NTSB: Overlooking Degrading Steer System Caused 2024 Collision

Degrading steering problems on the OSV led up to the collision (Edison Chouset photo from NTSB)

Published Jan 8, 2026 5:51 PM by The Maritime Executive

The National Transport Safety Board finds that the “normalization of degradations” to a vessel’s steering system and crew inexperience with bridge controls resulted in a collision that caused more than $1 million in damage to an OSV and a cargo ship and injuries to two crewmembers. It is warning about complacency, the need to properly report maintenance issues and conditions impacting a vessel’s operations, and adhering to written procedures.

The NTSB released a report on a March 17, 2024, collision between the two vessels as they were transiting at the port of Georgetown, Guyana. The U.S.-flagged OSV Jack Edwards (278-foot vessel) was inbound to Georgetown when the vessel veered off course, moving out of its traffic lane. It resulted in a collision with the outbound UK-flagged cargo ship Julie C (453-foot vessel). The OS’s hull plating was breached, letting seawater enter multiple tanks, as well as damage to deck and bulwarks plating. The cargo ship’s bulbous bow was punctured, as well as damage to the shell plating and internal structure members.

 

Damage to the OSV from the NTSB report

 

In reconstructing the sequence of events, the NTSB report finds that the OSV had gotten underway two weeks before the incident, with a crew of nine traveling from Louisiana to Guyana. It had completed a major drydock maintenance period. 

The chief mate and second mate told investigators that during the trip to Guyana, they had been frequent steering system alarms. The issue had started while at the shipyard, and they were told the alarms were “something normal.” The vessel’s systems were not logging the steering alarms, so they were not available to be reviewed.

The officers standing watch said they had noticed the vessel’s steering had become erratic and that the autopilot appeared to be “working harder” to maintain the course. The chief mate said the master told him that “steering issues were normal” on the OSV.

On the night of the incident, they were warned by the pilots over the VHF radio that the vessel had traveled out of the entrance channel. The vessel was also “shuddering” and had a “serious vibration.” They also noted the handling was sluggish, possibly because it had contracted the soft mud bottom or had been in shallow waters. The second mate, who was the officer of the watch, said he struggled to keep the vessel on a consistent heading, and finally, the master instructed the chief mate to take over the navigation because of the second mate’s inexperience with the vessel.

The chief mate also experienced problems with the navigation and ordered the tunnel thrusters to be brought online. Although the operations manual said all thrusters should have been turned on in standby during port navigation, the second mate had not turned them on. He went to turn them on from the aft navigation panel, but admitted his lack of familiarity with the controls and inadvertently took navigation control away from the chief mate for 57 seconds.

The pilot from the cargo ship made repeated calls to the OSV, but finally the cargo ship struck the OSV at a near-perpendicular angle on the starboard side forward to midship. Two crewmembers, including the chief engineer, were injured on the OSV, but the vessel remained seaworthy and ultimately would be able to reach a berth.

After the collision, the master and chief engineer began an inspection and reported that the starboard steering gear on the OSV was “out of commission.” It was covered in “black-colored oil,” and “black mud” was coming out of the rudder stock. The NTSB concludes the damage to the steering system was unlikely to have been a result of the collision because it was well aft of the point of contact. Later, when technicians broke down the system, they found a “bad wiper seal, along with a bad upper low-pressure void seal.” They believed a “damaged dust ring” had allowed a buildup of trash in the system, which could have affected other seals and valves

The NTSB concludes “the normalization of degradations to the vessel’s steering system” had reduced the ability to effectively steer. It cascaded into the other problems that precipitated the mistake that resulted in the loss of vessel control just before the collision.

They warn that maintenance and operating issues should be promptly reported. They also point to the hazards of failing to follow the written procedures for maintenance and operations. All this, they believe, increased the risk of a casualty.
 

 

Dead Whale on Boxship's Bow Prompts Investigation

Courtesy NOAA

Published Jan 8, 2026 11:12 PM by The Maritime Executive

 

A small container ship arrived in Camden, New Jersey last week with a dead fin whale on the bulbous bow, and an investigation into the cause of death is under way. 

