Update: Dane's charges "scratched"

Similarly to what we saw earlier this year with Garyn and Clare's cases(of the Arpaio 5) Dane's charges have been scratched. What this means is that technically there is no case against him. But the court will maintain an ability to bring charge against him for up to seven years, which they did in Garyn and Clare's cases. So while things are currently looking good there is no telling what the court may be up to.
It seems as though this could be some new sort of tactic. The police arbitrarily arrest people, charge them with this or that and see what they can make stick. If nothing sticks they drop it in a manner that allows them to actually charge people at a later date, keeping folks in a sort of limbo- for seven years! Ain't the police state grand?
In Dane's case an undercover actually alleges that he witnessed Dane throwing and providing rocks to others. In the end though, he was unsure if any of the supposed rocks thrown or provided and thrown by others actually hit anyone. Interesting. Also interesting is the fact that at least two of the charges of aggravated assault were for rocks that flew towards but never even hit anyone. So basically they were just trying to pin all rock-throwing on Dane without any evidence whatsoever.
Another thing to point out is that it has been reported to us by a friend from Phoenix that another person was approached by cops after the protest in a similar manner. After being told they were under arrest they told cops that they were full of shit, that they did nothing and there was no way to identify anyone who had done anything. At this point cops made no attempt to arrest this person and the person left unobstructed.
Dane himself, the person who allegedly performed five counts of agg. assault on an officer w/a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument and one count of riot was not picked up until 2 hours after the supposed incident. If someone was indeed this much of a threat to officers and "public safety" wouldn't it be advisable for cops to grab him as soon as it started rather than wait two hours and allow him to possibly escape?
Well for now Dane is "free". But please remember that this does not mean he's in the clear. The bail has been returned. Any money raised that is unble to be returned will be held in the Tucson area for future legal issues that may arise. Thanks to all those who stepped up and supported Dane through this.

Arizonans take the streets against fascism, 2 arrested

     A few hundred Arizonans showed up ready to hold it down on Saturday, November 13 against the neo-nazi National Socialist Movement. Downtown Phoenix became pretty heated after a large number of people in black bloc attire took the street directly in front of nazis and their protectors the Phoenix Police Department. With a few different banners to help create a blockade people seemingly unaffiliated took space directly in front of the black bloc at times, showing that a lot of people are more than willing to stand up to both the cops and nazis.
     There is already plenty of news and videos out there so I won't go on other than to say that police used pepper spray about ten times only to see demonstrators come right back to face them. They also fired pepper balls into the crowd over tops of shields without even aiming, hitting some in the face. After all the action was basically done two people were arrested. One of them from Tucson. Here's something from supporters:
     Saturday, November 13th, 2010 the National Socialist Movement gathered in downtown Phoenix, Arizona as a part of their humorously titled “Reclaim the Southwest 2” tour. Politicians in Arizona who draft and sponsor racist legislation, such as Russell Pearce who sponsored SB1070, have been exposed for their connections to leaders of this movement and furthermore the NSM consider themselves to be on the forefront of the push toward more draconian, discriminatory, and racist laws. This year the neo-nazis came to spread their racist ideology and protest the injunctions made to SB 1070 but were met in the streets by a large, diverse crowd of folks who were there to shut them down and send the message that their hate isn’t welcome in Arizona.
    The Phoenix Police Department marched and collaborated with the NSM to attack protesters with brute force and weapons such as pepper bullets and pepper spray. If there was ever any doubt in one’s mind of the veracity of claims that the PPD is a racist institution, they can be laid to rest. Minutes before the NSM's permit would have expired the PPD executed their attack on demonstrators and then extended the permit later into the afternoon wasting time, energy, and resources to protect neo-nazis. Police indiscriminately used pepper spray and pepper bullets, causing injury to demonstrators and innocent bystanders alike. Multiple people were shot in the face with pepper bullets as well. The racist PPD, who actually deport more people than the infamous Sheriff Joe Arpaio, sent undercover officers/antagonists into the crowd of hundreds and into the black bloc working from both sides to target individuals. Photos and written accounts of the day reveal that police officers directed the NSM the entire time and worked alongside them giving orders of where to go, when to tighten up, allowing them to wrap their flags into clubs and move through the police line to instigate and then further their violently racist march.     
    Two individuals were arbitrarily targeted and arrested at the end of the day to be scapegoats for alleged “assaults.” One of them, Dane Rossman is currently facing 5 counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon/dangerous instrument and 1 count of rioting. Dane has done extensive work in numerous communities to resist racism and to create a world that is based on mutual aid. He has been working with No More Deaths since 2007 to do migrant solidarity and humanitarian aid on the US/Mexico border and most recently has been organizing with the Tucson Childcare Collective and Migrapatrol Copwatch to resist the current attacks on Latino communities in Tucson. Dane had a bail of $7,500 that was paid for on November 13th, 2010 through a loan and needs assistance in paying this back and  in raising additional legal funds. We are thankful for all the support already received and appreciate your involvement in the fight against fascism!

