THE FORMER POLITICAL PRISONER TALKS ABOUT HIS ANARCHISM, THE 325 PROJECT AND RESISTING THE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL JAILS THAT SURROUND US ALL. ~ Interviewed by Elizabeth Vasileva ~ You recently spoke about the importance of solidarity and connections, between prisoners and with their supporters on the outside. Can you give us any examples of this kind of mutual or collective empowerment in the pushback against prison’s continuous repression? Shortly before I was released in 2024, violent cell searches by a tactical unit of prison guards known as the National Search Team took place on C-wing of HMP Garth in Leyland, where I was being held. The NST took over the wing with dogs and riot gear. Cell by cell the raid took place with a lot of pointlessly brutal drama. In ones and twos we were handcuffed and placed in a locked wet room. Some prisoners were beaten, abused and a lot of our things were trashed. Some of the guys fought back, flooded their cells, banged their doors or played music really loud as a protest. The next day the whole wing refused to go back into their cells after the early morning unlock hour. As a cacophonous and unruly mob we demanded the immediate return of seized items, the replacement of damaged items and denounced the violence. This lead to the screws backing off. There was nothing at that moment that the screws could do because we all acted together, and without any leader. At the end of the lunch period, the stop-out ended. Similar things happened in my experience when one of the prisoners was killed by depression or hopelessness. Demonstrations outside the prisons where I was held also were a strong experience that had an impact upon the guards and us. Especially when the fireworks exploded across the night sky and the comrades outside were militant. I found other prisoners to be generally supportive of each other in the roughly anti-system and criminal environment. Whenever I was transferred or moved to a different cell, the local guys usually would come to check if I was okay and if I needed anything. I helped other guys with their legal cases or prison admin, and tried to find common points of interest and subversion. We’d try to back each other, and if I had some problem, the guys would be voicing their demands too. There’s refusals and kick-offs being made in most of the prisons around the country each day about conditions and treatment. I lost track of the number of prison labour refusals and walkouts I heard about when I was inside, they are very common, as is getting on the netting that separates the landings to protest about treatment and poor conditions. When I heard that comrades outside were carrying out revolutionary solidarity, that is when I felt our power inside the prison, I can say. From hearing about the direct actions with the Adream case in Chile, France, Italy, Indonesia and around the world, to the phone-call interventions that I was able to make from inside prison to meetings of comrades on the outside, I could feel the warmth from the comrades. Also knowing about the censored letters and books, the solidarity funds and benefit events, it was great. For readers who don’t know 325, what can you tell us about the project and its content? 325 is an anarchist network of counter-information and direct action. In November 2020, Dutch counter-terrorist police took down the nostate.net server which held the 325 website, upon request from their German and English colleagues. The website was a long-running information clearing house of general news, reports, communiques, publications, event listings, etc. Mostly the website covered Europe, Latin America and South East Asia. 325 is also a hard-copy magazine which comes out on an intermittent basis, and dozens of publications have been published by the collective, including the newsletter Dark Nights, which has it’s own website. Over the years, 325 has participated in an evolving participatory international network based on direct action and the support of prisoners, as well as providing space for various tendencies of anarchist, anti-capitalist and anti-civilisation groups. In recent issues of the magazine the analysis has shifted slightly to the profound new industrial changes in production and technology, such as artificial intelligence, life sciences and automation. The archive of the 325 site is an important document of social and armed revolutionary struggle over a number of years in Europe and internationally. The project started in 2003 and continues. I first saw the term ‘anti-psychiatry’ in 325. There is a lot to say about the intersections of this agenda with anarchism, but you could also just tell us about why at the time you thought it was important to bring it forward. It was a collective decision that was formed from different influences on the early group in Brighton. I can mention our experience of altered states of consciousness and the shattering of imposed social conditioning. Some of our original group had experience of psychiatric/psychological controls and secure units, and we were all interested in the use of psychoanalysis for political repression, the work of Wilhelm Reich, R D Laing, the Socialist Patients