Over 60 people have been charged with felonies in Pittsburgh for last summer’s protests.
Most of them aren’t famous. Most of them don’t have hundreds of Instagram followers, or on-line fundraising campaigns, or the backing of large activist organizations. Many of them are facing years in prison for the first and only protest they ever attended. Six of them are confined in Allegheny County Jail. An unknown number are also facing federal charges.
Some of them have private lawyers, but most are dependent on public defenders or the office of conflict counsel. A few have reached plea deals, some more favorable than others. Every one of them took the streets to express their anger and outrage at the police murder of George Floyd, and the vast majority are facing life-shattering consequences as a result.
Elsewhere the things are little different. A year after the George Floyd uprising, prosecutors across the country are still throwing the book at every protester they could get their hands on, aided by a virtual media blackout and the silence of liberal nonprofits.
To raise awareness of this situation, the National Lawyers Guild is circulating a petition (https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/drop-the-charges-blm) to drop all federal charges against Black Lives Matter demonstrators. We ask for organizations and individuals to sign it, and encourage their networks to do the same. In addition the Pittsburgh NLG chapter is raising money for legal support of all local protesters facing felony charges. Please donate at https://www.gofundme.com/f/pittsburgh-nlg-felony-defense-fund
You can send your report-backs, zine submissions, critiques, graffiti/action photos, demo tapes, hate mail, & memes to…
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The following are three very initial reflections on events in PGH. They developed from discussions between individuals in a small, multiracial group of former area residents.
1. The abolitionist struggle is a struggle towards a free and egalitarian society. Its leadership must be collective, and power must flow from the bottom up. This is the organizational structure of successful anti-authoritarian social movements and anti-colonial struggles in the United States and worldwide for hundreds of years.
2. The singling out of fellow march organizers and affinity groups with verbal abuse and threats mirror the tactics used by evangelical preachers, cult leaders, and other grifters. It enforces an abuser’s power over a group of increasingly docile participants by marking other potential leaders as “out groups” based on lies regarding said group’s racial makeup. In the future this should be met with a harsh response, and that response should come from anti-authoritarians of color and backed up by their white comrades.
3. Bad leadership destroys social movements. Bad leadership puts us all at risk: newcomers, progressives, revolutionaries, bystanders. Leaders worthy of the title do not verbally abuse and threaten those they seek to lead. They don’t scream in their faces, attempt to publicly humiliate them, or force them to sit in the mud to listen to them talk about their own personal experiences. Good leaders do not berate disabled and queer people, nor do they accuse black people who disagree with them of somehow being “white”. That is the behavior of bullies: of abusive parents and cult leaders. And that is the behavior that you unfortunately now are dealing with.
This dangerous behavior, if left unchecked, will (and already has) lead to drastically smaller turnout in the streets. It has made abolitionists in Pittsburgh vulnerable to police and fascist violence.
Good leadership seeks to build coalition with others. It seeks to bring new comrades into the fold and to embrace their unique experiences and worldviews. It is based on solidarity — not a misguided sense of self-importance and shame.
Bad leaders should not be allowed to hold on to the power that they are abusing.
[photo from a pgh demo in solidarity with the 2018 national prison strike]
You can send your report-backs, zine submissions, critiques, graffiti/action photos, demo tapes, hate mail, & memes to…
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Cracks in the Steel City is a filler column that recaps local news that anarchists in Pittsburgh may find interesting, with a particular focus on autonomous, illegalist, and insurrectionist activity. We also include information about fascist activity, state repression, and capitalist maneuvering.
All news content is sourced from anonymous submissions & communiques, social media, police reports, or capitalist media outlets. Because of this, all dates are approximates and may vary in accuracy.
According to police reports, 69 (nice) vehicles were stolen over the month of January. Capitalist media coverage indicates that the bulk of the vehicles belonged to UberEats drivers operating around the gentrified blocks of East Liberty, with a particular concentration between South Highland Avenue and the Google campus in Bakery Square. Many have been forced into the gig-economy, and while one can empathize with their struggles it is important to acknowledge that resistance to gentrification in East Liberty takes many forms.
January 4
Filler receives a report-back titled “Lessons in Expropriations” signed by DJ Cunnilingus, who writes,
I’m writing today from occupied Cherokee territory to describe a failed action undertaken by myself, inspired by media seen on the Filler Distro social channels.
I received a misdemeanor citation for shoplifting a few hundred dollars worth of merchandise at a big box corporate store, one whose profits have soared since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and whose workers have risked their lives for the same meager hourly wage. I was there for supplies for houseless survival kits: items such as backpacks, gloves, a sleeping bag, warm hats, several pairs of pants in various sizes, packages of socks and shirts, deodorant, tampons, toothbrushes and other toiletries in travel sized containers, first aid kits, covid masks, etc. I intended to assemble the supplies into kits and distribute them amongst the local houseless population, which has of course seen a boom recently.
The report goes on to describe exactly what went wrong, what lessons were learned, and then goes on to offer an outline for future strategic thinking.
January 6
Capitalist media reports “Dozens of tires slashed in Butler Co. mall lot after group went to Washington, D.C. [to attend the attempted pro-Trump putsch]. The cars were parked in the Clearview Mall parking lot after the group boarded buses.” The attack disabled dozens of Trumper’s vehicles.
January 13
A Sunoco in Bloomfield is robbed at gunpoint.
January 20
Filler receives two anonymous submissions regarding two banner-drops.
Banner-drop on the Bigelow pedestrian bridge: NO BORDERS NO WALLS NO PRESIDENTS AT ALL
Banner dropped from the 33rd Street train bridge: WE KEEP US SAFE 412-FUCK-12
January 24
A private vehicle with a “we support our Pittsburgh police” sign had its rear windshield smashed out in Lawrenceville.
On Thursday morning, a collection of autonomous activists blockaded the sole access road to the Shell Polymer’s office in Beaver, PA to protest the transformation of the Ohio Valley into a manufacturing hub for the petrochemical industry. Shell Polymers is a subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell, and they are constructing an ethane cracking facility in Beaver that will be used to turn fracked gas into plastic.
February
February 2
A WPXI headline reads “Teenagers terrorizing Pittsburgh neighborhood with bizarre crimes, police say.” The reality appears to be that a group of teens are having fun during quarantine by fucking with their white Karen neighbors; stealing their security cameras, setting dumpsters on fire, and pulling fire alarms.
Capitalist media reports that a man is arrested for making bomb threats against the federal building in downtown Pittsburgh. The suspect reportedly stated “the government owes me money.” The suspect will be charged with terroristic threats and threat to use weapons of mass destruction.
February 5
Local abolitionists launch a campaign to help community members incarcerated at the Allegheny County Jail regain access to commissary funds, recreation, showers, and video visits.
February 6
Pittsburgh Fash Watch released a community alert, “Crypto-fascists Discovered in Pittsburgh.” The dossier linked is an extensive and well-researched investigation into this local crypto-fascist network.
February 7
Capitalist media reports that an off-duty officer plowed his car into a home, injuring two.
February 12
Pittsburgh Fash Watch alerts community to continued collaboration between right-wing restaurant The Crack’d Egg and fascist group Iron City CRU.