If you want to help please contact us here and we can put you in touch with the right people.
borderopposition@gmail.com

Thanks,
BOAF

Black Mesa Solidarity Event a Success!

As usual a bunch of peeps volunteered and were a big part of the Solidarity Cafe event being awesome. About 25 people showed up early enough to catch a screening of Broken Rainbow, a documentary about the fight of the Dineh' and Hopi peoples against Peabody Coal. After the movie we were bombarded with a number of delicious treats including Strawberry-filled Crepes, Cupcakes, a Raw Pumpkin Pie, Cookies, Smoothies, Fry Bread, Egg Sandwiches, Beans and Cornbread. We also served Coffee and Tea. Once given a chance to load up, a few of our friends fresh back from the road picked up instruments and treated us to some ditties. Allison Appel, Doug Fur, Niki Berger and Luke Romano stepped up after Rudy Cortese was unable to make it(maybe next time). Big kid drinks were served as well and Missing Parts took the stage and kicked out the jams for about an hour. After the live music was done DJ Theresa Wild set the tone and many of us shook our rumps late into the night. There was an increase of about $300 from last year's event showing that Tucsonan's are getting better at putting events together and their also showing a much bigger interest in supporting the many fights against white supremacy and colonialism. Thanks to all who came out!
BOAF

Solidarity Cafe- BOAF & Black Mesa Caravan Support Committee

Yes! We(BOAF) have teamed up with the Black Mesa Caravan Support Committee in order to raise funds and much-needed supplies for the people of Black Mesa. Every year in November caravans from around the country proceed to northern Arizona to show solidarity with those who are resisting relocation from their traditional lands.
In 1974 the U.S. Congress passed "The Navajo-Hopi Land Settlement Act" which established the Navajo-Hopi Indian Relocation Commission(NHIRC) that led the relocation. Thirty-five years later there are still people who refuse to be kicked out of their homes. Many are elders and face a progressively harder time maintaining their ways of life. Besides many of the younger people moving to cities to enter college or the work force, elders have been continuously harassed by various branches of government and law enforcement.
While veiled with reasons of land disputes between Dine'(Navajo) and Hopituh Shi-nu-mu(Hopi) the real reason falls on Peabody Coal who has been strip mining the area, shipping the coal to the Mohave Generating Station in Laughlin, Nevada to produce energy for Southern California and Nevada.
Fore more info go to blackmesais.org

Thursday, November 11th - 6 PM at The Boxing Gym, 1080 N. Contzen(in Barrio Anita near I-10 & Speedway)

Border Opposition Action Fun & the Black Mesa Caravan Support Committee presents...

Solidarity Cafe!

-Film showing of Broken Rainbow(1985) 70 mins.-1985's Academy Award winner for best documentary, "The screen is filled with visual pleasures...", "As the narrator says, "Indians have been paying with their lives for the white man's greed since Columbus."- NY Times

-Cafe including: Coffee, tea, baked goods, crepes, doughnuts, bagels and more!

