Update from Brighton ABC, October 2018:

Today we have some great news for you. Patryk Cichoń, Polish antifascist that had been serving prison sentence in Poland had been recently released and as of yesterday he is safely back with his family in UK. We would like to thank here all those that supported Patryk during his prison time. Thanks to tremendous effort of everyone involved we were able to help Patryk's brother with rent every month, meaning they were not forced out of their house, and we were able to assure that Patryk's son is able to live a relatively normal life. This was only possible because of all of you that donated money, organised benefit events and helped in other ways. This is how solidarity looks like!

At the beginning of May 2016 our comrade Patryk Cichoń from Poland was arrested by British police under an European Arrest Warrant. Patryk is a well known anti-fascist militant notorious among neo-Nazi-boneheads in his city for his uncompromising stance against them in the past. The boneheads managed to convince a few of their friends to testify against Patryk and his friend for an alleged assault and robbery. As later transpired, his friend had a very good alibi and had the charges against him dropped (despite being allegedly recognised by the "victim" and his friends), so Patryk ended up being sentenced on his own. The whole trial was an absolute travesty and Patryk, as a poor, young working class person, was not able to afford a proper defence. He spent two months on remand in 2004 and was sentenced to three years in prison.

It is clear that this whole case was politically motivated and had only one purpose, which was to get rid of the core of the anti-fascist resistance in Patryk’s home town.

Rather than doing prison time, he decided to escape abroad and came to UK in 2005. He started his new life here, continuing to be involved in anti-fascist activity: organising gigs in London, including United and Strong Fest, which has seen lots of great Antifa bands from all over Europe performing, and raising money for anti-fascist initiatives. He was also the editor of the 'Skinhead Revolt' fanzine, which was the first left wing skinhead publication in Polish.

Patryk lost his extradition case and is being deported to Poland to serve his sentence. He is leaving behind his 10 year old son in the care of his younger brother D, who became his legal carer. As D has two small children of his own and is the only money earner in the household, we are planning to support him financially. We want Patryk to know that his son has enough money for school meals, clothes etc. and that his younger brother is not being pushed into poverty as a result of looking after him. The aim is to raise £4,000, to send monthly payments to his son during Patryk’s incarceration.

Patryk has always been there when others needed help and assistance, please make sure he is not left on his own now. He would appreciate your letters of support and literature, he understands Polish and English well.