Abolitionist Digest - July 2025

Written By Maureen Mansfield

Events

Exhibit: Artworks from the Palestinian Prisoners Movement
By: Sajarfal Press 
Dates: 07-16 August 2025 
Address: Studio 12, 1 Addington Square, London SE5 7JZ
More info here.

Free Family Art Workshops: Mujaawarah / مجوارة
By: Maslaha UK 
Dates: July 29 and August 5, 12 & 19th, from 11AM-1PM 
Address: MIAH Art Gallery Birmingham, 496 Mosely Rd, B12 9AH 
This is a space for parent/carers & children to work alongside each other and explore themes of resistance, solidarity and identity as a way to counter the censorship and policing of marginalised communities which has been especially highlighted in relation to Palestine.
Register here. 

Global Majority Copwatch, Open Organising Meeting & Social
By: Copwatch Network, Global Majority Copwatch
Date: 02 August 2025, 12-6PM 
Address: The Advocacy Academy London, 2 Beehive Pl, SW9 &QR
Open organising meeting and social to people of a Global Majority background; child and family-friendly space with option to cover childcare costs. Come join planning for the next Copwatch Breakfast Club, fundraising ideas and community guidelines - no registration needed.
More info here.

Know Your Rights and Stop & Search Training 
By: Southwark Copwatch 
Date: 28 July 2025, 6.30-8.30PM 
Address: Albrighton Community Centre 37 Albrighton Rd, SE22 8AH, London
Free community Know Your Rights training & sharing session, sharing tactics about what to do when Stopped & Searched by the police, what you can do to help others being Stopped & Searched and building a community of resisters. Food provided, no registration needed, all welcome except cops. 
More info here.

Community Meal and Antifascist Skillshare
By: East London Community Defence & Pelican House 
Date: 30th July, 5.30-9pm
Address: Pelican House, 144 Cambridge Heath Road, Bethnal Green, E1 5QJ 
Free evening of food and music by and for the local community of East London. During the evening there will be antifascist skillshares to learn techniques to keep calm, de-escalate conflict & keep each other safe in the streets; no registration needed. 

Theatre Performance: A Monkey Trial, The Gameshow at Edinburgh Fringe
Dates: 01-05 August 2025 
Address: Edinburgh Fringe, Edinburgh, Scotland 
A one-person, semi-interactive  reenactment of the real-life criminal trial of feminist Pauline Cambell done as a TV gameshow, encapsulating that millions are suffering under a broken criminal justice system. All profits to criminal justice non-profits. 
More info & tickets here.

Articles & Reports

Against Rights: Critiquing the contemporary neoliberal management of “difficult” mental health
By: Lizzie Hughes & Jenny Logan
Read it here

Reimagining prevention: Centring care in youth support
By: Hope Chilokoa-Mullen 
Read it here

On Proscribing Palestine Action
By: Oh Deary Sea
Read it here

When We Are All Enemies of the State 
By: Stuart Hall 
A recently discovered 1974 speech by Stuart Hall on Walter Rodney & why fascists fear ideas. 
Read it here

The Police Do Not Believe in the Rule of Law: Palestine Activism and Police Discretion
By: State Power 
Read it here

Know Your Rights on Palestine Action’s Proscription 
By: CAGE International
Palestine Action has been proscribed, what does it mean and what can you do? This new guide will give a greater understanding of what there is to know about the law & how you can continue standing for Palestine.
Read it here 

Podcasts

‘What to do if you can’t protest: on organising beyond the frontlines’ (27 mins) 
With: The Dugout, a black anarchist podcast 
Not everyone can be on the frontlines-and that’s okay. In this episode The Dugout shares real, grounded ways to stay politically active when protesting isn’t an option.
Listen here

'De-Escalation and Dreaming of Abolition' (61 mins) 
With: Live Like the World is Dying podcast with Kai Cheng 
Casandra and Kai Cheng chat about conflict deescalation, somatics, transformative justice, and dreaming of abolitionist futures.
Listen here

'Proscription and the UK counter terror regime (63 mins)
With: 12 Rules for What & Iida Kayhko
Iida Kayhko talks about proscription, counter terror and more, following the recent proscription of the protest group Palestine Action by the Labour government. 
Listen here

Solidarity Support

The Sameer Project
A donations based and mutual aid initiative, led by 4 diaspora Palestinians, working to supply emergency shelter, aid and water to displaced families in Gaza. The initiative prioritises those with critical medical needs and vulnerabilities. The project provides support in the form of shelter, medication, food, water, and other living essentials. 

Free the Filton 23
Follow and support the Free The Filton 23 campaign as the 18 activists imprisoned become 23 with 5 recent arrests & sign their updated petition. The 23 are being held in British prisons on remand for allegedly damaging weapons intended for use in Israel's genocide in Gaza. 

Call for Testimonies

Researcher Remi Joseph Salisbury has shared an open call for testimonies as part of research around policing in and around schools! They are looking to hear from young people, parents/carers, teachers, school staff, youth workers, and others with experiences or perspectives to share. People can submit in whichever way works best:

This is not an exhaustive list of upcoming abolitionist resources or activities and many more exist beyond this short digest. We will continue to share as many resources on our social media as we can - please get in touch if you have something to share. 

Maureen Mansfield
Next

Against Rights: Critiquing the contemporary neoliberal management of “difficult” mental health