-"Drinks"

-Music: The Missing Parts, Rudy Cortese, DJ Teresa Wild

More details forthcoming! like schedule and suggested donation

Claire and Garyn's case and an update on Grace's case

It is apparent that the state still has faith, either in juries siding with the hilarious story the police concocted or that these two will actually cave and plea out somehow (although I believe that they both do not have plea deals on the table that aren't expired). They are both done with their preliminary hearings and Garyn's trial is expected to start on November 24th, while Claire's is expected to start in early December. From what it sounds like, Garyn's attorney is working on trying to get his case thrown out through various motions, while Claire is unfortunately stuck with an attorney who says that she can't file any motions and that her case is a matter of the police story against hers. She tried to fire her attorney and filed to receive a new one and was denied. Both attorneys, though, have mentioned that a compiling of eyewitness testimony surrounding their arrests would be of great benefit, so if you saw them get arrested on January 16th, that would DEFINITELY help a lot, especially in Claire's circumstance, not to mention Grace's situation. As a quick update on her situation, she has a plea deal on the table for a class 3 felony, 30 days in jail and up to two years probation, with her deadline being this Friday, Oct. 8th. Other than that, the only news on her case is that her trial is scheduled to begin on Nov. 8th. So again, if you witnessed the events surrounding Grace's arrest, stepping forward and helping out would be wonderful!

If you can help, you can reach us at:

Arpaio5SupportCommittee@riseup.net

Art Auction & Party a big success & More on BOAF

First of all, a million thanks to all the people who helped out, gave art, played music and showed up to the Border Opposition Action Fund Art Auction and Party on Saturday, November 9. Every aspect of the event far exceeded our expectations. We know that some folks just showed up for a good time, but the fact that so many came to stand with us in our efforts to explicitly support indigenous anti-colonization work as well as people taking more confrontational action against borders was a truly wonderful thing to see.

The broad cross-section of people, to us, represented that many more people than we realize recognize the necessity for more offensive action when it comes to letting the State know how we feel and what we want. Whether those people want to take action or not, their support is immeasurable. As important were the people who did come just to have a good time but after learning what the event was about, showed even more appreciation for the work that was done to put it all together.

We did receive a few critiques, but hey, if the majority of critiques are about how we could have done better to get more money from folks, we can live with that.

For those who aren't familiar with Border Opposition Action Fund(BOAF), we are raising money to both support anti-border direct action that has already taken place and to fund future actions against borders and the continued colonization of Indigenous people and land in our area. We are a small group of Anarchists living in occupied Tohono O'odham territory (Tucson, AZ) who consider ourselves children of settlers and colonizers. This may sound cliché or silly to some but it is a reality that we must keep in the forefront of our thoughts as we work in solidarity with indigenous allies and for a world without borders. As part of our politics we feel that it is necessary to support the continuing fights of indigenous people against colonization. We also recognize that as the State further legalizes institutional racism and white supremacy it is the community as a whole that must respond. And we must respond with strong opposition not only to the laws which they pass but to the everyday actions and attitudes that have continued for hundreds of years. Let us not forget that racial profiling was present long before the State began to (re)legitimize it.

We formed BOAF after a presentation called Supporting Direct Action. It was hosted by a participant in the Border Patrol Headquarters lock-down that took place in Tucson. It was partially due to their charges and call for support as well as the necessity to support some of our Phoenix comrades who were targeted by Phoenix Police and left hung out to dry by mainstream organizers in the Phoenix area after a march against Sheriff Arpaio.

On May 21, approximately 15 people entered the Border Patrol Headquarters located on Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. Of those, a group of 6, which included Dine, Tohono O'odham, Akimel O'odham, Chicano and white people, locked themselves around a pole in the main lobby of the BPHQ. The main message: Stop militarization on indigenous lands now! We are awaiting to hear what charges they will actually face.