Collective (Sozialistisches Patientenkollektiv – SPK), and anarchist analysis of the relationship of the individual to post-industrial society. Our comrade from Switzerland, who took part in an early anti-civilisation network in Europe in the 2000s, wrote the anti-psychiatry manifesto Reclaim Your Mind: An Urgent Message for all those who have or are in danger of being labelled mentally ill, which features in the first 325 magazine. Whilst there have been some different perspectives on this manifesto in the collective over the years, overall the position taken is that society drives pathology, medicalisation is ultimately harmful, as is incarceration. At the Anti-repression gathering organised by the Anarchist Black Cross at the Cowley Club in Brighton last March, a comrade from Sweden described how comrades are being placed into psychiatric care rather than prison by the authorities, thereby trying to de-politicise their cases in the spotlight of the public arena and forcing them into medical ‘treatment’ for their anarchist ideas. It was a tactic that the National Security Team and the Counter-Terrorist Police tried to apply to me during my incarceration and when I was released under controls. It is very important to bring this forward as these kinds of controls are being used routinely by these agencies, and they will seek to apply this to anarchists and the radical left where they can. Legislation is continuously narrowing the scope for non-violent expression of discontent, with harsher sentences for mass- or even small-group disruption, and police powers to disperse non-violent crowds. While Climate Camp organisers were pre-emptively raided, the far right attacks last summer were not foiled. How come the British state is so obsessed with the crumbs of resistance from below in the middle of a global fascist takeover? Well, we can never underestimate the smallest expression of dissent and rebellion, they all have power. If the regime doesn’t suppress the sparks, the wildfires will begin. Even if I disagree with the positions of the bureaucratic part of most of these groups, it gives me pleasure to see their successes and I want to see it escalate into a revolutionary movement. Any protests that are effective will meet repression. From prison I saw on TV the escalation of property destruction against arms companies dealing to Israel during the ongoing Gaza genocide, the shutdowns of the motorways and destruction of Barclays Banks. The radical left, ecologists and anarchists are basically the only opposition in the UK. Since it was wrong-footed by June 18th Global Day of Action in 1999, when the London Met were surprised by multi-million pound damage anti-capitalist riots, the state has made it its goal to manipulate and dead-end the social movement. The question of tactics and energy inside the movement, of small group actions and of mass protests that could have the capacity to pose a real danger to national security through creating situations that are out of the control of anyone- that requires our willingness to organise and link our struggles, that’s our challenge. If we want a revolution, that will require continuous subversion and insurrection. This system is invested in war, murder and genocide, it’s not going to be stopped by voting or protests alone. The British state has always been part of the global fascist takeover, the regime is constantly preparing for urban riots, acts of terror, individual and mass revolts. The comrades who often form part of the underground groups, they usually come through the social movement, and so the state will invest a lot of time and energy into looking into who forms part of these movements and which directions these movements are taking. The British left seems so divided over internal issues, accelerating burnout and further fragmentation. How do you think we can build solidarity effectively and support each other, inside or outside the criminal penal system? I don’t consider myself part of the British left, nor do the comrades in our circle. Leftism is part of the electioneering circus, and has capitulated to the mass media and corporations, to militarism, high-technologies, trans-humanism, nuclear energy, statism. That being said, I don’t think you’re speaking about this. Our group withdrew from the social movement in 2011 and took a nihilistic position, we are only active in our groups and not in the social centres or the activist campaigns. That’s another conversation, but from what we have been through, essentially; stop pointlessly fighting with each other over toxic issues and excluding each other. Understand how the system constantly recuperates and infiltrates our anarchism. Learn to communicate with each other. Learn from your interactions with each other. Learn to value your time and that of others. Share skills, time, energy and money, if you can, with real projects that need support. Learn to give criticism and to receive it. Learn to sever ties and forge them. If you cannot work well with others, work alone. Put your ideas into practice. This will strengthen our space. If you are part of a group or not, you can write to prisoners, support their campaigns and maintain an interest in the anti-prison