A poem written by Eric

I was arrested by two ugly shades,
holding two ugly guns
pointed directly at my face
wearing a backpack full of gasoline and paint thinner

One to create, one to tear down
pockets full of shells and notes to remember
my tshirt was solid black
my jeans hadn’t been washed in weeks

Calvin was patted and released
he had to work for me that night
the cops of me of the beatings and sexual assault
that I had to look forward to that evening in holding
while handcuffed to a bench
stayed there for 3 days
ate 1 cinnamon bun

Was wearing the red pumas with the white laces
that Andrea had given me for surviving to be 25
achievements of all sizes

I was arrested on September 16th, 3 years ago
although it always feels
much longer ago

the interrogator was
fuming after my laughing
subsided
after they asked if “was
this an occupy plot?!”

They had a warrant for my
body
A warrant for my spit

My mom cried on the
phone ” your family saw
you all over the news!
And they used a terrible picture!”

 

Eric has been locked up for three years now, he was arrested on September 16th 2014. Between Kansas, Oklahoma, and now Colorado he has seen a lot of different jails and prisons and has had his share of struggles along the way. There’s no denying it has been a long road and unfortunately there’s an even longer road ahead.

The support and solidarity we can provide Eric in the coming months and years will only help him in maintaining his spirit, fortitude and overall position in a very tough place. He has said many times that the time he has spent in the S.H.U (secure housing unit) at various points along the way would have been much harder if it wasn’t for the love and support he received in the form of letters, cards, and books. It’s clear that is also the case while he does his time in the general population.

There are a multitude of reasons why it may take Eric time to write you back, or unfortunately not be able to write back at all. However, please know he very much appreciates and gains strength from every piece of mail he gets. So please keep him on your mind, spread the word about his plight, and keep the mail coming.

You can write Eric at:

Eric King # 27090045
FCI FLORENCE
FEDERAL CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION
PO BOX 6000
FLORENCE, CO  81226

We’d also like to take the time to remind you about a new edition to our website which is the Merch page. Please take some time to see if there’s anything you’d like that we are offering there and then pass around the link. The money we raise will go towards commissary, phone calls for Eric as well as travel funds so his partner can visit him more easily.

Thank you so much to everyone around the world for the support and solidarity,

The Eric King Support Crew

Eric needs some books 🙂

Preferably paperback, although hardcover will be accepted if paperback isnt available. Must come from a publisher of some sort.

His Amazon wishlist here :

http://a.co/gUbDsYs

 

Eric King # 27090045
FCI FLORENCE
FEDERAL CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION
PO BOX 6000
FLORENCE, CO  81226

 

If you can’t send a book, then alternatively you could cut out an article from a magazine regarding the eclipse, space in general or on any other subject he’d appreciate an article on.

Thank you so much!

<3 (A)(///) Eric King support crew

 

Mark your calendars, Eric King turns 31 years old on August 2nd! Get together with some friends to celebrate, eat some vegan cake, and pass around a birthday card that will surely brighten up his day! There’s also Eric’s Book Wish List to check out if you have some extra cash this summer and could send Eric a book for his birthday! Please include your worst jokes and puns in his birthday card!

Eric King
#27090045
FCI Florence
PO Box 6000
Floence, CO 81226

In honor of Eric’s birthday please take some time and head over to the Support Materials page and check out the two new posters that are available. We encourage everyone to print them off and display them where they can be seen and talked about. The more the hand bills and posters are distributed and displayed , the more we can all ensure that we can sustain a wide base of support for the remainder of Eric’s ten year sentence.

Those who actively support Eric throughout the world as well as those who dare to take risks fighting the state not only keep Eric alive but keep the fight against oppression alive.  It was inspiring to see so many individuals take part in the first international day of solidarity with Eric King and hopefully that can continue to build momentum  for supporting anarchist prisoners and all political prisoners being held captive by the state.

Below is a beautiful banner that was dropped from an overpass in Bloomington, IN and could be seen on June 28th.

Stickers were also put up in Canada as you can see here!

Also check out the report back from NYC and the banner drop in Denver, Colorado, all for June 28th, the international day of solidarity with Eric King. Thank you all for participating!!

As we gear up to to make sure Eric’s birthday is a special one we acknowledge that he is one of many political prisoners held captive in the US, and we support all political prisoners. Thus, we want to let you all know that two other political prisoners have birthdays the same week as Eric: Bill Dunne, a long-time anarchist prisoner, has his birthday on August 3rd. Debbie Africa, one of the Move 9, has her birthday on August 4th.

Here is Debbie Africa’s mailing address and click here for more information about her:

Debbie Africa  #OO6307
451 Fullerton Ave.
Cambridge Springs, PA 16403-1238

And here is Bill Dunne’s mailing address and click here to read more about him:

Bill Dunne #10916-086
FCI Victorville Medium I
PO Box 3725
Adelanto, California 92301

Thank you so much for the continued support!

