) like a concert. There was a line of cops in war formation blocking off the road,
with the same goals. We weren’t screaming ‘defund the police,’ but rather ‘abolish the police. blasting, and a baby. Dressed in all black, we marched with bikes in the front and rear and legal observers, and snacks throughout. There was no television coverage, no major multimedia event, no news reporters on scene. Just people who had enough, and who marched for those who have had enough. and got soaked in the hard rain, but most of us kept moving. When the we collected all of our
Photographer Yung Acab
hurt and ly t n e r a pp r slugs a mage, not much celerated c e a b b u s R g hin , t f da Then t e a lot o ference is yelling a s if u d s r a c e e t h s n T e a t e ets. d. c ally. Pro er spraye osed to b ctual bull p p a p p e e u k dramatic s p li 't n g n u g are ple re gettin were bein the rubber slugs m at peo s e t e h t police we ll u g b in r t n oo rubbe concussio as lethal when sh d n a Mace and , . d w the cro the air g. Thanks kay, look, if you in o t t s in e t t o r o shot into p h s for e, “O re being e bombs lice are lik ple, then at least k o li p d e e h d T blasts we n u eo obably so an’t kill p ce to any c n a e t w is people.” t d g (which pr is e s in h t t in o o in a h pped itnessed o keep s to enjoy t w s g u in y w o being dro r o t ls ll a e a a I who wer ally, ing pain patio just iz ic t t n a n o a g r m a patrons a u r a t D e in e al at a res ner whom I was es of min ot hit close rang d a r fancy me t m r o a c ot mg ay). My p be bear th of the we may n o o t b h g r d e u block aw e r o ft e a h t nsid est n protect, hat I co ite my b eren't eve w p w s h y e trying to e it d h w , t , w r ith a t this her no have bea e he leg w ot mace, and, ge c t li be toget o in p it e h sh on o th ill got r phone use it . Why d e s r h y a efforts st e e d h b a t h In do yed ces. lug and e? Why iend spra wn to pie r c f lo a rubber s b a m d d n e .” a h d ed atc lode r hand ans?* I w who seem . “Got Exp m r e out of he u e n h h t o o h e n p in a up and of m s her the chest the face, her word a male comrade m in o r f s a it w h w gotten use he ugh they a e o c v h e a t b h s Then I sa o ls a t a ber med his genit of fact, if ith a rub e They both see r e w t t s a ll clutching M a . b ve in the made m were burning ali ly e t ia just shot d e er h imm l’s phone een bett b e v slug...whic bad about my gir a h ould ng robably w p stop feeli it a , had r on them I know e t l a a w u r id t u a iv o s th rn up her ind bber slug his stop once yo de the bu a u r m us. Anot r m e o t r f a in ew is head in this cas d a gash t n u a gash in h b , e t y o e h guns ed his ked like o worse. just miss lo t s o lm a t back tha wounds.
* I did some minor research and supposedly the mace that the police are using is actually a type of “Regular Mace” which I didn't believe until I did some more “Minor” research and found out that their “Regular Mace” is actually WORSE than bear mace... Which made it all make sense.
Independent photographer Gabe Quinones @Dawabisabikid"
It was like watching someone burn alive. I watched them scream and tear off their clothes desperately trying to not spread it anywhere else on their body. We poured bottle after bottle of water on them, only to watch it cause more pain as it created a stream of water mixed with the burning mace. Water would pour down from their burning long hair down their face, burning their face, chest, and so on. From what I hear, it’s a powder that will burn your skin and easily spread. It can get on anything you touch, and then burn whoever touches that. A medic approached us to help, thankfully. We told him what happened and he said,
found. Meanwhile my friend was running around in a circle of unimaginable pain. That's when the different experiences everybody is a medic.