topic. Meet face-to-face and do things in the streets if you are able. Make links in the local area and if you are active on other issues, remember those who end up behind bars, it could be you. If you have the capabilities, help do admin or organise demos, cooking, putting people up, flyposting, graffiti, leaflets, zines, stickers, night time excursions. Don’t think that other people are going to do it for you, do it yourself. If you can’t do any of those things, live your life in the most beautiful and free way you can, and don’t give up on your dreams. Let’s take part in and build a real culture of resistance and mutual aid. What is the most effective way to show solidarity and support people who are in prison or have recently come out of it? What did you find most helpful? The revolutionary action, this is the most important way to support people inside. This is the first principle. Directly freeing the prisoners and carrying out the anti-state and anti-capitalist struggle. Second are the material conditions of imprisonment. It costs money to fight legal cases, pay for food and provisions, pay for visits, travel to the prison, arrange the situation of the life left behind outside etc. This can’t be done by the prisoner at all. It needs a collective effort. When prisoners are released they continue to need support with housing, money, travel, food and so on. Police, probation and the parole board have more power over an individual if they do not have support from their close ones or the movement. On release I was helped a great deal by my comrades who provided me with money, a vehicle, housing, clothes etc. Third is the solidarity campaign and raising awareness to large numbers of people. This campaigning must include also making sure that the imprisoned know about what is happening on the outside and putting pressure on the prison administration, or any private companies involved. When I was locked up, I was not able to receive much news, due to the censorship I was imposed with, but whenever I heard about a demo or a solidarity action it always provided me with a lot of strength, and to be able to speak about it with the other guys enabled me to show practically that the anarchists exist. We have to prepare for larger numbers of us going to prison, I read that currently there are dozens of prisoners from the social movement—climate change and Palestinian solidarity. They are facing the same or similar conditions I was imposed with, through the terrorism schedules and Counter Terror Police investigations. In my case I was not even sentenced for any terror charges but I was still held under an anti-terrorist regime and there was nothing really that either the lawyers or the movement could do about that. This situation is not going to get better unless we are active and create a stronger tendency of struggle. Currently the anarchist movement in the UK is not able to provide adequate support to its prisoners. The solidarity action groups are almost non-existent. There needs to be a real effort to connect the struggles of all of us who are targeted by the prison and criminal-justice system. You spoke about abolishing prisons in your talk and the horrendous living conditions inside. Do you think that is one of the main areas anarchists should be focusing on? What are the important battles for our movement in the next few years? Everyone will have different areas they want to concentrate on, but yes, I think that the anti-prison topic is an important intermediate struggle that has the capacity to not only create significant damage to bourgeois society, national security and the police-state, but create experience in confronting very difficult issues and finding allies in working class communities. Prison has a clear racial and class basis and at the moment the prison system is breaking, the situation is not going to be resolved any time soon either. A start could be the fight against prison labour and the construction of new prisons. As anarchists, we don’t want to simply abolish prisons, but destroy the state itself, in this case an old decaying post-Imperial regime that is determined to never relinquish its power. So, I’m in favour of any actions and campaigns from the radical left and the anarchists that strike it. The social movement has been largely active on the same issues for years with little success, most of the battles we face now, we will still face in the future, but it is made more bitter by the neo-fascist atmosphere and the new technologies. The important social battles I see coming all pertain to poverty and exploitation, and are the results of the new asymmetric state of war, technocratic capital, rising artificial intelligence and the ecological collapse. I think that nothing should be taken for granted. We live in a changing world and the resurgence of internationalist struggle and the next generation of social war is what I am placing a bet on. Thank you for your time. Strength to everyone. For a black international. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This article first appeared in the Summer 2025 issue of Freedom Journal The post Wildfires will begin: An interview with Toby Shone appeared first on Freedom News.

