We urge all our friends and comrades to show solidarity with the NATO 5 by mailing them Happy Occu-versary postcards timed to arrive on or near September 17th, the one year anniversary of the Occupy Wall Street movement.
To mail a card to any or all of the NATO5, address them to:
- Brent Betterly
- #2012-0519001
- PO Box 089002
- Chicago IL 60608
- Brian Church
- #2012-0519002
- PO Box 089002
- Chicago IL 60608
- Jared Chase
- #2012-0519003
- PO Box 089002
- Chicago IL 60608
- Mark Neiweem
- 2012-0520023
- PO Box 089002
- Chicago IL 60608
- Sebastian Senakiewicz
- #2012-0520030
- PO Box 089002
- Chicago IL 60608
For those unfamiliar with the case, four days before what was a massive and peaceful protest against NATO's meeting of war planners, the media trumpeted Chicago police accusations that three activists had sought explosives with which to carry out a campaign of terror against Obama's campaign HQ, Mayor Rahm Emanuel's house and other targets. Since then, two others have been arrested on similar charges. The only evidence for these plots was provided by two police infiltrators who themselves cajoled and encouraged protesters they came in contact with to break the law. Police informants "Moe" and "Gloves" posed as activists and encouraged the very plots they claimed to foil. For more information on the case, see http://nato5.occupychi.org.
Jail support is an integral part of activist culture – a time when we struggle to accept and alleviate the burdens of imprisoned comrades. We should see the struggles of those less fortunate than us, who fought the same battles, labored through the same long meetings, as our own. We accept them and they make us stronger. These are not burdens to weigh us down, but rather points at which we rally. The reason our comrades have been locked up is always the same: it is an attempt by the State to subdue us. We support our friends because we are not afraid and will continue our fight. Every major political event of the past few decades is haunted by specters of unjust, pre-emptive political violence committed by the state on dissenters. (For a taxonomy of state political violence surrounding international political events, refer to the book Shutting Down The Streets.) The state consistently commits violent acts to defend its illegitimate monopolies of truth, power, and justice. These arrests typically draw attention away from legitimate grievances (in this case the NATO war machine). We resist the media spectacle; as we support our friends in jail, our attention remains on the reason for their oppression.
When a broken bone is set properly, it is stronger after healing than it was before the break. Not only do we share our imprisoned brothers' and sisters' fight, we also allow them some measure of relief during their imprisonment. Love heals wounds.
Show the NATO5 some love on our anniversary. Share, Invite All Your Friends, Retweet, Repost!
UPDATE on Mark Neiweem, who was beaten at the Cook County Jail and sent to solitary confinement. From a friend who spoke with him on the phone:
…when I told him people all over had been calling and complaining to Tom Dart's office, he laughed and said he'd noticed an attitude change in the people at the jail. They apparently asked if he wanted to be moved to more acceptable accommodations (still within the solitary confinement unit) and had been asking him how he was doing.
Mark this one down as a success, friends. Our goal was to let them know the NATO 5 have support and can't be beaten and locked in the hole without us raising a ruckus. Mission accomplished.
Now, keep writing to all 5 of them!