Capitalist media reports that at 7am, a man crashed his pickup into a Sunoco in the Hill District and attempted to steal an ATM. After a few seconds of struggling to load the machine into his truck, surveillance footage shows a bystander try to help. The man drove off without the ATM, but was arrested a short time later on Fifth Avenue in Oakland.
February 14
Capitalist media reports that a man was tased and arrested early Sunday morning after assaulting a Pittsburgh Police officer. At some point during the altercation, the accused allegedly managed to pocket the officer’s keys.
Capitalist media reports “A Pittsburgh Police officer was taken to the hospital following his cruiser crashing into a home on Pittsburgh’s North Side.”
Capitalist media reports that a new phone scam is enjoying moderate success.
A Valentine’s Day noise demo takes place outside of Allegheny County Jail. The following report-back circulates social media:
Neither ice nor snow nor forecasted bitterly cold temps kept a big-hearted, masked- and bundled-up crew of some 50 of us from showing up outside Allegheny County Jail tonight to offer lotsa love to those still trapped behind bars. Our #Love4Abolition noise demo included a live band, a capella singing, and sound system tunes, all accompanied by lotsa banging on pots and pans and lotsa dancing, along with two illuminated banners (both with lite-up hearts), mutual aid from legal, medic, and food collectives, and the message pictured here—and best of all, reciprocal dancing, waving, and lights flashing on and off from those inside ACJ. To support ongoing solidarity efforts on the stolen lands of Pittsburgh to lend care to currently and formerly incarcerated folks in numerous ways, check out, get involved with, and/or donate to @jailbreakpgh and @bukitbailfund.
February 15
Capitalist media reports that two people were arrested in their vehicle outside of Home Depot with $1,300 in stolen goods.
February 16
The Graffiti Task Force releases photos of BATMAN BEYOND suspect.
Capitalist media reports that,
A suspect is in custody after shots were fired at a Braddock police officer. As soon as he saw the Braddock police car, he started shooting at him,” Daniele said. The chief said those bullets only hit the cop car. The suspect then took off, prompting an all-out search from nearly a dozen neighboring departments. “A dog tracked some snow prints to an abandoned home up here on Lobinger. County officers tracked the rest of it and realized there was a man barricaded in one of the houses up on the hill,” Daniele said. After SWAT and negotiators took over, that suspect was taken into custody and will be charged. Daniele told KDKA the man did have a self-inflicted gunshot wound, but it is not life-threatening. Medics did check him out on scene. During the course of the investigation, the car from the original call was reported stolen.
February 17
Capitalist media reported that police are looking for three suspects who stole two vehicles from a car dealership in Washington County. As of this writing, no suspects have been publicly identified.
February 21
Filler received the following photo-submission from MUTINY:
February 25
Filler receives anonymous report of alt-right graffiti in lawrencville. Shortly after, @pghfashwatch reports that anti-fascists have covered the graffiti.
Filler receives the following announcement:
412 Defense Funds is a list of active Pittsburgh felony defense funds related to the 2020 uprising. This site is an autonomous project, unaffiliated with any of the individual campaigns. In solidarity with all defendants. Only the State is guilty. 412defense.noblogs.org
February 26
Filler receives the following submission:
Corinne Rust Belt Tension Duval passed away at the age of 32. In every attack, every trespass, every reading group, every adventure, Corinne is present. She will never be forgotten. The State will feel the weight of our grief.
February 27
Filler receives a report that BLEACH has covered transphobic stickers that were spotted earlier in the East End.
Capitalist media reports “WESTMORELAND, Pa. — A Pennsylvania man searched for ‘how to set your car on fire and make it look like an accident’ on his cellphone before setting his vehicle aflame, investigators said.”
March
March 1
Three gas stations were robbed in under an hour. The first robbery was reported at the Marathon gas station along Penn Avenue in Lawrenceville around 1:25 Monday morning. Investigators say the second robbery was reported at the Shell gas station along Baum Boulevard in East Liberty about 20 minutes later, around 1:45 a.m.
In two of the robberies, two men, at least one of whom was armed, entered the businesses and demanded money, making off with cash and cigarettes.
“People are really hurting out here financially. It’s bringing a lot of problems on the workplace and the environment,” an employee told KDKA.
Pittsburgh Police have not said if it is the same two alleged suspects at each robbery. At this point, there is no description on any suspects.
March 2
Capitalist media reports that the Pittsburgh Police are cracking down on people illegally driving off-road vehicles on city streets.
Public Safety says in 2020, the city started seeing large numbers of off-road vehicles like ATVs and dirt bikes driving recklessly — taking over roadways and intersections, driving on sidewalks and in many cases, going in the wrong direction.
According to Public Safety, “flash mobs” or “ride-outs” have as many as 50 to 200 riders roaming Pittsburgh’s neighborhoods at any given time.
Public Safety says just in the past week, police issued eight citations and towed two vehicles from a ride-out event. One citation came from a traffic stop where a dirt bike rider was driving the wrong way toward police on N. Beatty Street.
Triblive quoted Pittsburgh police Commander Eric Holmes as saying, “We cannot address this problem alone and we are asking for the public’s help to put an end to these dangerous and disruptive ride-outs in the city.” Haha good luck with that, ya jag.
March 4
Pittsburgh City Council has decided to table its discussion of a “no-knock bill” for two weeks.
March 6
Filler received the following anonymous communique: “Last night I attacked several corporate store fronts as a modest contribution to the March 6 Day of Action, and as a means of grieving a lost loved one. I miss you, Duval.”
Filler received the following anonymous communique: “some friends went on a prole strole and smashed a few cameras, but one of them had an alarm attached to it that went off so be aware of that”
March 8
“Drop the charges” and pro-rioter graffiti photos begin circulating social media.
“RIP TENSION” & “RIP Duval” graffiti photos begin circulating social media.
Filler received the following anonymous report:
“mounted police on butler st and reported in troy hill, today is the first day of chauvins trial.”
March 10
After Chase Bank announced that they would be giving $200 gift cards to anyone who opens a new account, hundreds of Pittsburgh-area residents had their identities stolen and used to open fake Chase Bank accounts in their name. The bank expropriation scam does not appear to have used the stolen identities for any other purpose. Despite federal assistance, a multi-department police task force has yet to announce any leads on the case.
March 11
Filler received a communique from “team fuck shit” claiming responsibility for stealing 17 Peduto campaign signs.
Pittsburgh Fash Watch reports on the removal of transphobic stickers between 40th and 44th on Davison St.
Capitalist media reports that Pittsburgh Public Schools will be taking high school students to court for truancy, despite repeated attempts on behalf of the students and their families to demonstrate that they were unable to use Zoom or their home internet connection to attend online classes.
March 12
Filler received the following anonymous communique:
“Anarchists in Pittsburgh dropped a banner at a pedestrian bridge in solidarity with those fighting back against Line 3 and pipelines everywhere. Living in Pittsburgh makes us acutely aware of the risks of industrial pollution.”
