Alternative Library @altlib@kolektiva.social

(2) Reposted from @allegedlymiguel on instagram:

On March 31st 2021, Thurston County announced an end to the investigation into the murder of Michael Reinoehl on September 3rd 2020. No cops will be held accountable. They’re obviously covering up and lying about the extra-judicial killing of an anti-fascist. An anti-fascist that acted in self-defense on the night of August 29th in Portland, OR, and Jay deserved what he got.

Learn about a comrade murdered in cold blood.

#MichaelReinoehl #antifa

(1) Reposted from @allegedlymiguel on instagram:

On March 31st 2021, Thurston County announced an end to the investigation into the murder of Michael Reinoehl on September 3rd 2020. No cops will be held accountable. They’re obviously covering up and lying about the extra-judicial killing of an anti-fascist. An anti-fascist that acted in self-defense on the night of August 29th in Portland, OR, and Jay deserved what he got.

Learn about a comrade murdered in cold blood.

#MichaelReinoehl #antifa

March 26th; 6:00pm
Live performance in our backyard, and via instagram live (@bhamaltlib )
RSVP via e-mail to attend in person:
booking@AltLib.org

(2) Sweeps of homeless encampments disrupt people’s abilities to establish stability or develop systems that could be mutually supportive for their neighborhoods, keeping homeless people always in need.

The institutions of the state and other capitalists benefit from the existence of obedient workers, and the brutality inflicted on people who live homeless is enough to keep most people returning to work.

(1) Homelessness is criminalized within the hierarchy of capitalism because of the direct threat that it poses to its validity. If allowed to continue unchecked, homelessness could serve as a concrete demonstration of the diverse ways to live fulfilling lives removed from the continual pressures to obsessively work amassing wealth for the capitalist ruling class.

Excerpt from a comment by a supporter of our ongoing fundraiser... 😂

New Home Fundraiser is ongoing:
http://altlib.org

After 14 years, we are tired of moving around town, playing the role of the artist in the rapid gentrification of Bellingham, moving in and revitalizing spaces and being subsequently priced out of our own neighborhood. We are ready to find a permanent home base for our operations, which will be necessary for the continuation of this project!

It’s been a busy couple of days, as we just got word that we will have to be out of our current space by the end of April! We knew the building was slated for demolition and development when we moved in, and we’ve been making subtle preparations for the last year, but it doesn’t make finding a new site to base our operations any easier. We’re asking our whole community to rally in support of our work, to rally to help us find a new space ~

Alt Lib Radio Hour is a new livestream performance initiative broadcast every Friday out of the Alternative Library. We understand live-streaming as not merely a response to COVID-19 but a site of indeterminate possibility: where the internet is available, so too is an entire world of art and culture.

We’ll be hosting new music and art each week, livestreamed via Instagram Live and later edited for release on YouTube and through limited-edition cassettes.

Want to get some rad indie media in the mail while you’re quarantined?! Just send us $30 and we’ll send you a package valued at least that amount and including free shipping anywhere in the US!

Money can be sent via Venmo (@altlib ) or PayPal (Bellingham.alternative.Library@gmail.com ) along with your mailing address, and if you wish, three words to guide our picks 😎

Examples: (comix, anarchy, music) (queer, magick, gardening)

(5) The community here is still reeling, as many people try to rebuild amidst threats of further sweeps, and other members of City Council have been largely without a response.

Photos in this series were largely taken by Sattva Photo and Kai Rapa who each have documented this incident extensively.

(4) The Mayor and Police Chief were quick to hold a press briefing on Friday, justifying the violence of this action by citing fears of “violent agitators” coming from outside the city and “health risks” of possible Covid-19 outbreaks, however it is known that there is an ongoing outbreak within the Whatcom Sheriffs Department itself, and the myth of “outside agitators” is a known media fear tactic.

(3) The operations expense of this sweep was certainly immense, and offered nothing but militarized force. It’s impossible not to consider how this money could have been better spent to aid our homeless neighbors, rather than meet them and their supporters with brutality. For this we refer to the Defund BPD Campaign, which names an 11-point strategy to reallocate money from the police department to reduce violence and better aid our community health.