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A-Radio Network, abortion, activism, Anarchist, Autonomy, gender, Health, LGBTQ, Pittsburgh, repression, Turkey, Uncategorized, United States

Mobile Mutual Aid with the Auto(nomous) Body Shop

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This week, you’ll hear two segments.

TFSR 10-11-26 | Mobile Mutual Aid with the Auto(nomous) Body Shop (PGH)" alongside a cartoon van dropping tons of harm reduction tools with hearts on the window, driving through a spooky, Halloween background
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First up, we spoke with Crystal and Alecia from the Auto(nomous) body shop. From their website:

TheAuto(nomous) Body Shop is a Pittsburgh based mobile mutual aid resource supporting bodily autonomy & community care. We provide free info + supplies + propaganda to support & empower folks to be the go to friend for reproductive health, abortion care, & harm reduction in their community. We also fundraise for repro health to break down barriers to care, conduct workshops, collaborate with & support other mutual aid orgs.

The discussion touches upon the many facets of their organizing in the Pittsburgh region, the climate for reproductive healthcare and gender-affirming care in Pittsburgh and the surrounding area, and their expansion into other regions of the state. The conversation also includes discussion of their coalition-based strategy to broaden the breadth and depth of their efforts and the need for joyful celebration of their values and goals. To that end, we get into the social events and zine publication coming up later this month.

Anti-LGBTQIA+ Repression in Turkey

[ 00:45:55 ]

Then, we share an interview by FrequenzA out of Germany with a guest about recent repression against queer people and organizations across Turkey from September 12-14th, 2026. This crackdown against activists, organizations and spaces was named “My Family Is Safe”, with the reactionary government of Erdogan’s AK Party using the same rubric of upholding cis-hetero nuclear families as the only healthy model against “gender ideology” as you hear from regimes in the US under Trump, Russia and from right wing movements around the world. This interview will also appear in episode 106 of B(A)D News: Angry Voices From Around The World from the A-Radio Network, of which we’re a member.

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Featured Tracks:

activism, Asheville, G20, Gentrification, Homelessness, Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh, Police, Protest, repression, Sports, Transcribed, United States, zine

National Special Security Events, Homeless Sweeps and Police Militarization

photo of police leading a baton charge with the words "TFSR 5-24-26 | National Special Security Events, Homeless Sweeps and Police Militarization"
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This year has felt like there’ve been a series of large sports mega events and summits planned and taking place in cities across the USA. For instance, starting in June the FIFA World Cup will be hosted in cities across the country (as well as a few in Mexico and Canada). Also a few cities are hosting meetings and an eventual summit related to the G20, or group of 20 economies, a gathering between large capitalist industries, banks, para-governmental neoliberal international institutions, government ministries and heads of state that share policy decisions effecting immigration, wars, trade policy and the climate. In 2028 Los Angeles will host the Olympics.

This episode will feature two discussions about some of the security impacts of hosting large sports or political events and the ways that the state and capital work to change the landscape and norms of the locations they take place. First up, Kristian Williams speaks about National Special Security Events like the G20 or World Cup, how they change local police and surveillance landscapes and work to turbocharge gentrification and displace working and poor people, making our cities more hostile to anything but commerce and control. Then, you’ll hear from Sam Schmidt at Our Streets Collective to speak about homeless sweeps in Pittsburgh, PA in the run-up to and aftermath of the 2026 NFL Draft taking place in that city.

Announcement

Marius Mason

Longtime listeners to The Final Straw Radio will be familiar with the yearly June 11th Day of Solidarity with Marius Mason and other Longterm Anarchist Prisoners. Well, stay tuned for an announcement from the June 11 crew in coming weeks with a recording of this year’s call. We are happy to announce here that Marius Mason, a long standing ecological, animal rights and trans prisoner rights activist will is on his way out of prison, currently in a halfway house having served out his sentence,

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Featured Track:

Continue reading National Special Security Events, Homeless Sweeps and Police Militarization →
activism, Labor, Palestine, Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh, Transcribed, zine

Palestine Solidarity at East End Co-Op (with Iris and Fritz of UE 667)

East End Co-Op Union + BDS

photo of members of UE667 next to a table with a sign reading Feed Gaza
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This week, Ian spoke with member of UE local 667, organized workers at the East End Co-Op in Pittsburgh about the origins and goals of their organization and their divestment campaign to remove products from occupied Palestine from the shelves of their co-op.