March 13
Capitalist media reports that the Pennsylvania State Police will be canceling their Spring and Summer Youth Cadet Training Camps due to concerns over the COVID pandemic. At “Camp Cadet,” kids aged 12-15 are forced to dress in uniform, march in formation, and attend police seminars on build a positive relationship with law enforcement personnel in exchange for free food.
March 15
A noise demonstration is held in solidarity with community members incarcerated at the Allegheny County Jail.
Filler received acommunique from Ohio Valley Environmental Resistance:
“OVER & several affinity groups held a noise demo outside the home of Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald to protest his support of the petrochemical industry.”
March 16
New issueof Occupy Pittsburgh News dropped. It continues the paper’s coverage of how the Pittsburgh city government, local universities, private developers, and big tech are trying to bulldoze through two neighborhoods and Schenley Park to build a road used exclusively by “autonomous” vehicle shuttles for students & techies. The project also appears to deliberately worsen flood patterns in the hoods.
March 17
Pitt, CMU & tech giants launch ‘collaboratory’ that will “study how extremism is generated, how it shapes polarizing views, how it provokes illegal acts” & “develop tools that provide effective intervention for law enforcement” & “combating radicalism.” They also intend to develop methods of tracking radical networks that use encrypted networks. You know, to stop hate. Yeah. Thats why.
March 19
Two plainclothes, unidentified police followed, jumped and arrested two comrades after the climate strike. They did not identify themselves, and at least one comrade will be facing felony charges.
Filler received a report indicating that fascist graffiti in Oakland had been covered.
Capitalist media reports “Pennsylvania state House passes bill upping penalty for spitting on police officers.”
Under existing law, spitting on a police officer is treated the same as spitting on any other person. The perpetrator could be charged with disorderly conduct.
That currently could be charged as either a summary offense or a third degree misdemeanor, with penalties ranging from a fine of $25 to $1,000, and up to a year in prison.
Schmitt’s bill would bump up spitting, or knowingly throwing any other bodily substances, such as blood, urine, or feces, on a police officer to a first degree misdemeanor. That’s punishable with two-and-a-half to five years in prison, and a fine of up to $10,000. As written, the bill elevated the misdemeanor to a felony if the spitter had a communicable disease. The bill also specifically notes Hepatitis-B and HIV-AIDS.
This matches the existing law for “bodily fluid assault,” Schmitt said.
Right now, the only specific statute covering spitting applies if the offender is a prisoner. In that case, spitting on anyone else, including a police officer or corrections officer, is automatically a felony if the prisoner is “infected by a communicable disease, including, but not limited to, [HIV] or hepatitis B.”
March 20
Despite the COVID shutdown, federal investigation, and brief autonomous blockades like the one in January, Shell announced that the cracker plant in Beaver County will be fully operational in 2022. Unless more delays occur, of course.
Google announces plans to expand its little company-town in Walnut Capital’s Bakery Square.
The snitch-seeker squad & surveillance task force are re-mobilized. Civil Affairs and DAAT can eat shit.
Filler received the following anonymous submission:
“Looks like someone capped the duo lingo mural. Maybe they’ll leave better art work up or pay someone in the community to paint it next time. Fuck tech giants.”
March 22
Pennsylvania State Police and the bomb squad were called to a Walmart in Westmoreland County for a suspicious package.
Find each other.
You can send your report-backs, zine submissions, critiques, graffiti/action photos, demo tapes, hate mail, & memes to…
Filler_PGH@protonmail.com
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Send reports in email form, as an attachment, or better yet, on an easy to use (and free) Riseup Pad or CryptPad.
Cracks in the Steel City is a filler column that recaps local anarchist news that you may have missed while doom-scrolling, with a particular focus on autonomous, illegalist, and insurrectionist activity as well as updates on state repression.
All news content is sourced from anonymous communiqués, social media, police reports, or capitalist media outlets. Because of this, all dates are approximates and may vary in accuracy.
A variety of leftist posters and event flyers are wheatpasted across the city in seriously huge numbers. One poster was a beautiful tribute to the memory of our Jewish neighbors who were murdered in the fascist attack on the Tree of Life Synagogue in 2018. We will outlive them!
Filler received dozens of submissions from various crews and individuals competing to steal the most election propaganda.
A Subway restaurant in Carrick got robbed. As of this writing, police have yet to identify any suspects.
A man wearing a radio earpiece robbed the Dollar Bank at 537 Smithfield Street. As of this writing, Pittsburgh police have yet to identify the suspect.
November 2
Several Pittsburgh politicians homes and offices were vandalized with anti-electoral and revolutionary messages. Probably Maoists but interesting regardless.
November 4
Filler received this anonymous communiqué:
On N4, about ~50 people interrupted a Socialist Alternative speech for the first militant breakaway march Pittsburgh’s seen in a hot minute. Even though it quickly became clear that this bloc had no consensus of what to do with their brief moment of autonomy – dispersing after a riotous 30 minutes with 3 arrests – it should still be celebrated as the first real break with “the” leadership that has sought the pacification of the movement ever since the riots of May 30 & June 2. This is how we find each other.
November 10
KDKA reports “Police Looking For Man Suspected Of Killing Juvenile Probation Officer In East Liberty.” As of this writing, the accused person continues to evade capture.
November 17
Anti-fascists clean up MAGA and infowars graffiti in Bloomfield and North Oakland.
November 20
Several magistrates’ offices were vandalized in the Pittsburgh area. The post gazette reports, “The front doors & window of the office were damaged, as foam had been sprayed between the double doors, epoxy was poured into the hinges & keyhole…” & the doors were u-locked shut and covered in the message “EVICTION IS VIOLENCE.” One person was arrested for their alleged connection to the action after their vehicle was identified at the scene via security footage. When police searched the vehicle, they claim to have found plans for the action still inside, including maps and a note that read “don’t leave stuff behind, ditch it.” Police suspect that there were other accomplices, but as of this writing they remain unidentified. Nice.
November 23
Pittsburgh police raided the home of a local anti-fascist and BLM community organizer without a warrant. The pigs brandished weapons at the comrade’s child and did not Mirandize upon arrest.
November 24
Around 1am, an unarmed individual robbed the BP gas station along West Liberty Avenue. As of this writing, Pittsburgh Police have yet to identify a suspect.
November 27
Pittsburgh Police report that at around 2am, a man entered the Sunoco on North Craig Street in Oakland, went behind the counter, smashed the register, and stole everything in it.
At 5am, another store is robbbed on Banksville Road.
November 29
A man suspected of robbing a Rite Aid now faces a slew of charges related to serial robbery. Pittsburgh Police claim that, during interrogation, the alleged suspect confessed to robbing three convenience stores in three days.
November 30
An anonymous anti-fascist spots American Defense Skinheads and other Nazi propaganda stickers in the North Side and alerts their community. Several hours later, Filler received the following anonymous communiqué:
Crew removed 15-20 ADS stickers w ‘blood and soil’ & ‘diversity is not our strength’ wording in the 4 square blocks encompassed by E North Ave, Cedar Ave, East St, E Ohio St
December 1
“Welcome to ACAB World”
Filler received an anonymous communiqué and several photographs:
Last night we vandalized 13 parking meters because fuck parking tickets. With love, – some anarchists
December 4
Pittsburgh Police and local capitalist media resume their pathetic attempts to identify alleged May 30 rioters. A spontaneous campaign to flood the snitch hotline with false tips organically materialized.
