Sisters Uncut

Taking direct action for domestic violence services.

‘Abolish the police’ – what does that mean?

Thursday, March 18, 2021

The police do not keep us safe.

So: what is abolition? Here are some quick and easy introductions.

Comic. Reads. 'So we have to create the conditions that decrease the demand for police and surveillance. You need jobs, healthcare, housing, people need to be able to live their lives.' A crane arm removes a broken prison building while others place a house and hospital. More text: You need to creat structures to address harm and hold people accountable. People think abolitionists minimize harm but we take it very seriously.' Two groups of purple figures face each other: two pairs on the shoulders of other pairs, holding hands in the middle. Text reads, 'safety is a collective action'Super quick intro to abolition narrated by Mariame Kaba (comic)

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Photo of a protest where people hold placards and a banner that reads, 'Community-Based Solutions No Prison No Jails' with a caption below it that reads 'An anti-incarceration protest in California in 2021. Critical Resistance'

What do abolitionists do (article).

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Line diagram of a cross section of a heart with the AORTA labelled in all caps. Text reads: anti-oppression resource and training alliance www.aortacollective.org in all caps

Introduction to the the difference between Punitive, Restorative and Transformative justice approaches from AORTA.

Insta: @aortacoop         Twitter: @aortacoop

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Yellow background with red image of police officer. Black band with white text reads, 'Community Policing' in all caps. Underneath a red box with white text reads, 'Reformist reform' then black text reads 'or' and white text on green background reads 'Abolitionist step' with a big black question mark

UK-based Instagram series of whether suggestions around policing are reformist or abolitionist

Insta: @blackabolitionist

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Black and white photo - stark black background. Hands handcuffed, breaking the handcuff chains between them.

The case for abolition with Ruth Gilmore (podcast)

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Pink background graphic in black, red and purple of a hand holding a black placard surrounded by purple thistles. Yellow text reads 'Ep.1' and the placard reads, 'Abolishing prisons in the UK'

Kelsey from UK group Community Action on Prison Expansion on Resist+Renew’s podcast

Insta: @no_more_prisons          Twitter: @CAPExpansion

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Black and white line drawing of a London Met badge on a white circle with a black background (8 point star with E II R in the middle, Metropolitan Police around the outside, and a crown) on a white circle with a black background

Brief history of why the London Met were set up (comic)

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Black circle with white text that reads, 'Abolitionist Futures' in all caps, on a bold neon purple/blue/pink patterned background

Into reading? Here’s an amazing reading list from UK collective Abolitionist Futures, including articles, podcasts and videos (some of the above are drawn from this)

Insta: @abolitionistfutures          Twitter:@reclaimjustice

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Screenshot from gal-dem article, text reads: "Sarah Everard’s case proves that police abolition is the only solution to gender-based violence" Sub heading: 'Abolition advocates for the complete defunding and dismantling of police and the prison systems, here's how we reach it.' Maya Bhardwaj 16 MAR. To the right there is a pink circle with "trigger warning" written in itExplainer of why Sarah Everard’s murder shows that abolition is the only solution to gender-based violence (article)

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Image of the header of an article. Text reads: 'Abolition for the people' as a pre-heading. Title: 'Disability Justice Is an Essential Part of Abolishing Police and Prisons' Subtitle: 'Ableism forms and informs violence, oppression, and incarceration, yet it continues to be ignored by social justice movements'. There is a small circular thumbnail of the author who is a black person smiling. Text: 'Talila "TL" Lewis Oct 7, 2020·7 min read'

Why disability justice is an essential part of abolition (article)

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Grey box with text that reads, 'Sex Worker Rights and Abolition', has a white box in the centre with a logo of a black outline of an eye with a white police badge in the middle, with the letters NPMP over the top

Sex worker rights and abolition (article)

Insta: @SwarmHive          Twitter: @SexWorkHive

BREAKING: Sisters Uncut declare victory at halting police powers bill in Parliament
BREAKING: "It is our duty to fight for our freedom"