Liberating Loki: Prisoner Support Needed

 

Call-out for art, links, zines, tips etc. for survivors of state violence.

Hey friends. Its me, the Arizona Prison Watcher. As many of you know, I've been through the mill myself when it comes to police and professional violence in recent years. Therefore, I'm building this new blog as a resource site for others who have or will soon be facing similar circumstances. There's a lot more we need when attacked by the state than just a good lawyer...though they are pretty hard to come by, so share if you know or are one!

A lot of folks, when first caught up in the passion of mass movements for some kind of social justice,  may underestimate the impact challenging the police state directly may have on their lives and families, especially if they resist state violence in any sustained manner.

So many good activists have done non-violent protest, or offered  first aid to police victims, and unexpectedly, unjustly,  been exposed to being criminalized, coerced, assaulted, caged, vilified, chased out of jobs, homes, communities, and social and political circles - even "thrown under the bus" by apparent allies.

Beware you dont end up believing that if you are not guilty you have nothing to worry about. If you arent criminalized, there are other ways to incapacitate you. Many of us have been deemed "dangerous to self or others", been coerced or abused by police or medical professionals even if we committed no crime, our reputations maligned, targets put on our back, baseless "investigations" inform our neighbors, employers, landlords, etc as to all the ways the state can mark us as undesirable.

Exploiting vulnerabilities in activist networks, like in-fighting, and exaggerating the threat activists pose to public safety/order, helps the police state undermine our efforts to dismantle them by compounding their violence with the trauma of abandonment. The most effective way to neutralize individual activists is not to batter our bodies or threaten our survival and question our sanity, we can all seem to endure a great deal for the sake of a good cause. Te most devastating thing abut enduring state torture, actually, is when we are also isolated from the support, view, and protection of our peers.

And the state is very, very good at demoralizing individuals and undermining communities of resistance.

That said, if you plan to keep poking at this particular hornets nest you are challenging the enforcers of white supremacy who are  militarized to the hilt with pretty broad authority to wound and kill civilians. So write your friends numbers on your body in case you are arrested, brace your loved ones so they can be helpful in such an event, especially if you need medications in custody or have a particular medical issue, etc etc,

even if you are not planning to break the law, if you will be protesting power or their police, you are at risk.  So at least expect and  be prepared to get stung BEFORE going in. Its gonna hurt more than just a one night stand in jail will, if you get identified as a resister at this particular moment in history.

So, I suggest that anyone planning to tangle with the police state take the time to research police and psychiatric warfare. Think of doing anti-police actions in the streets - including medic work, journalism, and other seemingly positive things - as a mission behind enemy lines, and know that you may get captured, seriously.

Social media is not a place to exercise free speech just to prove you are free - use it strategically and remember  the state does as well.   Facebook is the battlefield as much as the streets are. Be careful.
Once they target you as a criminal (or otherwise crazed and dangerous), everything you have ever said (or recorded) on social media will be used against you - and perhaps your friends as well.

And, much as I hate to say this, no matter how legal and non-violent your resistance may be, be prepared for illegal and very violent retaliation. It comes in many ways.  Build up your capacity to endure torture, literally.

And share what you learn along the way with me here, so that I might pass it on.

Be safe out there, watch each other's backs - and always have your camera ready to do live feeds or record.  If you wave a phone in a cops face and say you're just recording them, your camera becomes evidence that needs to disappear if they arent happy with your version of events, you know?  If you tell the cops it's a live feed going viral though, they may realize that implies you have a live audience of witnesses beyond their reach, and give it a second thought before they smash your head in and seize your phone in front of them all.

message me at arizonaprisonwatch@gmail.com with any other handy tips and resources. Im just starting this up, so thank you in advance for your patience.