December 5
Two people robbed a gas station at gunpoint in Bethel Park. One suspect has been arrested. KDKA reports that police are still asking for the public’s help in identifying his alleged accomplice.
December 8
Two individuals shoplift over $2,100 in merchandise from a Walmart in Indiana County. As of this writing, police have yet to identify any suspects.
December 10
After piece-of-shit-pig Paul Abel got fired from the Pittsburgh Police force, Pittsburgh Fash Watch revealed that he was trying to join the gig economy. A community warning is issued.
December 14
The East End is drowned in anti-police slogans and Bleach.
Anarchist graffiti writer Sappho passes away. Her name still echoes across Pittsburgh’s streets.
December 18
A graffiti message declaring solidarity with political prisoners in Denver, Colorado is spotted on the North Side.
December 19
Security camera footage circulating on social media shows three individuals with sleds cut a hole in a fence that obstructs access to a steep hill.
December 20
After a pig got shot, police retaliate against the entirety of McKeesport, raiding random homes without warrants and establishing illegal checkpoints at major roadways. Shit was fucked, but not surprising. We encourage folks to look at the logistics of what happened and study the counter-insurgency tactics police deployed.
December 22
A Washington County convenience store is robbed at gunpoint. As of this writing, police have yet to identify a suspect.
A Subway restaurant in Rochester Borough is robbed. As of this writing, police have yet to identify a suspect.
December 31
The following report-back is circulating social media:
There’s no better New Year’s Eve tradition than a noise demo, and maybe because of this #FuckCOVID19 year, there was no better noise demo than the one outside Allegheny County Jail in Pittsburgh. Mutual aid projects, begun or solidified during the pandemic, with relationships inside and outside this huge jail’s walls, organized this display of “We 🖤 you” (including the illuminated banner pictured here) with utmost regard for #CollectiveCare from start to finish. The playlist for loud mobile sound system, for instance, was gathered by getting call-in requests from incarcerated folks this past week, and promotion for the demo was via trusted yet diverse circles (rather than social media) based on a framework of what makes for solidarity and a desire to strengthen bonds over the longer haul, including with family supporters of those inside. The approx 100 of us included everything we needed or could have wanted—from medics, scouts, emotional aid, and legal observers to a live samba band, projected words of solidarity, hot chocolate setup, hand warmers, and tons of ways to make noise, light, and dancing. The demo was timed with when folks inside could still call out, so we heard via phone that they could, say, see the “We 🖤 you” banner outside, though that was clear too from the many hands held up inside the jail windows forming heart shapes to us. People inside the multistoried fortress danced along with us, flashed their cell lights off and on, and made quick DIY signs to share outward in reply to us, including one that said “We ❤️ yinz” (a sweet Pittsburgh thing). Our noise and light demo didn’t abolish prisons, or help alleviate the death sentence that prisons have become under COVID-19; it didn’t change this miserable, fascistic world. Yet for about 3 hours, the walls fell just enough to allow joyous connection, and a sense that our love and solidarity is stronger than their cages.
You are not alone. We are everywhere. Find each other.
merry crisis and a happy new fear, -filler
You can send your report-backs, zine submissions, critiques, graffiti/action photos, demo tapes, hate mail, & memes to…
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Originally published on 07.24.20 by TORCHLIGHT – Anarchist News from Pittsburgh
A local anarchist who has recently been involved in legal support sent us [Torchlight] this compendium of repressive activities by law enforcement. It has been edited for spelling and grammar, and supporting links added, but is otherwise unchanged.
* The so-called Damage Assessment Accountability Task Force has been going through surveillance camera footage from protests in late May and early June, and arresting protesters for allegedly throwing things at the cops, looting stores, etc. Right now they are pretty narrowly focused on the protests that happened on May 30th and June 1st, but it’s not hard to imagine them expanding into a more general role in the future. So far they’ve arrested at least 20 people, most of whom were new to protesting and don’t have any connections in activist circles. We don’t know exactly which police forces are in DAAT, but news reports point to the FBI, ATF, and Pittsburgh police.
* Grand juries are hella sketch, especially federal grand juries. There isone at work in Pittsburgh that has already indicted three people. All of them were allegedly part of the same two protests being investigated by the DAAT, but federal grand juries last 18 months. If this one has just started up, it has plenty of time left to indulge in mission creep.
* The FBI has approached two activists that we know about. They also attempted to talk with several protesters arrested at the action on June 1st. We don’t know what the feds were able to learn from these interviews, but we have to assume they’re coordinating with the DAAT and the grand jury.
* An anarchist squat was recently evicted. As awful as this would have been on its own, there is reason to believe that the squat was targeted specifically for the politics of its residents. Several cops tried to get the squatters to talk about their beliefs, and an “intel unit” officer took pictures of the inside of the house and tried to get permission to take several zines with him. Even the building inspector called in to condemn the house was getting in on the act, by taking pictures of the license plates of cars coming to help people move.
* The Allegheny County district attorney has been trialing facial recognition technology from Clearview AI, a company founded by an alt-right grifter and spammer. While the DA doesn’t appear to have a current contract with Clearview, they’re obviously interested in the technology and might have just gone with a different supplier.
This report shows the backlash is well under way. DA Stephen Zappala pulled off a neat PR coup by charging 61 arrested protesters with misdemeanors – and then loudly announcing that he was dropping the chargesfor lack of evidence. This let him take credit for respecting protesters’ civil rights while dodging the flood of criticism that would have accompanied the prosecution of proverbial peaceful protesters for minor offenses. Now he gets to rack up felony prosecutions in relative peace, knowing Pittsburgh’s liberal activist groups won’t give him any shit as long as he’s only going after “violent looters”.
In the street, actions continue under the same old implicit bargainwith the cops. Incredibly aggressive marshals scream at anyone deviating from the organizers’ script, undercover cops shadow every march taking pictures, and any possibility of militant action is snuffed out at birth. Multiple peaceful marches are taking place every week, which stretches police resources and forces them to spend money on overtime, but this is a very small consolation. The absence of state police and other outside reinforcements at recent protests indicates the Pittsburgh cops think they’re on top of the situation. It’s hard to argue with their assessment.
This pacification is reflected in the absolute denial of any concessions by local politicians. Unlike cities such as New York or Portland, where police departments have seen slight budget cuts and minor restrictions on their authority to use force, in Pittsburgh the police are getting more money. The 2020 operating budget grants them a 10% increase in funding. At the county level, the Allegheny county council refused to ban tear gas or even domass coronavirus testingat the jail.
Alternative approaches to defunding the police abound. In Minneapolis, where resistance fighters burned down the third police precinct building, cops are resigning in droves. While they might just be taking advantage of their generous health benefits to retire early on disability pensions, the fact remains that they won’t be murdering unarmed Black people on the streets anymore. In Portland, police admit to $8 million and counting in overtime expenses from two months of riots, already over half thepaltry budget cut imposed by the Portland city council.