-EK Support Crew

 

 

 

I walk slowly, always. The state can control where I walk, the space in which I am confined to walking, the people I have to walk amongst and what times I am allowed to walk outside, but they can never control the speed in which I walk. I choose always to walk AS SLOW AS FUCKING POSSIBLE. Conscious walking my yogi told me it’s called, Doctor Joel insisted I do it, because everything is so fucking fast in prison, everything is rushed. Every movement, every decision, every thought. It doesn’t have to be. Slow down, feel what you are doing, be aware of the movements you are making and the muscles you are using. Understand that by slowing down you are exercising the ultimate control over your body. The government wishes they could do this, that they could control our bodies this way, to contort us into their shape of how a human should be and should perform.

The COs hate this, I get shit for it EVERYDAY. Today I was walking down the side walk, right in the middle of it on the way back from breakfast after a really beautiful yoga session. Walking slowly, VERY SLOWLY. I can hear their little golf cart crusing behind me, getting dangerously close..then I hear the swerve onto the dirt and he goes by within about 7 inches of me. ”MOVE YOUR ASS NEXT TIME!” the cop shouts. Nope. We are only allowed to walk on the sidewalk, we are restricted from walking on the dirt, so I will not move for your cart, I will not jump out of the way. Hit me and I win, swerve and I win. I’ll move for no cop. When I get close to my unit the disgusting pig like officer ask me ”what’s your problem”..”what do you mean”…”you hurt or something”..”nope, just walking”…”well next time move it a little faster”…”is that in the program statement or does it just make you personally uncomfortable”…”you think you’re clever smart mouth?”…”clever enough to make you nervous over walking..”…silence…a moment later when I am closer ”you’re lucky you’re not in my unit”…”would you write me up for not moving at your perferred pace?”.. ”look dude walking’s not against the law, it’s just weird”..”so is commenting on someone elses walking..”…convo ended.

This is our power, to control our bodies and our minds. They can only limit so much, despite their best efforts. We must stay constantly conscious of this, their desire to limit us and their desire to pressure us into conforming our actions and thoughts to their acceptability. Not fucking happening. This is our win. Tools can be weapons, not used to attack but to defend. I can defend against their oppression by owning my body, just like on the streets, just like anywhere dangerous. People here think it’s weird, I think speed walking because someone in a shirt is pressuring you to hurry is weird. Annoying those who think they control you is a feeling that is unparalled and one that I crave and succeed in finding on a daily basis. We win through self control.

Until all Are Free–EK

We are so much more

than the suffering we absorb

as they beat us & keep us

from the people we adore

We are so much more

than the poison which they pour

down our thoats while we choke

and spit it to the floor

We are so much more

than the lables that they force

with our make-up, fighting rapists

laugh as their teardrops form

We are so much more

than the info they store

on our friends & on our movement

while they’re kicking down our door

We are so much more

than the lies that they burn

into our brains, try to train us

but we will never learn

Eric is teaching yoga and poetry to folks in Florence! He wants to be able to bring some physical strength and peace through yoga, and some beauty and power through poetry to folks. He has a need for yoga and poetry reference books!

 

They must be paperback and come through the publisher

 

Eric King # 27090045
FCI FLORENCE
FEDERAL CORRECTIONAL INSTITUTION
PO BOX 6000
FLORENCE, CO  81226

 

Thanks!! EK Support Crew

One day the sun will hug me

welcome me back to earth

Love will cauterize my wounded limbs

I will have time to walk

and no boundaries to walk within

I can touch the grass

Because I’m free to explore

or to ignore

anything that I will so chose

Most of all though, I will be free

to play with all the silly bugs

 

 

We are thrilled to announce that Eric is out of the SHU and has been officially transferred to FCI Florence. Even though we knew a transfer was imminent, it was up in the air where he would end up. Staying at FCI Florence is a great relief for Eric and his friends and family. His sanctions on canteen, phone and visits will continue for the next 36 days. All said and done he will have lost 93 days of connection with the outside aside from letters. Though the BOP attempted to crush Eric’s support system, folks were relentless in showing them that we would not stand by and let them do this to our friend. Every phone call, email, letter and pushback to the BOP and inspector general was instrumental in making sure that his sanctions and placement were not more severe. Ya’ll are amazing and Eric feels thankful to have so many awesome folks by his side during this precarious journey. Inevitably Eric will need us to rally again in the future, but for now he is tucked into the mountains of Colorado still close to his family.

For those who wrote to Eric within the last few months: he only has 5 stamps right now and is waiting to get some more, so if you wrote Eric recently those letters will be delayed. He also is still waiting to receive his property from Englewood so it is possible that he has lost some addresses.

<3 (A) so much love and rage

EK support Crew