Call for a rally in front of the Chemnitz Women’s Prison of the anarchist feminist anti-prison alliance – March 4, 2023, 4:00 p.m.
Shortly before the international women’s struggle day or feminist struggle day, March 8, we call for a rally in front of the Chemnitz Women’s Prison on March 4, 2023 from 4 to 6 pm.
Since 2016, there have been contacts between prisoner solidarity groups and imprisoned women and queer people at Chemnitz Prison. Since 2017, we have been organizing this demonstration every year. Since Lina’s imprisonment, there have also been other, smaller rallies for Lina and the other prisoners during the year, which we also support. We would like to take the Feminist Day of Struggle as an opportunity to show our solidarity with the imprisoned women and queer people in the prison.
First of all, there are enough people in prison who, like us, stand up for the liberation of women and queer people. For example, a prisoner from Aichach writes in her greeting for the rally in front of Chemnitz Prison on December 17, 2022: “Dear feminists, dear participants, I myself am in prison in a detention center and I think it’s good that the female gender stands up for equal treatment and equality in society. I am also glad that women who admit to loving a woman are no longer discriminated against in public by any means. It sounds so simple on paper. In implementation, it still lacks a bit.”
And secondly, the incarcerated women of Chemnitz Prison are among the most oppressed women in our society. They are deprived of their freedom and many opportunities and yet often bear the responsibility for children and family. They work full time in different factories, e.g. in the laundry and also for customers outside (have a look at the website of the Ministry of Justice: www.gitterladen.de), but receive only 1 to 2 Euro per hour. Long-time prisoners work for many years, but this time is not recognized in their pensions. They come from violent backgrounds and dependencies on men; but in prison they experience the violence of the state and are made even more dependent through isolation. They have major problems with their mental and physical health, but medical care is completely inadequate, especially in Chemnitz Prison. They want to live and too often they have to die, like Sophie, who took her own life in August 2021, and just a few months ago Caro, who died of an overdose shortly after her release.
” Fair punishment,” some cynically think. But for one thing, the so-called “just punishment” under the laws of the state is supposed to be deprivation of liberty under otherwise equal living conditions, not additional exploitation, humiliation, and medical shortages. And second, we believe that locking away and breaking individuals does not solve the social problems that create crime. Rather, we believe prison is a brutal and inhumane institution that should be abolished.
However, there are always prisoners in Chemnitz Prison who resist this unjust system and stand up for themselves and their fellow prisoners. From 2016 to 2020, many prisoners organized themselves in the prisoners’ union. In September 2017, 40 prisoners staged an hour-and-a-half-long sit-in in the prison yard to protest cuts to lockup hours. At the beginning of the pandemic, in April 2020, 70 prisoners signed a demand letter to the prison director. Last year, prisoners collected signatures against the prison doctor. They can count on support from outside, for example in the form of the regular solidarity rallies in front of the prison.
The state repeatedly reacts to this with repressive measures. Whether it is the post censorship and repeated cell raids against dedicated detainees as well as punishment transfers and lockdown after the sit-in or the attacks of the police on the two first solidarity demonstrations to the prison in 2017 and 2018.
Come to our demo and let’s show together that we will not be intimidated by this. Let’s also show our friends, fellow prisoners, sisters, daughters and mothers in prison that we stand by their side. We will hear greetings from prisoners, play music and dance, and write postcards to imprisoned women.
Just for the rally on December 17, 2022, we read the following words from Nancy, a long-time friend and dedicated prisoner from Chemnitz Prison: “You can gladly say from me to everyone in prison: finally stand up and fight against the injustice you experience every day, and also have enough backbone, even after setbacks, to continue to stand up for your rights. And to everyone outside: don’t forget your friends, mothers, fathers and brothers and sisters behind these walls, because you are the strength we need to walk upright every day!”
Feminist Anti-prison Alliance
Hard Facts:
What: Anarchist Feminist Anti-prison Rally.
When: 04.03.2023, 16:00 – 18:00
Where: JVA Chemnitz, Thalheimer Straße 29, 09125 Chemnitz
There will be a collective train travel from Dresden and Leipzig to Chemnitz. More information will follow later. Bring your friends and flags and banners to the rally!