Announcement

Shine White on Hunger Strike

White antiracist prisoner in North Carolina, Shine White, was transferred to a new facility and brutally beaten by guards as punishment for his organizing behind bars. Supporters have released this statement:

On October 7, Joseph “Shine White” Stewart was transferred from Foothills CI to Marion CI as punishment for his organizing efforts. Upon arrival, he was restrained, maced, tased on his face, and beaten by guards, sustaining injuries to his shoulder and ribs. This compounds existing injuries inflicted by guards at Foothills CI, for which he has been denied medical attention, in addition to ongoing medical neglect for preexisting chronic health conditions. In response to this ongoing repression, Shine went on a hunger strike after arriving at Marion CI. He is demanding proper medical treatment and to be transferred outside the jurisdiction of Western Regional Director, LaDonna Browning.

Make calls to the following officials on their direct lines Monday-Friday between 9am – 5pm EST:

  • Peter Richard Buchholtz – Deputy Secretary for Institutions (910) 916-0155
    • peter.buchholtz@dac.nc.gov
  • Josh Painter – Director of Prison Operations (910) 578-0215
  • Marquette Alexandra Frierson – Clinical Support Director (919) 828-4000
  • Valerie Langley – Chief Nursing Officer (252) 916-5645

Sample Script: “Hello. I am calling with regard to Joseph Stewart, OPUS number 0802041, who is currently on hunger strike after being brutally beaten by guards upon transfer to Marion CI and being denied medical care in retaliation for his organizing for prisoners. We are contacting you to demand that he receive immediate medical attention and be transferred outside the jurisdiction of Western Regional Director, LaDonna Browning. Joseph has made it clear that he will not end his hunger strike until he is transferred. Each day that goes by increases existing risks to his health. Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.”

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Featured Track:

  • The Girl With The Sun In Her Brain by Orbital from In Sides
Continue reading Palestine Solidarity at East End Co-Op (with Iris and Fritz of UE 667) →
activism, Anarchist, Asia, Bookfair, General, Nepal, Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh, Prisons, Transcribed, United States, zine

The “Gen Z” Uprising That Rocked The Nepalese State + 1st PGH Anarchist Book Fair

This week, the show has two segments.

Pittsburgh Anarchist Book Fair

"TFSR 10-19-2025 | Anarcho of Movement in Nepal and The Gen Z Uprising That Rocked The State" and a photo of someone climbing the gilded gates of the Nepalese parliament building, hanging a flag with a skull and crossbones and wearing a straw hat, with the parliament burning in the background
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First up, you’ll hear a brief interview with M, an organizer of the first Pittsburgh anarchist book fair, happening October 24-26 across a few venues in the Steel City

As is anarchist book fair tradition, everything will be free.
We’re renting a few spaces, and expecting a few other costs. Sharing that info here so folks can get a sense of what that looks like. If you/others are inclined and able to support, would be grateful for that.
Attached is an image of the break down as of today, and below is a link we’ll update live time as to what costs look like.
https://pad.riseup.net/p/r.ca0a70f3bd595bb58b9daab4e6d9a576
You can buy a beautiful book fair shirt (design by the illustrious N.O. Bonzo), or simply donate. Venmo: @pghbookfair. (If you’d like a shirt, indicate size in the note – S-3XL; if yr just donating, any emoji or strange note is fine!) Feel free to message for other ways to donate.

“Gen Z” Uprising In Nepal

Then, an interview that I conducted with Anarcho, a member of the Black Book Distro collective out of Kathmandu, Nepal, about the protests and aftermath of the September 2025 “Gen Z” anti-corruption protests that ousted the prime minister, released prisoners and left the parliament in smoldering ruins.

Because we don’t follow a strict chronology of events, we’re including a few articles linked in our show notes for further study. We worked heavily off the interview with members of the Black Book Distro and CrimethInc, which is among those in our show notes.

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Featured Track:

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Continue reading The “Gen Z” Uprising That Rocked The Nepalese State + 1st PGH Anarchist Book Fair →