that
not
The comrade who was sprayed directly in the face struggled to take their contacts out, not realizing the spray also had gotten on to their hands and thus back into their eyes. Again, living Hell. I really commend them both. While on stop us from worrying more, but their smiles and jokes attempting to divert our concerns weren’t enough. Though not trying to let it show on my face, all their smiling could not cover up the reality of I knew it burned, because when I was helping out I accidently touched the bag that we put their sprayed clothes in, and my arm burned through the night. I couldn't imagine being hit with that stuff directly. When we got back to the hotel, I overheard one or both of them say, I'll take a shower, recover and then go back out there. Then the shower proceeded to aggravate the burns even more. I heard screams from the shower. Yeah...I think you did enough for the night. The next morning was an obvious late check out. (Late check out is still not enough time to check out). We gathered our things and desperately tried not to touch any clothes or objects that had been sprayed the night before (failing to do so). Our
bodies ached, my arm still burned, legs were bruised from rubber slugs. I thought about our journey back to NYC and how whatever we would be experiencing there might be worse than what we just experienced in DC. In New York right now, they're arresting protesters by the dozens in large sweeps. The whole time I was in DC, I only remember hearing about one person getting arrested there. And though the police in NYC are not using concussion bombs or rubber slugs, they are using batons, shields, bikes, tasers, tear gas, AND regular mace. Which in retrospect might be why these comrades were able to take the blows they did in DC, and still be able to force a smile and want to get back out there. This wasn’t their see. I've been to Washington DC before, but this time it was different. This time it was AP. Peace sign up, A town down. (Just always wanted to say that)
Photographer VX
AB LITI N LI IN R Se
e
be 14, 2020
Ab
i i
Pa k Media
Ne
M Y
k, NY
Abolition Park has just installed the Abolition Living Room outside of Governor Cuomo s midtown office, located at 633 3rd Avenue in Manhattan. The Living Room - currently assembled with couches, chairs, and signs of protest demanding housing justice - is a growing environment that will continue to expand. As a part of the New York Housing Now Coalition s Week of Action, the Abolition Living Room will stay open to all as long as possible, welcoming New Yorkers to take part in the demonstration, learn about immediate solutions to the housing crisis, and uplift their demands to Governor Cuomo. The protest not only draws attention to the failings of Cuomo s inaction in the fight for housing for all, but acts as a model for the abolitionist practice of radical care.
GROUP OF PROTESTORS MOVE IN AT SHERATON NEW YORK TIMES SQUARE Oc
be 2, 2020
Ab
i i
Pa k Media
Ne
Y
k, NY
At 2:00 pm at the Sheraton New York Times Square, a group of activists staged a sit-in to protest the looming threat of mass evictions and the expanding housing crisis in New York City. Protestors requested that the unionized hotel workers support their fight by pressuring the Sheraton to open up 20 hotel rooms to people needing shelter this winter. They also requested a meeting with the CEO of Marriott International, NYC DHS Commissioner Steven Banks, and the President of Unite Here. Below you will find a selection from their public statement:
We a e he e We a e he e
da i e f UNIVERSAL HOUSING. ABOLISH HOMELESSNESS.
We are here because we believe in homes, not shelters; care, not cops; because houselessness kills; because we know that skyrocketing rents are pushing Black and brown people out of their homes; because if this city believes that Black Lives Matter then it must provide the resources to sustain Black lives; because everyone deserves safe, stable, permanent housing. We are here in solidarity with our unhoused friends, neighbors, and community members who are terrorized every day by police and property owners. We are here as people with housing to put our bodies on the line for housing justice. We are here to abolish homelessness in New York. 80,000 New Yorkers are sleeping in shelters or on the streets while apartments and hotels throughout the city lie empty.
The e a e h ee e i i g ace f e e Ne Y ke h eed h i g. The coming wave of evictions, which Governor Cuomo is doing nothing to halt, will sweep Black and brown low-income New Yorkers out of their homes, eroding neighborhoods and networks of care. Meanwhile in the middle of a global pandemic, worsening climate crisis and a massive recession with no end in sight, Mayor de Blasio lets our city's houseless sleep on stairwells in overcrowded shelters. When they go to the Department of Homeless Services to access one of the few hotel rooms that the city is parcelling out in the crisis, they're made to sleep two to a room, a situation in which they cannot meaningfully isolate or social-distance. And when, just weeks ago, bad actors like the fascist lawyer Randy Mastro threatened to sue the city over housing the homeless in hotels on the Upper West Side, de Blasio caved to this demonstration of white supremacy and displaced over 300 unhoused men from their temporary shelter at the Lucerne Hotel. This racist, murderous dispossession has taken place while U.S. billionaires saw their wealth grow by nearly a trillion dollars in the first six months of the pandemic alone.In one of the wealthiest cities in human history, this situation is an abomination. This city has the resources to house everyone who needs housing. In fact, hotels are closing for good all over the city hotels which easily could be used for safe, stable, permanent housing for people who need it desperately. What we have is an idea: what if the city turned the shuttered hotels into housing? What if thousands of hotel union members got to keep their jobs, helping to maintain the same buildings, now used to house the poor rather than to entertain the rich? What if the state raised taxes on the obscene wealth of New York's billionaires to house everyone who needs housing?
