Update on Jail Solidarity

Hello folks,

We want to make sure that you have the information that you need to
support your cluster or AG members in jail. The jail solidarity plans are
coming together, a bit more slowly than we would like. We started off
with very limiting technical difficulties that made it difficult for
people in jail to reach us by phone; we continue not to be able to accept
collect calls. Moreover, many people are still getting their first phone
calls around now. Perhaps for that reason we are aware of only a
relatively small number of people engaged in jail solidarity. Due to both
of these factors, there is some confusion about RNC jail
solidarity, though things should only improve from here. Here's what we
know at the moment:

- We have been reliably informed of around 50 Jane/John Does that
originally withheld identities. There may, of course, be more.
- There is one man engaged in jail solidarity that has been fasting since
Sunday, Aug. 29.
- One woman arrested on Sunday who is committed to jail solidarity
despite a painful rash on her foot (and consistent suggestions by her
lawyers to consider citing out) has been sent to Rikers Island and is in
general population.
- Those that are practicing jail solidarity are being held apart from
each other and are having a hard time communicating between themselves in
jail.
- Many people that initially withheld names have ID'd themselves and some
are out already.
- The press is already responding to rumors of fasting inside jail. We
are waiting until we get fuller clarity about the situation inside before
launching our campaign, which could happen as early as tomorrow morning.
Stay tuned!
- The feeling based on the response of judges and prosecutors so far is
that solidarity has already had an impact. It seems that tactics
involving even a relatively small number of people could be very
successful in a variety of ways.
- We will have more information tomorrow, after the night's
arraignments. There may also be a significant number of arrests,
potentially including solidarity practitioners, tomorrow. We remain
ready to support people with whatever decisions they choose to make and
hope to resolve our technical challenges.

Keep on keepin' on,
Solidarity Support Working Group