We could go on, but you get the idea. Shrinking the Pittsburgh police is going to have to be a DIY effort. The sooner we start the better.
***
You can send your report-backs, zine submissions, critiques, graffiti/action photos, demo tapes, hate mail, & memes to…
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Statement from “some anti-fascists based in the East End.” Submission received on 06.14.20
Timeline of Events
(Confirmed) Around 6pm on Saturday, June 13th, approximately 15 fascists (some affiliated with the Nazi skinhead gang, Keystone United) attempted to picketThe Big IdeaCooperative Bookstore & Café in Bloomfield. Within minutes, dozens of East Enders turned out to oppose the Neo-Nazis.
(Confirmed) Around 6:30, the fascists split into smaller groups and put up propaganda flyers around the neighborhood. Local anti-fascists monitored the situation, following the fascists from a distance and filming their activities.
(Unconfirmed) Around 6:45, one fascist assaulted someone who was documenting his activities outside of Silky’s Bar on Liberty Ave.
(Confirmed) Around 6:45, police arrived at the scene outside of Silky’s Bar. The police and several others separated the fascists from the locals, and two officers briefly spoke to two of the Neo-Nazis. A few minutes later the police and the Nazis shook hands and went their separate ways.
(Confirmed) A few blocks up the street, anothersplinter group of four Nazis began taunting ~10 local anti-fascists and other residents outside of Lou’s Corner Bar. As the video shows, the Nazis went to their parked vehicle. One of them pulled a handgun out of the backseat, chambered a round, and threatened the people filming him. The Neo-Nazis drove off shortly after.
(Unconfirmed) The gunman may be Keystone United member Josh Martin.
Pittsburgh is no stranger to the fascist movement’s violence. The tragic attack on theTree of Life Synagoguein October 2018 is still fresh in our memories. In 2009, a white supremacist named Richard Poplawski made the front page for murdering three Pittsburgh police officers (it is worth noting that the police killings of Paul Palmer and Lamar W. Smithearlier that same year went largely ignored by the media).
In July 2018, the last time Keystone United gathered in Pittsburgh, six members of the gang were arrested for their racially-motivated attackon Paul Morris in Avalon.
Keystone United is not welcome in Pittsburgh; East Enders proved that on Saturday.Fascist groups like KU have become emboldened by growing national unrest. Pittsburgh antifa has returned that boldness in kind.Even though many local anti-racists were attending Black Lives Matter protests in other parts of the city, Pittsburghers stayed vigilant and communicative. Many different anti-racist organizations and individuals came together and helped mobilize the neighborhood to successfully disrupt the Neo-Nazi picket.
We will continue to confront them by any means necessary, and our neighborhoods will continue to turn the fuck out. Hate has no home here.
Keystone United may have retreated for now, but it is likely that they are staying with their local contacts and will remain in town for the weekend. So please, please be safe yinz. Roll with a crew if you plan on hitting the bars.
If you think you’ve spotted a group of Nazis and want to alert the community, remember the acronym SALUTE.
Make sure you come prepared if you intend to document their activities or to intervene in racist / sexist / homophobic / transphobic attacks. Always protect your identity: bring a mask, cover your tattoos, bring a change of clothes. When leaving an encounter, remember to take three turns to check for tail; you don’t want them to know where you live or what kind of car you drive. If you cannot risk a confrontation, then perhaps you can assist with coordinating communications, transportation, provide safe houses, child/pet care, alert your neighbors… anti-fascism is a community effort!
Remember: Antifa is not an organization you can join. Anti-fascism is a position of community self-defense; it is something that you do. Let’s take action to protect ourselves, our friends, and our neighbors.
On May Day, an autonomous group of individuals carried out a series of banner drops in Pittsburgh in support of the 5 global demands.
In this time of crisis, it is more important than ever that we prioritize the safety and well-being of our neighbors and communities over the profits of the owning class or a quick return to “normal”. Too many of us in Pittsburgh believe that the course of the response to this pandemic is out of our control, that we can only make the best of plans and actions handed down from on high by politicians, landlords, and business owners. It does not have to be that way. With these banners, we are spreading awareness of the possibilities of collective action, hoping to foster the knowledge that we as people can make the decisions that will keep us and our people safe, housed, and secure despite the changes that the virus has made necessary. These problems are systemic, and our demands are inextricable from one another. We cannot have homes for all if we do not cancel rent, debt, and mortgage, or if prisoners are released without healthcare and homes to go to. Our power lies in our autonomy and our solidarity—together, we can all protect one another.
Demand 1: Free Healthcare
Free testing, treatment, and medical care for all. We must be able to seek access to preventative and emergency care without fear of debt or incarceration. With health insurance tied to employment, millions of newly unemployed people have lost access to medical care in the midst of a pandemic.
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, over 2 million Pennsylvania residentshad unpaid medical debt. As the health crisis continues, we must expect this number to increase dramatically. We need to radically expand access to COVID-19 testing and make healthcare available for all people, regardless of class, employment status, and ability to pay. In response to the crisis, the government has funded a $2 trillion dollar stimulus package that functions primarily to bail out billionaires. This is proof that we have the capability to take drastic measures to protect vulnerable populations during this crisis; what we lack is the political will. For this reason, the masses of unemployed and working people must come together to demand a radical new approach to health care access in this country. We need to stop protecting corporations and the exploiting classes. We need testing, treatment, and healthcare for all, and we need it now!
Demand 2: Workers Decide
Work can only continue on our terms. Guaranteed benefits and expanded insurance for the unemployed. Paid sick leave, hazard pay and worker protections for essential sectors. Any essential service must adopt strict protective measures for workers and their families.
We call on Governor Wolf and the state legislature to defend workers’ right to decide how and when they go back to work, once widespread testing, tracing and necessary protective measures have been made free, accessible, and available. Workers across the globe are communicating and organizing together to resist premature reopening of businesses and worksites. Workers in “essential” industries such as healthcare, sanitation, food production, and retail are coming together to demand appropriate protections and compensation. If workers aren’t given paid sick leave, hazard pay, worker protection, and personal and medical protection, there will be hell to pay when we strike. We demand that employers stop asking workers to risk their lives for their employer’s accumulation of wealth!
Demand 3: No Paying, No Debt
Cancel rent and mortgage payments, utility and bill collections and all debt payments for the duration of the pandemic. No work means no pay. The unemployed cannot be forced to choose between survival and settling their debts.
Prior to COVID-19, two in fiveAmericans and three in fiverenters across the United States would have been unable to afford a $400 dollar emergency expense. According to reports, about 59% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck, with 44% struggling to make payments on their bills and credit card debts. In Pittsburgh, 22% of residentslive at or below the poverty line, significantly higher than that of the state average of 13.3%. Comparisons of today’s economy to the 2008 financial crisis indicate that we are heading for a collapse that could eclipse the recession of twelve years ago. We cannot repeat our past mistakes. The $2 trillion stimulus package that was passed in late March must work for the people, not Wall Street.
Even with the $1200 stimulus check, many who are out of work will not be able to make their payments. If we are unable to work, we are unable to pay. The unemployed cannot be expected to bear the burden of debt during the pandemic.
