SUPPORT URGENTLY NEEDED FOR THE AGC AND POLITICAL PRISONERS!

Recently on May 1st, 2001 (May Day) there was a march in Long Beach, California. Between 100 to 150 Anti-Authoritarians, Anarchists and Punks gathered on the cross streets of Promenade and 1st. Not to mention couple of on-lookers, working people and students just out of school who were present as well. People were planning on marching for many different reasons: worker’s struggles, opposition of police and police brutality, animal and earth liberation, anti-capitalism, etc...
After the march took movement, the Long Beach Police Department made numerous attempts in cutting off the spontaneous route of the participants. Eventually the group was surrounded and attacked. The LBPD fired rubber bullets into the crowd at point blank range. Some of the bullets were embedded into the skin of a couple participants, who need surgery to remove them.
They had beaten people with batons longer then 3 feet; the swings were completly sloppy and cruel. To mention some of the injuries: A juvenile was struck in the face, couple people recieved broken bones, etc... When these individuals were arrested they did not get immediate medical attention. Some were transfered to LA County jail.
Many cannot afford lawyers. According to the news their was 100 arrests; 75 adults and 25 minors. A lot of minors are now dealing with biased parent reactions, I met some one who got his record collection thrown away from parents and got kicked out from the house. No estimate has been made for the amount of people who have lost their jobs.

Javier is a punk rock activist from Los Angeles. He is involved with the Alternative Gathering Collective, which works for social change in the punk community.
Rob (aka) Rukus is a Punk/Anarchist activist who does tons of volunteer work at benefit shows, medical help and security at various demonstrations, and is a passionate, uncompromising freedom fighter.
Javier is still in jail right now, he is been in there for 21 (as of 5/21/01) days. Hopefully he will be out in couple of days. Earlier he was starving inside because of his vegetarian diet. He has plead guilty to a misdemeanor, but is now facing the threat of deportation. This means that they are attempting to send him to Mexico because he is not a US citizen. He may have to start a new life there. His job, friends, college, and family are all here. We need to get him a good lawyer as soon as possible to fight this case, time is running out.
Rob (aka Rukus) currently has records from getting arrested at the World Week for Laboratory Animals Demonstration, counter-protesting a racist right wing group on July 4th of last year and at the Democratic National Convention protests. They are trying to push a felony on him. He has been in jail for 21 days as well. Earlier he was having problems with prison gangs. It is very racist and heavily divided in there.
Both of these comrades must get support as soon as possible! It is a very big loss to the movement in Southern California right now. Both are innocent, though Javier played guilty today in court so that he can get out of jail.
Right now, AGC is broke because of bail outs, We are asking the punk community for support.
What you can do is:
-Get the word out (thru friends, fanzines, ask promoters if you can announce this at shows)
-Send donations (every dollar counts)
-Set up benefit shows (bands can announce this news on stage)
-Individuals can hold garage sales, record swaps...
-Make more copies of this flyer
-Locals can pack the court room for “Court Solidarity”

Alternative Gathering Collective, P.O. Box 17546, Los Angeles, Ca. 90017
(make checks payable to Ron Jones).
agcollective@disinfo.net
web page: http://agc.digitalbomb.com
PS- They thought that they could crush our movement and scare us through potential jail sentences and long court cases. Though, this has only made us stronger. We have built more solidarity with other groups and organizations. This enables us to further reach our goals of liberation and justice. “NEVER GIVE UP"- Dare to Struggle - Dare to Win- ALL POWER TO THE PEOPLE!
Resist And Exist
http:www.spiralrecords.net/resist.htm

5/23/2001 update:
Just found out last night -Javier' girlfreind Reyna and Erika went to pick him up from jail since he played guilty. They transfer him. And the Sheriff told them he is getting deported. I don't know if the Sheriff is fucking with them. But if he does get deported we need to bring him back! Time is running out- Rob (aka Ruckus) is starving in jail because he is vegan.
Urgent donation is needed. Even if it's $1. It will be enough for a prison snack like peanuts.

THE SRUGGLE CONTINUES>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

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