THE FREED ANARCHIST PRISONER SPOKE ABOUT SOLIDARITY AND ABOLITION AT THE BRIGHTON COWLEY CLUB ~ Elizabeth Vasileva ~ A talk by anarchist ex-prisoner Toby Shone at the Cowley Club in Brighton drew almost 20 people on Friday (7 March). It was a nice atmosphere and a positive reception for Toby.   Friends and comrades writing, visiting, and organising firework demos outside the prison were immensely helpful in keeping his spirits up, he said. So was organising with other prisoners, supporting each other and showing solidarity. Toby observes that the system cannot accept prisoners showing solidarity with each other, and that is the real strength he found on the inside. “The state machine is terrified of the links we make with each other”, he says, arguing that the conditions in prison are emblematic of a society which has reached its end days. Listening to Toby, it is easy to conclude that the only appropriate action to take about prisons is to abolish them. Toby Shone was arrested under operation Adream in 2020 for involvement in project 325. Adream was an anti-terrorist investigation by multiple state agencies to against the 325 anarchist collective born out of rave culture and squats in Brighton in the early 2000s. They published a zine and a website, spreading information about various anarchist activities.   Toby was arrested following a few occasions where vehicles were burnt in the Bristol-Bath area. He was accused and charged with administering the 325 website for ‘distribution of terrorist publications’, ‘funding terrorism’ and ‘possession of information used for terrorist purposes’. A whole bunch of FAI, ELF and ALF direct actions were also pinned on him, while the police were raiding his house, his friends’ houses, collective project spaces and vehicles. Although it was acknowledged that there were no leaders, the state tried him on leadership charges and attempted to link his activities to foreign anarchist ‘bosses’ in Greece. Fortunately, few of these allegations stuck and Toby was ultimately kept on drug charges.   Solidarity march with Toby, Halloween 2022 In November 2024, Toby finally came out after 5 years in various high-security prisons. In the talk he focused mainly on prison conditions, a critique of the criminal justice system, the actions of state agencies to keep him there, and the support he received from comrades.  Prisons, Toby commented, are horrendous places: “Ain’t no human rights in jail. You get treated the way you get treated”. Lack of bedding, lack of proper food, lack of hygiene and sanitary facilities, rooms that have never been cleaned, no gyms or outdoor space…the list continues. This brings you down, but what is even worse is the way human beings get treated. For some, the isolation, trauma and pain are unbearable. People inside harm themselves in desperation, and nobody calls emergency services or even goes to check in on them. There is no ambiguity in Toby’s experience—human lives are wasted, there are no opportunities for rehabilitation, and rarely even possibilities for studying, self-development or any activities that make a meaningful life. “In these circumstances you need to find a reason inside you to be there. The reason is we are revolutionaries, we want a better world, we want it for everyone”, he said.   -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Top photo: Solidarity demo with Toby outside Cardiff probation office, March 2024 The post Toby Shone: “The state machine is terrified of the links we make with each other” appeared first on Freedom News.

ONE OF UK’S LONGEST RUNNING SOCIAL CENTRES, THE COWLEY CLUB IS BRIGHTON IS STRUCTURED AS A MEMBERS-RUN CO-OPERATIVE ~ Interviewed by Zosia Brom ~ Can you tell us about who you are and how it all started and what are your activities? We are the Cowley Club, a social centre in Brighton, we’ve been around since 2003, so for quite some time. It all started of a need for a space that not only fosters anarchist principles of organising but also serves as a community hub for various activist movements. Over the years, we’ve transformed into a collective with a whole range of activities. We’ve got a vegan café that serves up delicious grub, an anarchist bookshop where you can find everything from theory to zines, and a foodbank for those in need. But that’s not all! We also offer a meeting space for different activist groups—think of it as a home base for grassroots organisations. Our library is stocked with radical literature, and we host cultural events that are open to all. It’s about creating an environment where people feel welcome and can engage in discussions and actions that matter to them. Honestly, we’re always looking for ways to expand our activities, so who knows what’s next on the agenda What are the core values that guide the Club, and how do you ensure that those values are reflected in daily activities? Quoting text on our window boards- “For a social system based on mutual aid and voluntary co-operation: against all forms of oppression. To establish a share in the general prosperity for all- the braking down of racial, religious, national, gender and sex barriers- to resist ecological destruction, and to fight for the life on one earth”. In simpler terms, we are guided by anarchist principles of grassroots organising and ” no gods, no managers” approach and we are trying as much as possible for all those values to be reflected in how we organise in day to day basis and to remain free of the influence from the political parties, even the “progressive” ones. Why do you think maintaining social centres such as Cowley is important? As the world around us becomes increasingly grim—thanks to the cost of living crisis, rampant gentrification, and the looming threat of ecological collapse—spaces like the Cowley Club become more crucial than ever. We provide an alternative to the oppressive structures that are being imposed on us, showcasing different ways to organise our lives. This isn’t just about having a place to hang out; it’s about creating a resource for the movement, a space for people to come together, socialise, and plan for change. In these turbulent times, social