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This week on the Final Straw Radio, we’re sharing an interview with Matt Hart of the Los Angeles Anarchist Black Cross chapter of the ABC Federation. We talk about the book Matt just released via PM Press, an expanded edition of Boris Yelensky’s history of anarchist prisoner support “Shadows In The Struggle For Equality”, illustrated by NO Bonzo. Matt talks about the work of the LA-ABCF, ABC’s pre-history with the Narodnik movement in mid-19th century Russia, prisoner defense under the nihilist movement, some moments in resistance and mutual aid through the following hundred and fifty years or so, some colorful moments and comrades up into the 21^st century. We hope you enjoy!

Then, we’ll share a reading of the 2025 June 11^th statement since this week is the day of Solidarity with Long Term Anarchist Prisoners. More info on that initiative at June11.noblogs.org

If you’re listening to the radio edition of this episode, you’ll find an additional 30 minutes of Matt Hart plus Sean Swain’s segment in the streaming or podcast version of the show, found at TFSR.Media

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Featured Tracks:

• Filmmuzik by E.M.A.K from Deutsche Elektronische Musik
• Vienna Arcweld – Fucked Gamelon – Rigid Tracking  by Set Fire To Flames from Signs Reign Rebuilder

This week we spoke with Moira Meltzer-Cohen, an anarchist and lawyer with the National Lawyers Guild who practices mostly in New York City. For the hour, Mo talks about knowing ones rights and risks during interactions with law enforcement in the US during Trump 2.0, why even scofflaws should know some basic Bill of Rights trivia, info on warrants and house visits, airports and borders, and the importance of face-to-face practice with local lawyers who know the legal precedents on the ground in your jurisdiction.

As often, you can check out the podcast version of this interview for more content that didn’t make it into the limited time of the radio show and where you can easily pause, rewind, etc. There’ll soon be a transcript of this available on our website alongside a downloadable zine version. You can also check the post for this June 1^st 2025 episode to find some useful links for further research.

Links

• NLG Anti-Repression Hotline: 212.679.2811
• NLG website: https://www.nlg.org/
• CUNY CLEAR website: https://www.cunyclear.org/
  • instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cuny_clear/
• LLWD episode with Mo on Federal Grand Juries
• Our past episodes on Grand Juries and Grand Jury Resistance
• Magic Words flyer to stick on the back of your door in case of police visits: https://thefinalstrawradio.noblogs.org/files/2025/05/Magic-Spell_2025.pdf

Announcements

June 11th, 2025

Asheville

We’re a week and a half out from the annual June 11^th Day of Solidarity with Long Term Anarchist Prisoners. If you’re in the Asheville area, Wednesday, June 11, 2025 at The Odd (1045 Haywood Rd near Firestorm in West AVL) . $10 door, opens at 7pm, music at 8pm

Featuring XOR, Lo Wolf, Run Over By A Horse and Blake Hornsby with lots of free lit and prizes available including books, stickers, clothing, jewelry and more.

Elsewhere

If you’re elsewhere, you can check out announced local events in your area by checking out the social media accounts for June11.Noblogs.Org, particularly their mastodon account on @[email protected]

Fire Ant Movement call to action

Finally, the Fire Ant Movement released the following statement concerning June 11, 2025:

“Fire ant movement defense, an organization that works to gather mass opposition to the political prosecutions of the stop cop city movement in atlanta, is calling for a “movement defense day of action” on June 11 to support stop cop city defendants and long term anarchist political prisoners. Their statement reads: This year, June 11th arrives amid growing repression: Pro-palestine protesters are facing indefinite detention in ice facilities, and in Georgia, the state continues its aggressive persecution of the stop cop city movement, with 61 activists currently facing RICO charges.

In response, we call for a united front, to link the defense of the stop cop city struggle with the june 11th tradition of solidarity with long-term anarchist political prisoners.

We invite people to learn about Marius Mason and other long-term anarchist prisoners, host public events, drop banners, throw fundraisers, and take action to defend our movements for total liberation.”

Fire ant movement defense says that this will be the first of many movement defense days of action, drawing connections and lines of solidarity between movements fighting for liberation. You can find more information at fireantmovement.org and follow them on instagram, twitter or bluesky.”

They also wanted to point people to learn more at supportmariusmason.org and weelauneethefree.org

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Featured Track:

• Know Your Rights by The Clash from Combat Rock

After ten years, AFM’s premiere Prog show begins a new era on June 5th, when Professor JD welcomes Professor Ted, who hosted a progressive rock show on KOOP community radio in Austin, Texas for 15 years. Ted brings an abundance of experience and knowledge, along with a impressive private collection of CD’s, Vinyl and digital files, to join the world-famous Closer to the Edge. As co-hosts, they will alternate the weekly schedule! Teds’ inclination toward the more obscure and avant-garde sub-genres of progressive rock, will augment JDs’ penchant for modern bands and heavier metal sub-genres. Both will spin the 70’s classics as well! Experience even more beautiful, complex and intelligent music, every Thursday, from 1-3 PM, and tell your friends!!!