We a e a ki g f
h ee hi g he e
da .
First and foremost, we are asking for your support as hardworking, unionized employees of this hotel: we are here to engage in an act of radical love for our houseless community members and we cannot do this without you. Second, we are asking for the General Manager of this hotel to allow us 20 rooms to shelter our houseless community members until the spring. Third, we're asking to meet with the CEO of Marriott International, NYC DHS Commissioner Steven Banks, and the President of Unite Here. We're asking Marriott to convert all their closed properties into housing for the houseless, staffed by union jobs. We believe that every empty or shuttered hotel in New York could be turned into safe, stable, permanent housing for the houseless. We believe that this is one easy step towards universal housing in New York.
HOMES, NOT SHELTERS! CARE, NOT COPS!
A C N ER A I N AND BLACK AR
I HA H
A h: In demand fo ho ing, and o of a p a i of Black T an libe a ion, e danced all nigh long. F om he hallo ed g o nd of S one all, o he abandoned pla a of he 34- o Time Sq a e Co a d Ma io , D ag Q een , King , and Bina -le o al hi led and i led o e ol iona hi l- i l . Black a : Yeah e i led, eah e hi led, b mo e impo an l e e ked, e je ked, and o nipple e e pe ked. We alked in o heel il o cal e and back h . I a o m ch mo e han a pa , i a a BALL hone ! I don kno ho he DJ kne o pla Pa i ion b Be once. B he did and m inne q een came ali e. A h: Thi a nlike an o he d ag ball o p o e . E e Th da ince he da n of he 2020 in ec ion had een pocke of he We Village an fo med in o Ball b and fo Black T an people. On Oc obe 29 h hi a combined i h Aboli ion Pa k empo a il occ p ing and c ea ing an aboli ioni one a 114 W. 40 h S . nde nea h h nd ed of acan ho el oom . (Mean hile en of ho and of Ne Yo ke e e fo ced o leep on he ee .) The Time Sq a e Co a d Ma io i a 7,4056 q f b ilding boo ing he c en ma ke al e of a hooping $55,030,000! (Acco ding o p ope ha k.com.) Black a : The S one all p o e fo Black T an Libe a ion e e a ed b Joel o of a need fo q ee ep e en a ion in a Black Libe a ion mo emen . Joel co ld ob e e he c o d ha ho ed p on he ee hen ci -black people e e killed b police iolence, b he e a ha ame o age hen o Black an - ibling e e m de ed? (Of en ime b o he black people.) The p oblem a e iden : he e a lack of olida i i hin he mo emen , o Joel c ea ed pace o fi he p oblem. A ma ch dedica ed o hono ing all black li e , e peciall he mo ma ginali ed of . I ha been m hono , and p i ilege o ma ch i h he la ge ma of people ho come o eekl o ho ppo fo o fallen and li ing an famil , mee ing in he e po of he Ga Righ Mo emen of 1969 - a pace ha ha ince become gen ified, and no longe elcoming o q ee people of colo . A h: 5:30 pm. I mee p i h h ee com ade in diffe ing le el of bloc. We alk a o nd i h oo-fe mb ella a he k d op liq id life on . We ea ka i oll and lo l make o a o he acan ho el and emo e he ga i h ello pla ic chain ignif ing P i a e P ope , a e o ble ome concep . A U-Ha l and he lo ingl named Tho B p ll p ca ing a PA em, fog machine, able , pl ood pla fo m e con c ed o nigh ea lie , ligh , e en o co che ! Wi hin 15 min e he pace i an fo med in o a fo oom en e: DJ Boo h, Dance Floo , Li ing Room ( he e a po of egan e a i e ) and ano he dance floo bleeding in o he ee . Fo 20 min e e ai ne o l and hope he pa ge o befo e he pig .
