Filler Distro || Pittsburgh Anarchist News, Analysis, DIY Publishing & Distribution

Anonymous submission, received 2.14.18

Early Sunday morning, February 11th, Mark Daniels, a black man of the Homewood neighborhood of Pittsburgh, was killed by police. This is the same city that had to be taken over by the U.S. Justice Department to stem a pattern of civil rights abuses; the same city that paralyzed Leon Ford, that killed Bruce Kelley Jr. The same police department that is facing its second corruption investigation in five years.

The police started stalking Mark after he left a convenience store—why, exactly, the police have yet to say. Then, somebody shot a gun, police allege it was Mark shooting at them, while multiple witnesses in the neighborhood say it was unrelated fire away from the police. Regardless, the police shot Mark in the shoulder and he ran, likely fearing for his life. Mark arrived at the backdoor of a nearby house asking for a glass of water. Police followed him to the backdoor, threw him to the ground, and took him away. A half hour later he was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital.

How could this happen? Mark was shot in the shoulder, a serious, but often survivable injury. After running down the block to ask for water, the woman who answered described him as alert and lucid. As the police were dragging Mark away, multiple witnesses say they saw officers beating him relentlessly. Officers contend that they were preforming CPR, but somehow no one seems to have seen this.

No gun was found at the scene, but after two days of putting the neighborhood on lock down and searching it with dogs, police did eventually turn up a .40 caliber hand gun. However, the coroner reports that there was no gun powder residue on Marks hands at the time of his death. And it’s unclear what caliber of gun was fired that night. So what does the discovered gun have to do with Mark?

As of this writing, Mark’s mother has yet to be allowed to view his body.

Mark was a father, a grandfather, a son, a brother, and a friend to many. His absence has left a hole in his community. His family has requested that as many people as possible attend a police accountability meeting to hold the police’s feet to the fire and raise questions.

Thursday, February 15th
Kingsley Center @ 6PM
6435 Frankstown Ave, Pittsburgh

Corporate media coverage:

http://www.wtae.com/article/suspect-shot-killed-by-police-after-chase-in-homewood-south/17011066

http://www.wtae.com/article/witness-speaks-after-fatal-police-involved-shooting/17236928

http://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2018/02/12/Pittsburgh-police-officer-involved-shooting-fatal-Homewood-gun-Mark-Daniels/stories/201802120114

Update: Benefit event this Saturday!

To celebrate the release of their new book, From Democracy to Freedom, folks from the CrimethInc. ex-workers collective are on tour. Come out to see them talk when they visit the Steel City. The talk will take place at 7pm at The Mr. Roboto Project, Wednesday March 7th, and is co-hosted by The Big Idea Bookstore collective and the Steel City Autonomous Movement.

Facebook event:
https://www.facebook.com/events/1992793380993669/

A brief description of the new work:

Democracy is the most universal political ideal of our day. George Bush invoked it to justify invading Iraq; Obama congratulated the rebels of Tahrir Square for bringing it to Egypt; Occupy Wall Street claimed to have distilled its pure form. From the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to the autonomous region of Rojava, practically every government and popular movement calls itself democratic.

And yet it was democracy that brought Donald Trump to power, not to mention Adolf Hitler.

What is democracy, precisely?
How can we defend ourselves against democratically-elected tyrants?
What is the difference between government and self-determination?

Drawing on the latest book from the CrimethInc. collective, the presenters will explore these questions and more.

Join us for a lively discussion!

Statement from the Nightshade Collective

We are queer and trans. Our existence clashes against the gender binary, and its crushing grip which polices our bodies and threatens our safety. The ways that we live—relate to one another, dress, gesture, and dream—are all in inherent subversion to that binary, which seeks to classify, erase, separate, and homogenize us. In turn, we fight for spaces free from gendered expectations, places where we can function and thrive in peace.

These demands are no different than what any person or creature desires: We wish to be ourselves without falling victim to demonization, violence, or death.