This week, we spoke with author Max Cafard and illustrator Vulpes about their new book, Anarchy in The Big Easy: A History of Revolt, Rebellion, and Resurgence. Among other topics, they discuss Cafard’s Surregionalism Manifesto, the origins and production of the book, and what the media gets right and wrong about New Orleans. The book came out from PM Press on April 15, 2025.

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Featured Track:

• Four Corners (part 2) by Lee Dorsey from Four Corners EP

This week, we’re sharing an interview with Garret Felber, author of the book A Continuous Struggle: The Revolutionary Life of Martin Sostre, which is due out May 5 from AK Press. Garret speaks about the life of Martin Soster, famed jailhouse lawyer who successfully won cases related to the constitutional rights of prisoners, was politicized in prison by the Nation of Islam in the 1950’s, ran radical Afro-centric bookstores in Buffalo NY to radicalize the youth, embracing anarchism during his time imprisoned on a frame up during which he was a celebrated political prisoner resisting cavity searches through the courts, went on to organize after his release for tenants rights and rehabilitating disused buildings for community centers and helping run a childcare. Sostre was a mentor to Lorenzo Komb’oa-Ervin and Ashanti Alston and laid important foundations for modern Black Anarchism in the US.

• Transcript
• PDF (Unimposed) – pending
• Zine (Imposed PDF) – pending

There’s a lot in here and we hope you enjoy the book and that the story inspires complex, creative and combative resistance to all forms of domination. The transcript for this chat is currently on the post and soon we’ll have a zine and pdf up on our zines page. A longer version of this chat can be found at our website: https://thefinalstrawradio.noblogs.org/post/2025/05/18/the-lives-and-legacy-of-martin-sostre-with-garrett-felber/

• MSI: https://www.martinsostre.com/
• Study and Struggle: https://www.studyandstruggle.com/
• Those Who Know Don’t Say: The Nation Of Islam, the Black Freedom Movement, and the Carceral State
• Free the Mississippi Five: https://www.studyandstruggle.com/ms5
• Free Society People’s Library: https://www.instagram.com/freesocietylibrary/
• Justice for Geraldine and Martin: https://www.instagram.com/justiceforgeraldineandmartin/
• In the Belly: https://www.bellyzine.net/
• In the Mix: https://inthemixprisonerpodcast.libsyn.com/
• video of JEEP: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwmELJwEsk8

Some past episodes touching on Black anarchism:

• Black Autonomy Reader: https://thefinalstrawradio.noblogs.org/post/2024/09/29/mutt-on-the-incomplete-black-autonomy-reader/
• Ashanti Alston at ACAB2024: https://thefinalstrawradio.noblogs.org/post/2024/09/01/solidarity-spirituality-and-liberatory-promise-on-a-turtles-back-with-ashanti-omowali-alston/
• Matt Meyer on Kuwasi Balagoon: https://thefinalstrawradio.noblogs.org/post/2019/06/04/free-them-all-matt-meyer-on-kuwasi-balagoon/
• Lorenzo Kom’boa Ervin: https://thefinalstrawradio.noblogs.org/post/2013/04/03/memphis-organizes-against-police-and-the-kkk-a-conversation-with-lorenzo-komboa-ervin/
• William C Anderson (first & second)

Announcement

Kevin Rashid Johnson

From the SFBayView Newspaper:

Rashid was “compacted” on May 1 to the Perry Correctional Institution in South Carolina, 430 Oaklawn Rd., Pelzer, SC 29669. His ID number in South Carolina is 397279.

In the transit van, he was severely injured – probably a broken bone – in his left leg. He has not been given any treatment for it.

He is in solitary confinement, with only a concrete slab to sleep on. He can make only one phone call per week. A comrade is helping him get onto the “GTL Getting Out” app so that he can communicate with everyone.

Meanwhile, he has been on hunger strike since he got there. He lost 17 pounds during the first week.

He appeals for maximum publicity and pressure.

The phone numbers listed for the prison are: 864-243-4700 and 803-737-1752.

Make calls and spread the word. Kevin “Rashid” Johnson, ID number 397279, must be treated humanely, given good medical care and a decent place to sleep and allowed full access to communicate with his lawyers and supporters. Tell the authorities to meet his demands so he can end his hunger strike.

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Featured Track

• Standing At The Crossroad by Eddie and Ernie from Lost Friends