Black a : 5:15pm I a ill in B ookl n i h a co ple of com ade , nning la e a al. We h led o a o he 2 ain in he cold ain in d ag, o d e e blo ing in he ind. When e de cended he ep he ain a p lling in o he a ion o e an in o heel , and made i j in ime. M com ade helped me pain m nail on he ain and pin p m hai . I en e ed he b a an io and e , and lef he ain ca a confiden q een. When e a i ed a S one all he all and ma ch had e o begin, ha pe fec eno gh iming fo me! We did he make- p fo 9 o he com ade igh in f on of S one all Inn, and fel all he e ol iona hi o ha happened on hi e po co e h o gh o ein . Onl 51 ea ago Ma ha P. John on had h led a b ick h o gh he e indo e ood in f on of, in defiance of an nj la , em, and police fo ce. We o ld need o ha ne hi e ol iona ene g fo ha e e came ne ha nigh . We ma ched p 8 h A e and held a ball a each majo in e ec ion, he pig i h hei badge and g n follo ed on foo , abo 40 of hem in o al. A 14 h ee he c o d ook p pace a he people og ed and dipped. I held m place among he c o d, I did no da e en e he ball oom floo np epa ed o hake m a . The ne op on he nomadic ball a 23 d S , he e e e e e enaded b inge o empo e a he ain picked p. The pig e e f a ed o ee blocking affic, b he kep ilen . The kne be e han o in e p a e enjo ed o f eedom. We a in ha po fo abo 20 min befo e ma ching no h a d inging I M NOT TIRED YET. The o nd of d m ga e eng h and e ma ched on. The ne op a a 36 h S and 8 h A e, and he ca ego fo a anno nced: FACE , finall m ime o hine! I ook off m ench coa and e ealed m hidden flo al p in d e o he c o d, and I e ed all he face. I fel ali e, i a glo io . We meande ed h o gh he ci fo ano he 45 min o o n il finall e hi 40 h S . and headed fo he Co a d Ma io Ho el. A h: The o nd of d m and chan anno nced hei en ance. Q een Jean lead 200+ e ol iona ie og eing, e king, al a-ing, kanking, and alking; follo ed b pa of Ne Yo k d mbe e o i o gani a ion, he NYPD. The cop looked ab ol el d mbfo nded, he had clea l ne e ho gh an one co ld ha e hi m ch f n. The fog, p ple ligh , and peake ned on. I p lled o m agogo bell and d m ick, ipped do n o a long pink d e , and p o ided o- one h hm af e o- one h hm f om m mall We Af ican i on in men . Techno, di co, ap, eggae on, and chan of YOU CAN T STOP THE REVOLUTION po e ed endle dance of Black libe a ion, a do en of cop lo l lined p i h helme and ba on .
Black a : We pa ied ha d, e a e he food ha a lo ingl p o ided f ee of cha ge, and eall ind lged in o libe a ion. The pig held hei place, fo he co ld no emo e off of p i a e p ope i ho pe mi ion f om he p ope o ne . Thei hand e e ied, b e il al a find a a . The called he p ope manage o he pace and a ked hei pe mi ion o emo e all he e q ee black o h fo m he p emi e . The ha ed in hei hea echoed he ame feeling he pig 51 ea ago had befo e he aided S one all Inn. B li le did he kno ha e co ld al o ha ne ene g . We e en j alking p and do n he ca alk, e e e planning and cheming oo. Af e all, e a e e ol iona ie bab ! We had a plan ho ld he nifo med pig in bl e a ack - e o ld g ab all o able , o nd eq ipmen , and ligh befo e he co ld ei e and de o and a e . A h: Af e G-D kno ho man ho , e e e a oken b he familia call MIC CHECK and comm nal e pon e. Cop a e coming in, le ' clea o . We had b il p and kno ledge f om fi e mon h of copconf on a ion oge he , and e o gani ed a clean p and di pe al in hich e ca ied co che , peake , gene a o , and able all o e mid o n. Af e pli ing p in o mall g o p o lo e he cop e eg o ped and loaded back in o he U-Ha l and Tho B . Bea if l. Reflec ed o m com ade abo he aboli ion e had j c ea ed. F ee food, poli ical ed ca ion, and a dance pa in he deca ing ca ion of capi ali m - and e all go a a afe. M ch like all of Aboli ion Pa k ho e e , he jo a bi e ee , a e kne ha ho and of people all o e he ci (incl ding people e had j danced i h) o ld be leeping o ide nde he ain, hile h nd ed of ho and of ho el oom , apa men , and ho e emain acan a he demand of landlo d and CEO . Aboli ion i bo h he mean and he end, of me apho icall h o ing he mo bea if l and life-filled dance pa ie in he mo e il cla i ho el b ilding .
