On Thursday July 8, 2010 a noise demo was held at the Maplehurst -Vanier Corrections Complex in Milton, Ontario. This is the second noise demo held outside of this facility, being preceded by one in April of this year.
Around 25-30 people came together to take the streets onto the prison property. A sound system blared anti-prison hip-hop as people encircled the holding cells holding banners with the words “Total Freedom” and “Prison is Revolting” and shooting off fireworks.
At several junctures en route the sound system was turned down to make room for numerous chants expressing our ongoing desire to tear down the walls of isolation to fight together for our freedom. Impromptu speeches were given with the hope that they may be able to hear us on the inside. With the music turned down and only our voices left to fill the air, our chants were matched with the rhythmic banging of our comrades held captive on the inside. We left the prison grounds with an audience of pigs and screws letting us know that we were not welcome in the parking lot and continued down the streets with music blaring.
The climate of repression in Southern Ontario right now is extremely tense in regards to the ongoing investigation by the pigs relating to the riotous events of this past month. A cohesive strategy in how to show solidarity with our friends and loved ones in the face of the repression of this state is always controversial, but many of us saw this action as not only a reminder to those on the inside that they have not been forgotten but also as a continuation of the momentum gathering around resistance to the current restructuring of the prison system taking place in the area.
As an oversight of the organizers, this demo took place during visiting hours. This means that as a result of our actions many people coming to visit their loved ones may have been denied their appointments and we would like to acknowledge this oversight and extend apologies that the appropriate considerations were not taken to ensure that this was not the case.
Nonetheless, this is just one way that many of us have chosen to express our solidarity with those experiencing the isolation and rage of imprisonment, a solidarity that will (maybe) stop when the attacks on our lives come to an end.
Freedom is the crime that commits all crime.
Fire to the prisons and the world that needs them.
325 Collective