This leaflet was handed out at the prisoner solidarity demo at HMP Nottingham on New Years Eve:

Prisons destroy people. They destroy families, friendships and communities too. Putting somebody in prison is an act of violence which contributes nothing real or positive and only brutalises those who are already struggling. We don't believe that prison is the answer to any questions we have ever asked.

Solidarity is our weapon.

Our passion for freedom is stronger than all prisons.

Prisons are the embodiment and reinforcement of the white supremacist, patriarchal and classist society we live in. They protect property and capital whilst attacking those who are oppressed and marginalised by the dominant structures of this society.

Prisons are racist - Black prisoners make up 15% of the prisoner population compared with 2.2% of the general population.

Prisons destroy people - The suicide rate in prisons is almost 15 times higher than in the general population: in 2002 the rate was 143 per 100,000 compared to 9 per 100,00 in the general population.

Prisons are an attack on the poor - 37% of people are unemployed at the time of imprisonment - around 7 times the national unemployment rate. 13% are unable to work because of long-term sickness or disability.

The prison-industrial complex is growing - The current UK prison population is around 100,000. Thirty years ago it was half of that. New Labour created one new imprisonable offence for each day they were in office.

Prisons reinforce the patriarchy - Over half the women in prison report having suffered domestic violence and one in three has experienced sexual abuse.

Solidarity to all prisoners.

Fire to the prisons!