centres like ours play a vital role in fostering community resilience and solidarity. They remind us that we’re not alone in this fight and that we can work together to build a world that aligns with our values—one based on cooperation and mutual aid rather than competition and individualism. What role does the club play in fostering local activism, and how do you engage with other grassroots movements in Brighton and beyond? First and foremost, we’re all about providing accessible space for important projects and groups in the area. We’ve hosted a range of organisations, including the Solidarity Federation, Anarchist Black Cross, Brighton Antifascists, and Brighton Hunt Saboteurs. These groups use our space not just to meet, but also to fundraise and strategise. Some of the initiatives are long-term, while others pop up in response to immediate needs—they’re all equally important in the grand scheme of things. We also love organising book talks, discussions, film screenings, and prisoner support events. Each of these activities helps to cultivate a sense of community and encourage dialogue around pressing issues. Honestly, we’d love to do even more, but a lot of our energy is dedicated to ensuring that we can keep the doors open and the lights on. It’s a juggling act, but every event and gathering adds to the tapestry of local activism and reinforces the idea that we’re all in this together. What impact has the Cowley Club had on the Brighton community? Over the years, I’d say the Cowley Club has made quite a significant impact on the Brighton community. We’ve provided a space where people can connect, organise, and feel a sense of belonging. The visibility of our activities has helped to normalise discussions around anarchism and grassroots activism, making these concepts more accessible to the wider public. We’ve also served as a support network during crises, whether it’s through our foodbank or by hosting events that raise awareness about social issues. By offering a safe space for people to come together and learn, we’ve empowered many individuals to get involved in activism in their own communities. The relationships formed here often extend beyond our walls, creating lasting networks of solidarity. How do you see the role of social centres like the Cowley Club evolving in the future? As the world continues to spiral into various crises—social, ecological, and economic—the role of social centres like the Cowley Club will undoubtedly become even more vital. These spaces will be essential not just for providing resources, but for nurturing the next generation of activists and organisers. In the face of ongoing challenges, we’ll need to adapt and evolve, finding new ways to meet the needs of our community while remaining true to our anarchist principles. We envision Cowley as a place where creative solutions emerge, where people can experiment with new ideas and practices in organising. Whether it’s tackling the cost-of-living crisis or responding to ecological disasters, we want to be at the forefront of creating and sharing resources that empower others to act. What future projects or initiatives are in the pipeline for the Cowley Club? There are loads of plans and ideas swirling around, but we’re currently limited by the fact that our volunteers can only do so much. The reality is that we need to strike a balance between what we want to do and what we can actually achieve with our current resources. How is the Club funded, and what are the financial challenges of running such a space? We’ve got a mix of funding sources keeping the Cowley Club afloat. Primarily, we rely on the bar and various events we host, alongside support from a housing cooperative that has a flat in our building and donations from our supporters. But let’s be real: the financial challenges are ever-present. Everything keeps getting more expensive—interest rates, utilities, you name it! Our building is over a century old, and with that comes the constant need for repairs, big and small. On top of that, we’re dealing with some historic debts that we’re working to pay off. It cost over £3,000 a month to keep the place running, and it often feels like a constant struggle to secure this much money. We are all working together to find ways to fundraise and sustain our space. What role do volunteers play in the day-to-day operations of the Club? Volunteers are the heartbeat of the Cowley Club. The whole place runs on volunteer power—without them, we simply wouldn’t exist. They handle everything from serving in the café and managing events to keeping the bookshop stocked and the space clean. It’s an all-hands-on-deck situation, and we truly value each and every volunteer that walks through our doors. The more volunteers we have, the more energy we can generate, and that opens up the opportunity for even more projects and activities. It’s about building a community of people who share a common vision and want to contribute to something greater than themselves. Plus, it’s a great way to meet like-minded folks and learn new skills along the way! If someone told you they were planning to open their own social centre, based on your experience of running Cowley, what advice would you give them? First off, I’d say: go for it! There’s a real need for more spaces like this, and every community can benefit from a social centre. But my advice would be to plan well. Do your research and talk to others who have experience running social centres—there’s a wealth of knowledge out there, and learning from others’ successes and mistakes can save you a lot of time and effort. Keep in mind that every area has its own unique vibe, and what works in one place might not translate directly to another. So, while it’s great to gather inspiration from other projects, stay flexible and adaptable to your own community’s needs. Lastly, don’t forget to have fun! Building a social centre is about creating a space that reflects your values and brings people together. Embrace the journey and the relationships you’ll build along the way. The post Cowley Club Interview: “Every community can benefit from a social centre” appeared first on Freedom News.