We call upon the Pennsylvania state legislature to sign on to bill HR 6515introduced by Representatives Sara Innamorato and Summer Lee of Allegheny County, Representative Elizabeth Fiedler of Philadelphia and Representative Danielle Friel Otten of Chester County, to suspend rent and mortgage payments during the COVID crisis. Moreover, we challenge landlords and banks to open their ‘rainy day funds’ to their lenders, and tenants and individuals to organize with their neighbors through the Pittsburgh Union of Regional Renters.
Demand 4: Free Prisoners
Release high-risk inmates and those held on bail from jails and prisons immediately. Release all immigrants and asylum seekers held in detention centers. Provide care for those infected and adequate minimum distance requirements for remaining inmates. Prison cannot mean a guaranteed death sentence.
Formerly incarcerated folks have reported to Jailbreak (a jail after-care support group) the poor conditions of those currently inside Allegheny County Jail. N95 masks given with the seals broken, 1 roll of toilet paper per week to be shared with a cell-mate, limited access to soap, medical care and testing, just to name a few. If the state is going to keep people in the jail, it is paramount that they treat all those behind their walls in a safe and humane manner.
Dr. Debra L. Brogen, the newly appointed Director of the ACHD, must do more. Those inside must have proper access to basic hygiene and medical needs, including testing anyone that has even 1 symptom.If Dr. Brogen does not act, the jail will inevitably become a death camp. With how easily the virus transmits we know cases are rising daily. As of May Day 2020, there are 27 positive tests for those incarcerated—out of only 48 total tests. There are over 1,600 people currently locked up. We believe in the end of the industrial prison complex. Free Them All!
Demand 5: Homes For All
Shelter the houseless. Halt eviction proceedings. Sheltering in place is the most effective way to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Open unoccupied homes and hotels to anyone who needs shelter. End the criminalization and sweeps of houseless encampments.
Housing is a human right, and collectively we have the capability to house everyone. Renters across the region are still facing the prospect of houslessness, eviction, and increases in their rent, while landlords sit idly by waiting for our rent checks. Moments of crisis such as this pandemic force us to make a choice: safety and security for the people, or profits for those who own the buildings we live in?
Seventy percent of Americans are under lockdown orders. Although banks and homeowners have been offered forgiveness for late-payments and adjustments to mortgages, many of our most vulnerable are left without a safety net yet again. In a small sample of houseless individuals in Boston, 36%tested positive for COVID-19. Other cities have created housing programs that open empty hotels to houseless individuals. Pittsburgh must follow suit. We understand that these are temporary solutions in a long, systematic struggle against the powers of privilege, property, systemic racism, and capitalism, but even temporary solutions are worth our while during a crisis such as this.
If we cannot rely on those in power to protect us, we have to take matters into our own hands by organizing with our neighbors, negotiating with our landlords, and if necessary, taking part in a rent strike. We stand collectively in agreement with the Pittsburgh Union of Regional Renters’ (PURR) call to:
Cancel rent
Cancel mortgages
Extend the eviction moratorium (currently expiring May 8)
Provide protective equipment for all workers
Guarantee shelter to the unhomed
Guarantee paid sick leave
Decarcerate the Allegheny County jail. It remains inhumane and a deadly health risk.
We know that these 5 demands are not relevant only in the time of the Covid-19 coronavirus. Regardless of the course of the pandemic and the government’s response to it, these demands will continue to guide us towards a better world in which we can all thrive. These are difficult and scary times; there is no going back to the patterns of living and working we were familiar with before this global pandemic. Even scarier is the fact that this was inevitable—this moment of realization that the system we had before was not created for the welfare of all.
The needs that the 5 Demands address existed before the crisis, but have made unmistakably clear by the pandemic’s effect on a system with no extra space for those at the margins. Although COVID-19 is the immediate cause of much suffering and our response to it is our priority, the underlying problem is not the virus, but the stranglehold that capitalism holds on our lives and our ways of thinking. Until it is destroyed, we will continue to fight.
***
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The following communiqué was submitted anonymously to Filler on 03.05.20.
Last night, we sabotaged 7 ATMs in Pittsburgh, PA by jamming adhesive-soaked plastic rectangles into their card slots. It was quick, easy, fun, and no one even gave us a second glance—you should try it sometime.
Whether it’s because of the cold, a health precaution, or for criminal direct action… one day we’ll all wear gloves and masks.
We’d like to dedicate a special fuck-you to PNC Bank for collaborating with EQT and the construction of the Mountain Valley Pipeline. No, this petty vandalism won’t put all that much of a hole in your pockets. But if you want to get rich by destroying our Earth, then we’ll get our kicks by destroying your property.
Yo Philly, we’re coming for your high-score! – guerilla biscuits
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“For the next 30 days, every day, we will be profiling/exposing a member or supporter of Keystone United (KU) and Keystone State Skinheads (KSS). We will be largely concentrating on Pennsylvania fascists, with a few exceptions.”
Philly Antifa not only followed through, but they even threw in a few bonus boneheads. Local jags include Josh Martin, Terrence Raymond Stockey, and Shane Michael Dilling. Click HERE for the complete list of fascists, read on to check out Philly’s closing thoughts, which we’ve republished here for its insights and because spread that shit.
We hope that the info we’ve collected is helpful to comrades around Pennsylvania and elsewhere. We will be copying all the Keystone United Exposed articles to a stand-alone blog so, as time passes and new content is published here, that info remains easy to find.
Keystone United Exposed effectively identified the major players within KSS, as well as many of its foot soldiers and supporters. It provided a start in mapping out the distribution of KU/KSS around the state and region, so we can know where they are really strong and when they are swelling numbers with out-of-town support.
From l to r: Unknown, Joe Phy, Scott Costa, Jason Cunningham, Ian McCorts, Unknown, Bob Gaus, Bryan Vanagaitis, AJ Olsen and Nunzio Pellegrino of Keystone State Skinheads. All except unknowns were profiled as part of KU Exposed.
Keystone United members. From l to r: Steve Smith, Unknown, Bob Gaus, Joe Garvey, Bryan Vanagaitis, Cody Haulman, Ryan Wojtowicz, Scott Costa, Ian McCorts, Travis Cornell (rip lol), Chris Croumbley, Josh Martin and Shane Dilling. All but the one unknown were exposed during our series.
Having identified this many members and associates of KU/KSS will also lead to us identifying future associates more easily. We exposed many bones at their jobs and to people who live in their communities. However, one drawback of a project like this is such a flood of information can make it inevitable that people will begin to slip through the cracks. It’s possible that by focusing on a smaller number and really campaigning around, for example, getting Steve Smith fired from Gertrude Hawk’s Chocolates warehouse in Dunmore, we could have had a larger impact. The good news is there’s no reason why we can’t still do that.
While preparing these articles, we learned several things that had to be considered and reconciled with our subjects’ associations with a violent white supremacist gang; filled with men who glorify Hitler and Colonialism, who promise “Freedom Through Nationalism” but practice racial terror. Including the frequency that Keystone United members and associates had successfully either totally hidden or sanitized the group’s image for many people in their lives. This sort of “low-intensity,” year round outreach work (aka being fake friendly) is insidiously effective in minimizing the eventual impact once they are eventually exposed. “Oh no! Not Bob… He’s never said anything offensive to me! Well, a few jokes…” is what some will say. Nazis collect these “friends” as an insurance policy against future exposure.
