What Is The Anarchist Black Cross ?

[image: smash the walls!] The Anarchist Black Cross (ABC) is an international class struggle and anarchist prisoner support group. We believe that prisons serve no function exept to preserve the ruling classes. We also believe that a free society must find alternative, effective ways of dealing with anti-social crime. But a decrease in anti-social crime is only likely to happen (and therefore prison abolition can only be a realistic option) accompanied by a dramatic change in our economic, social and political systems. These conditions lie at the root of both anti-social crime and a reason for a prison system and our primary goal is to make these fundemental changes. We work for a stateless, classless, co-operative society, free from privilege or domination based based on race or gender.

[image: inside] But it is not enough to build the grass roots movements necessary to bring about these changes in society, we also have to defend them. The ABC defends those who are captured and persecuted for carrying out acts on behalf of our movements. The ABC aims to recognise and expose the struggles of prisoners in general, and political prisoners and prisoners of war in particular. We regard prisoners as an active part of our movement and seek to maintain their past and potential contributions by acting as a link back to the continuing struggle. Increased communication between activists both inside and oustide inspires resistance on both sides of the prison walls. Although imprisonment is, in its self political, political prisoners of warfare being held specifically for their beliefs or actions.

We don't place judgements on what are valid or invalid expressions of resistance; non-violence is not a criterion for support. We hope that we can encourage activists by providing assurance that even if you are persecuted for your activities, the movement will not abandon you: we will take care of our own. Through the ABC we are building organisational support for resistance.

In The Black!

Income:

$922 from conference weekend
$5 M.P. (WA)
$18 P.H. (WA)
$2.50 M.P. (NSW)

Expenses:

$50 Black Star Club (PA use for conference)
$35 A.Press (bulletin #1)
$180 Mail Out for #1
$200 A.Press (credit for future bulletins)
$220 ABC Brisbane: ($15 Stationary - Disks, Photocopy paper etc)
$238 ABC Melbourne: ($10 postage for prisoner mail, $20 books/mags to prisoners, $40 P.O. Box rental)

Free to Prisoners

(publishers & distributors, please contact us for listing) available from Barricade Books

[image: prisoner]

ABC Weekend

The Anarchist Black Cross weekend at the beginning of March this year was a huge success. Loads of thanks has to go to the Wellington St Squatters for helping out and organising the huge benefit gigs. Thanks also to, Black Star Club, F.N.B., Barricade Bookshop, all the speakers, those that helped with childcare and everyone that came.

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