Anarchist prisoner James Borek is scheduled to be released today after spending more than two years in prison for his participation in a 1999 London Reclaim the Streets sponsored Carnival Against Capitalism protest.
Jim is a New York native who travelled to England at the age of 18. After being arrested, Jim fled to Ireland without his passport, where he joined the Irish trad/punk band Blood or Whiskey.
It was while on tour with his band that Jim was apprehended in Belgium with a phony passport. On January 23rd, 2000, in Southwark Crown Court, he pled guilty to a section 20 Grievous Bodily Harm (GBH) and 2 violent disorder charges, plus an additional charge of skipping bail.
The June 18th, 1999 Carnival Against Capital was an international day of protest, timed to coincide with the meeting of the G8 (Group of Eight most industrialised nations) Summit in Köln, Germany. Anti-Capitalist protests were organized in over 40 countries. The demonstration in London, organized by Reclaim the Streets, shut down the city center with 10,000 protesters. Demonstrators occupied the London International Financial Futures Exchange (LIFFE) building, trashed corporate and financial targets, and built bonfires in the streets.
Another anarchist, Rob los Ricos a.k.a. Rob Thaxton, was arrested at the June 18th Eugene, Oregon protest. Rob is serving a seven year and three months sentence for throwing a rock at a police officer who attacked him.
Jim will be flying into New York City Thursday afternoon, and will be welcomed by friends who have planned a party for him this Saturday at 71 Troutman Street in Brooklyn.
It was while on tour with his band that Jim was apprehended in Belgium with a phony passport. On January 23rd, 2000, in Southwark Crown Court, he pled guilty to a section 20 Grievous Bodily Harm (GBH) and 2 violent disorder charges, plus an additional charge of skipping bail.
The June 18th, 1999 Carnival Against Capital was an international day of protest, timed to coincide with the meeting of the G8 (Group of Eight most industrialised nations) Summit in Köln, Germany. Anti-Capitalist protests were organized in over 40 countries. The demonstration in London, organized by Reclaim the Streets, shut down the city center with 10,000 protesters. Demonstrators occupied the London International Financial Futures Exchange (LIFFE) building, trashed corporate and financial targets, and built bonfires in the streets.
Another anarchist, Rob los Ricos a.k.a. Rob Thaxton, was arrested at the June 18th Eugene, Oregon protest. Rob is serving a seven year and three months sentence for throwing a rock at a police officer who attacked him.
Jim will be flying into New York City Thursday afternoon, and will be welcomed by friends who have planned a party for him this Saturday at 71 Troutman Street in Brooklyn.