KSS rallying along with their friends in the PA State Militia for anti-refugee “Overpasses Across America” protests From l to r: AJ Olsen, Joe Phy, Ryan Wojtowicz, Steve Smith, and Pat Rogers. All were profiled in KU exposed.
Keystone United has largely maintained their course during the Trump era. Unlike Heimbach and the TWP or the NSM, KU/KSS did not overreach early or open up the gates to any potential murderer they could slap a white polo on. Keystone United abandoned publicly using language about “Racial Holy War” (RaHoWa) or overthrowing the “Zionist Occupied Government” of the U.S. long before Trump. What has changed, though, is that now KU/KSS has a new PR tactic at their disposal, the label of “Trump Supporter.” KU/KSS uses that aforementioned outreach work to reinforce the notions being pushed by right wing media that a) anti-fascists are indiscriminately describing as nazis and attacking all trump supporters or anyone who disagrees with far left politics and b) all actions against trump supporters are being done by Antifa crews or organizations. Both of these claims are patently false. But now, with many major media outlets pushing similar narratives, they have a more receptive audience.
We know that we convey to everyone as to the level of threat KU/KSS represents. This is disheartening, both as Anti-Fascists and as people who, largely, have experienced direct violence from this group or groups allied to them. And ultimately, the conclusion is that white conservatives generally, (and some POC conservatives) don’t really dislike Nazis very much at all. It would seem, that for many of them, the biggest concern is being lumped in with them, and a frustration with nazis not being able to keep their racist rhetoric in the coded language that is popular among “white america.” That said, we hope that this series has made it clear that KSS has not gone away, and their influence and support network extends far beyond their membership.
Keystone United rallying in Harrisburg. A: Scot Costa B: Travis Cornell (rip lol) C: Shane Dilling D: Ian McCorts G: Ryan Wojtowicz H: Steve Smith I: Bob Gaus J: Bryan Vanagaitis K: Chris Croumbley L: Cody Haulman. All were profiled in KU exposed.
When members of the Golden State Skinheads (a crew allied with KSS), wearing TWP shirts,attacked and stabbed anti-fascists in Sacramento in 2016 before being driven off the streets, TWP spokesman Matt Parott attempted to frame it to the media as a fight between “pro and anti-trump groups.” Because of the spiteful mentality of Trump supporters in the face of ever-increasing evidence of his incompetence, narcissism, and corruption, they will defend anyone willing to still publicly identify as a pro Trump. Anti-Fascists need to be aware of this dynamic and begin formulating new strategies to wedge groups like KSS and Blood and Honour from the GOP base. The evidence of what happens if we fail is in the increasingly Fascist rhetoric and tactics being used by pro-trump sectors of government and law enforcement, not to mention all the recent dog whistles to nazism coming out of those sectors.
Pat Rogers of KU/KSS repping support for Golden State Skinheads after word of possible charges for their members stabbing several Anti-Fascists in Sacramento in 2016.
Exposing a nazi is crucial. It can largely neutralize their crossover political organizing, add a tremendous social cost, and makes them think twice about attacking someone, knowing that they will be identified immediately by Anti-Fascists. For KU/KSS, public exposure also undermines the generous amount of effort they put in to distancing their group from its more openly neo-nazi past. However, it is the follow-up that gets the goods. The people who contacted workplaces, passed out flyers around the homes of KSS members, pushed for their expulsion from social clubs and sports teams, and took other actions have done just as much as us to make this a success.
One area we did not touch on during this series as much as we’d like is KU/KSS’ involvement in the “Anti-Antifa movement.” Anti-Antifa Pennsylvania shirts are printed and sold by KSS members, and they are involved in running an Anti-Antifa blog and website that publishes information on Anti-Racists and Anti-Fascists. KU nazis are very encouraging of the Anti-Antifa label as a stand in for more openly nazi imagery and as a unifying point between white nationalists and other far right nationalists who conflict with antifa because of our left and anarchist politics. Pushing Anti-Antifa as a brand within the larger pro-trump right is likely to be a strategy for KU/KSS over the next few years, and the groundwork has already been laid by media outlets, Trump, and 4chan.
Several members of KU/KSS can be seen wearing Anti-Antifa t-shirts in this pic from LED 2017.
We have successfully identified almost all of the attendees of last year’s Leif Erikson Day event in Philly. Only those who hid their faces or stayed away from Fairmount Park have escaped detection so far. So while ultimately our goal is to stop KU from holding Leif Erikson Day at all, the information we gather from it’s continuation is a nice consolation prize. Thanks to last year’s LED, we were able to identify Joe Garvey, Chris Croumbley, Anthony Marcink, and Travis Cornell (rip lol), all previously unknown to us, as Keystone United associates. We were also able to confirm the continued involvement of several individuals who had not been sighted at public KU events for several years, including Shane Dilling andLiam Schaff.
Some of those KSS nazis wore masks because they have something to lose from being exposed by us. Help us identify the “unknowns.” If anyone has information about the any of the unidentified nazis picture in this series, please send it our way.
It is common to end on a note acknowledging that white supremacy and racism are much larger than neo-nazi bonehead crews or their more media-friendly iterations. While this is true, attempts to compartmentalize groups like Keystone United from the larger “mainstream” right seem rooted more in wishful thinking and denial than reality. KU has synthesized American libertarian conservatism with national socialist “race science” to make both more palatable to the other. TwoKeystone United leaders are Luzerne County GOP officials. In the process of this article, we exposed KU members/associates as working for city governments,in large unions, and for international software firms. Keystone United associates are/were active in biker clubs, veterans groups, roller derby leagues, music scenes and local government. Tired tropes and finger pointing about “living in mom’s basement” on both sides of this conflict are generally inaccurate, Daniel “Jack Corbin” McMahon excepted. Anti-Fascists in this state should not discount how embedded Keystone United are in their communities.
Steve Smith and Ryan Wojtowicz of Keystone United. Both are Luzerne County GOP committeemen.
When Bob Gaus and several other KU members attended Trump’s rally in Harrisburg, they did not sit in some special section. When they (likely) went out to get a drink afterwards, they did not go to a nazis-only bar. When they talk politics at the bar with people belonging to “the mainstream right,” those people are most likely left with the impression that they have more in common than difference with the KU members. If we learn nothing else from Trump’s ascension, it should be that the distance between a “non racist” republican (or democrat/independent for that matter) and a neo-nazi is much smaller than we like to believe, and the unifying of those forces is a very real threat.
Nazis have embedded themselves in groups like The Proud Boys and Patriot Prayer or started multi-racial pan-right groups like Vinlanders Social Club founder Brien James’ American Guard.