On January 16th, a large number of indigenous people and anarchists from around the state turned out together as the DOA (Dine, O'odham, Anarchist and Anti-authoritarian)Bloc at a march in Phoenix against Sheriff Joe Arpaio. Their goal was to specifically push mainstream organizers' simple message of immigration reform to include critique and analysis of the militarization and further occupation of indigenous territory. Near the end of the march police attacked DOA and many other marchers, including children, with pepper spray. In the end five anarchists were arrested. While there were critiques and discussions within DOA circles the fact remains that cops did what they're there for and these are our comrades and our friends. We will do what we can to stand by them and support them until it is over.

Besides these events we noticed an increase in the willingness to step things up on July 29, the day that SB 1070 went into effect in Arizona. In Tucson alone, three main actions took place. While seemingly run-of-the-mill in some aspects we see them as a definite shift of things in Tucson.

Early in the morning, Interstate 19, the highway that is used to import goods by truck from Mexico one way and used to deport undocumented migrants the other, was shut down for nearly an hour when a group of people used tires, tar and glass to block it. A banner reading “Stop the Road to Deportation, End Criminalization” was hung from a pedestrian bridge directly above the blockade as it was constructed. No arrests were made.

Local area Brown Berets hoisted a banner reading “Stop SB1070” over the large “A” on Sentinel Peak, a.k.a. “A” Mountain. When police arrived and ordered them to disperse the Brown Berets refused to leave. No arrests were made.

The third thing that happened was at the main protest point, the intersection where sits a Federal Courthouse, the State Building and the Federal Building. A group of people took the intersection. As three banners were held numerous protesters took it on their own to enter the street as well. The intersection was held for nearly an hour before snatch squads were sent in to arrest those holding the banners, another who refused to exit the street and a journalist who was taking pictures of the arrests. While these may not seem like a big deal in themselves, it is definitely something that hasn't been happening for the last few years in Tucson. On top of that, we heard no complaints or attempts at separating themselves from the actions by the larger organizing bodies in Tucson, a definite switch from previous attitudes and one people should take note of.

Events such as this along with recognition of who and where we are have helped to inform us of the work we wish to do as BOAF. In recent years numerous relationships have been built. Geographic and cultural borders are being torn down. Anarchists, Indigenous, and other people of color have been working together on various projects across the state. Arizona Radical Coalition(ARC) was created in the spring of 2009. It is a space to come together, get to know each other, share ideas and enjoy each others' company. This has resulted in work and actions across the state with direct involvement by people from all parts of Arizona.

BOAF is committed to supporting ongoing groups that include anti-borders and anti-colonization analysis in their work. Currently, we have been able to provide funds for O'odham VOICE Against The Wall, O'odham Solidarity Across Borders, the Arpaio 5 and the Border Patrol Lockdown 6. More about these groups and actions can be found through links on our blog.

Border Opposition Action Fund was formed to financially support those taking action in opposition to borders and colonization. In response to the State's escalating attack on indigenous and migrant people, a diversity of tactics is necessary. Your support is equally important!

And thanks again to all those who came out to support!

BOAF

We still have art for sale!!!

We currrently have some of the art that was not bid on showing at Shot In The Dark Cafe, located at 121 E. Broadway. Pieces available are by:
Emma Jeffries
Ryder Cooley
Jared "Squee" Levy
Lexi Coburn
Amy Hagmeier
Sharron Evans
Ian Fritz- a photograph that is not posted on the art page
Two prints from the Contra a la Guerra y Neoliberalismo series

We also have a few pieces tht are not showing. To inquire drop us a line at borderopposition@gmail.com.

On a side note, the auction went amazingly. Thanks to all the folks who helped, donated art, played music, and showed up to have a great time. We were especially happy to see such a diverse crowd of folks come together to support us and the wonderful groups we will be passing the money on to. Hopeully, the energy that was shown in the build-up to SB 1070 hasn't fallen by the wayside.
Thank you Tucson,
BOAF