Black a : To ei e a e, ha 34 o ie of f ll f ni hed oom ninhabi ed. A p ope al ed o h $55 million dolla making no mone . Ye he doo emained locked. I m calling o Ma o Bill DeBla io, and he Depa men of Homele Se ice oda : M . DeBla io, open ho e doo ! Ha e a hea , le n and main ain he b ilding, and ob e e he po e of he people. We don need o o make deci ion fo and e ne e ha e. We a e capable, e a e po e f l, e pa o ala , and e a e i ed of no ha ing a a in ho o ci i n. We e in he middle of a pandemic and in he beginning of a cold ea on, e don an ano he pe on o die. We don ee one life a mo e al able han ano he , and e demand ha all Ne Yo ke be gi en hel e , and no face e ic ion and dea h hi in e . If o fail o ep e en he in e e of he people e ill demand fo o emo al f om office. Y ha e bee ice.
J l 2020
Ci
Hall Pa k, NYC
Ph
b N
he R i O Wed e da J l 22 d a 3:40 a , he NYPD aided and de o ed Aboli ion Pa k - an an ipolice p o e encampmen a Ci Hall. Fo he la mon h, o camp ha p o ided food, hel e , heal hca e, poli ical ed ca ion and o he e o ce o he p blic, hich incl de co n le ho ele people ho pla a i al ole in o comm ni . Aboli ion Pa k a Ci Hall p o ided a m ch needed pace fo adical imagina ion in Ne Yo k Ci . We, he occ pan of he pa k, a e o king o a d non-ca ce al, comm ni -ba ed ol ion o he ha m inflic ed b po e . We ha e ho ed do en of p blic e en ha pa ked dialog e h o gho he ci abo Black libe a ion and m al aid, hile empo e ing he people o en i ion a o ld i ho policing. Thi i p eci el ha he NYPD fea , and h he aided and de o ed o eme ging inf a c e. The police en e ed o camp i ho a ning o p o oca ion a a ime hen he kne he o ld o ld no be a ching - a ac ic he ha e ed e e al ime befo e. The iolen l a akened ho e ho e e leeping and de o ed he comm ni e o ce e ha e o ked o ha d o b ild in a g o e q e ho of fo ce. The a e ed ele en people, incl ding ome e lne able people ho e ned o he pa k ho la e ing o ec pe a e hei fe po e ion . The police al o ef ed medical ca e o one of o ac i i ho a ha ing a ei e in e pon e o being b ali ed b he police. The e a e he ame ab e ha e a e p o e ing, and he demon a e ime and again ha he lice d kee afe. The NYPD c
i e l
lace h
Thi
a
e al e a life.
e a d ab
e he al e f
e ano he di ec a ack on he mo emen o al e and p o ec Black li e .
The Lenape people e e iolen l di placed f om he land benea h Ci Hall. The ac ed emain of Af ican people ho e e olen f om hei home a e al o b ied benea h he conc e e a Ci Hall. Ho man mo e ime ill e allo he fa ci police egime o mobili e e ce i e mili a fo ce again he people befo e he p blic l ake a and? WE STAND AGAINT THE IMMEASURABLE TRAUMAS INFLICTED ON BLACK AND INDIGENOUS PEOPLE EVERY DAY SINCE THIS COUNTRY WAS FOUNDED. We ill a d f i l ge . Black Li e Ma e = Ab li h he lice
ACR SS
D WN
1. Ho man months are in a ear? 2. Ho man eggs are in a carton? 3. What is 21 back ards? . Ho man reindeer did Santa ha e?
5. What shouldn't ou do? 6. What is the ans er to this question? 7. Ho do ou greet a cop? 8. Ho man cops do e need in our communities?
Damn, bi che i d ing. Bi che g bill . - Tamee Peak
ACKN Ab li i Pa k i cl di g:
LED EMEN ld like
ha k ALL
e
a d c llab
a
,