Republicans have utilized dog whistle and crypto-fascist talking points to retain supporters among the racist right, while not alienating POC and non-racist conservatives. Anti-Fascists have relied too heavily on accusations of racism as a panacea solution to the far right, and the far right has adapted. They have dozens of strategies in place to undermine those accusations before they are even made. We have to take the more difficult path of dissecting the full contents of the ideologies of the far right and conveying why they should be opposed on a plethora of grounds, including cis hetero-sexist positions, militarism and colonialism, and supporting capitalist exploitation of the working class, in addition to white supremacy and racism. Otherwise we will continue to hand groups like Proud Boys, Patriot Prayer and American Guard an easy way to insulate themselves from association with orthodox fascist groups, and an easy way to portray us as hysterical or dishonest.
We would like to thank all those who took action this month based on the articles we’ve released. As we mentioned, actions have already begun and are likely to continue for some time. As this is being written, it is unclear when or if Keystone United will hold their Leif Erikson Day event in Philly. It is possible they’ve even held it already in secret. Should they do so, we have the tools to hold them accountable long after they scurry out of Fairmount, back to their homes in Philly or elsewhere in the state. It is a point of pride for us to put a stop to this demonstration, but not only have we effectively neutralized it as a source of recruitment or propaganda for KU, we have purposed it as an intelligence trove for ourselves. So stay home or come on out, boys. Either way, we’ll use it to our advantage and to further our ultimate goal of destroying Keystone United for good.
Finally, predictably, there has been some blow back from KU/KSS/BNH regarding this series. Threats and harassment has been sent from KU members and supporters in all directions, including to non-involved persons and former members. Sometimes for something as simple as sharing an article. We send our respect and solidarity to the folks facing any sort of harassment as a result of the series. Threats against ourselves have also been levied, both of legal action and assault. For our part, we refuse to be intimidated by a group of coward liars. Two-faced scumbags who have the nerve to call others “degenerates.” Who attack brutally in swarms and talk tough behind police but who cower in our city, coming unannounced and bitterly unwelcome, staying briefly and leaving quickly. Every flash demo and rally, every threat and assault, every rape and murder, creates more of us. It reinforces our resolve. This is the city of gritty, fuckers, and we’re just getting started.
Sometime after midnight on Saturday, August 18th, a dozen or so anarchists rolled up on a Skull Fest (it’s a punk fest) show with a sound system, flags, banners, and goodie bags full of road flares, black masks, and pamphlets about the National Prison Strike.
From August 21st (the anniversary of Nat Turner’s revolt and of the assassination of Black Guerrilla George Jackson) through September 9th (the anniversary of the Attica prison uprising), prisoners from all across the so-called united states are rising against the modern plantation system.
“Already, the strike has spread into Canada, and numerous facilities around the US are already seeing hunger strikes pop off as prisoners issue demands. Prison officials are also cracking down on various facilities, shutting them down, and locking up prison rebel leaders as deep in the hole as they can.”
Since we figured Skull Fest punx probably know shit is fucked and might be down (?), we took the opportunity to incite our friends on the outside to act in solidarity with our friends who are locked down on the inside. Even small gestures like ours can subvert the isolation of prison, inviting the unrest that’s too often locked and hidden behind walls into our streets.
Out of the large crowd, a few punx showed interest in joining the march, and some actually did for a bit, which was tight. But tbh most remained indifferent and just kinda stared at us. One jag yelled, “Burn out already!!” If only he knew how many times we have (: …but pamphlets about the strike were distributed to the fest goers, and a few fists were raised. Punk is dead, blah blah. ANYWAYS, the march made its way up on to fucking Butler Street. What’s good, hipsters?
After leaving the show, we marched a short ways through Lawrenceville, distributing literature to some (surprisingly receptive?) folks at a few hipster bars. We dispersed shortly after the cops arrived, but not before getting a few laughs in first—this one pig’s tough-guy “who’s in charge?” routine devolved into him jogging from person to person straight-up pleading for someone, anyone, to talk to him. He had this sorta desperate look on his face, clearly just couldn’t process it. Dude was shook as fuck. The authors of this report would also like to add that we hope he winds up like those two screws who got shanked at Allegheny County Jail the other day.
It’s been a hot summer in Pittsburgh, but as the homies at Torchlightwrite,
“[Pittsburgh’s new protest restrictions] make it obvious that the cops are gaining confidence and worrying less about Pittsburgh going up like Ferguson.”
Spontaneous, unpredictable actions do more than show solidarity and “raise awareness” — they disrupt the state’s ability to use threats of repression to siphon unrest into the professional Left’s array of dead-end “community” dialogues and electoral campaigns. The new protest guidelines threaten to criminalize radical individuals, crews, and organizations who continue to organize beyond the self-appointed leaders and managers of the various movements. Solet’s continue catching the pigs off guard, challenging their newfound confidence, and opening up space for further decentralized, autonomous action — by any means necessary.
Solidarity with everyone that’s still pushing the envelope in Pittsburgh. Solidarity with all prisoners.
Behind Enemy Lines probably said it better than us:
Immersed in political strategies Government policies create endless catastrophes and we all pay the price when our movement becomes stagnant, anchored by apathy We can’t just give up, we can’t just give in There are no wasted attempts when it comes to action The smallest act could cause a chain reaction that could bring this entire system down Light it up Ignite a spark Every single action could be the start It will take all of our efforts to get out of the dark You could be the one that offers hope and inspiration to everyone who feels defeated and moves the depleted towards motivation and helps the flame continue to burn The most important thing that we still need to learn is that we’re in this together, don’t shut out one another Don’t ever forget that we depend on each other
From l to r: Unknown, Joe Phy, Scott Costa, Jason Cunningham, Ian McCorts, Unknown, Bob Gaus, Bryan Vanagaitis, AJ Olsen and Nunzio Pellegrino of Keystone State Skinheads. All except unknowns were profiled as part of KU Exposed.
Keystone United members. From l to r: Steve Smith, Unknown, Bob Gaus, Joe Garvey, Bryan Vanagaitis, Cody Haulman, Ryan Wojtowicz, Scott Costa, Ian McCorts, Travis Cornell (rip lol), Chris Croumbley, Josh Martin and Shane Dilling. All but the one unknown were exposed during our series.
KSS rallying along with their friends in the PA State Militia for anti-refugee “Overpasses Across America” protests From l to r: AJ Olsen, Joe Phy, Ryan Wojtowicz, Steve Smith, and Pat Rogers. All were profiled in KU exposed.
Keystone United rallying in Harrisburg. A: Scot Costa B: Travis Cornell (rip lol) C: Shane Dilling D: Ian McCorts G: Ryan Wojtowicz H: Steve Smith I: Bob Gaus J: Bryan Vanagaitis K: Chris Croumbley L: Cody Haulman. All were profiled in KU exposed.
Pat Rogers of KU/KSS repping support for Golden State Skinheads after word of possible charges for their members stabbing several Anti-Fascists in Sacramento in 2016.
Several members of KU/KSS can be seen wearing Anti-Antifa t-shirts in this pic from LED 2017.
Steve Smith and Ryan Wojtowicz of Keystone United. Both are Luzerne County GOP committeemen.
Nazis have embedded themselves in groups like The Proud Boys and Patriot Prayer or started multi-racial pan-right groups like Vinlanders Social Club founder Brien James’ American Guard.