Late Sunday night, Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay reported a deceased whale on the bow of a reefer boxship at the north end of the Gloucester City Marine Terminal, next to the Walt Whitman Bridge. NOAA and the nonprofit Marine Mammal Stranding Center (MMSC) were alerted, and MMSC tentatively identified it as a fin whale of about 25-30 feet in length.

On Tuesday, personnel from the MMSC worked with contractors to remove the whale's carcass from the bow and tow it away to a secure site on the shoreline for a necropsy. However, on Thursday, the agency said that it was still looking for an approved place to bury the 13-ton whale after the work is done. Once the logistics for disposal are arranged, its team can begin. 

Identified using image geolocation and AIS traffic records, the ship appears to be a Bahamas-flagged reefer boxship of about 14,000 dwt capacity. The vessel departed Peru in mid-December, AIS data provided by Pole Star Global shows, and it transited northbound for the Panama Canal, Caribbean and U.S. eastern seaboard, making 10-14 knots. It departed Camden on January 5 and headed back south towards the Panama Canal.

It is not yet been determined whether the whale died by ship strike. Fin whales are listed as endangered in the United States, but the global population is more robust. They are vulnerable to ship strikes, and statistics suggest that they are hit more often than other species. In some regions, ship strikes are the greatest risk to their survival.

Ship speed is a key factor for whale mortality, researchers say. NOAA implements seasonal vessel speed restriction zones on the U.S. East Coast to protect the North Atlantic right whale, another endangered species. The regulation requires slowing to less than 10 knots in specific areas and date ranges, and is enforced using AIS.

 

UAE Joins in an Exercise With the Iranian Navy for the First Time

The Iranian Navy base ship Makran (Iranian Navy)

Published Jan 11, 2026 1:55 PM by The Maritime Executive

 

With Exercise Mosi-3 - now renamed Exercise Will for Peace 2026 - scheduled to start with a dockside parade on January 10, naval participants have begun arriving in False Bay near Cape Town in South Africa, home of the Simon’s Town Naval Base.

As predicted, Russian Steregushchiy-class corvette Stoykiy (F545) and its escorting Altay-class oiler Yelnya (A168) have been seen in harbor, having completed a port call to Walvis Bay. The Chinese People Liberation Army (PLA) Navy Type 052DL guided-missile destroyer Tangshan (D122) and the Type 903A replenishment ship Taihu (K889), from the PLAN’s 48th Flotilla, have joined following their port visit to Mombasa.

The first Iranian Navy vessel (Nedaja) vessel to arrive in Simon’s Town was the converted tanker and forward base ship IRINS Makran (K441). As a converted oil tanker, IRINS Makran could be particularly useful during the exercise if drills are to be practiced on how to fend off boarding attempts on dark fleet vessels. It was later joined by the Bayandor Class corvette IRINS Naghdi (F82) and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Navy's own converted oil tanker, IRIS Shahid Mahdavi (L110-3), which serves as an expeditionary sea base.

A surprise participant is from the United Arab Emirates is the French-built Gowind-2500 Class corvette Bani Yas (P110). The Emirati participation marks the first time the UAE Navy has exercised with Iranian naval forces.

The South African Navy participant appears to be the Blohm+Voss-built Valour-class frigate SAS Amatola (F145), but additional South African vessels are also likely to join

A South African defense spokesman has said that observers will attend from Indonesia, Ethiopia and Brazil. There is no indication that the remaining countries of the eleven nation BRICS group - India, Egypt and Saudi Arabia – will either participate or observe.

The aim of the exercise is to practice naval drills supporting the protection of commercial shipping in shipping lanes, including counter-terrorism rescue and maritime strike operations. Exercise Will for Peace 2026 is scheduled to last until January 16, and is the first naval exercise to be held under the auspices of BRICS, hitherto seen as an economic bloc. The exercise director is from the PLAN.

 

Piracy Surged in 2025 Around Singapore, but ReCAAP Sees Positive Indicators

Piracy in the area around Singapore surged in the first half of 2025 before arrests by the Indonesians

Published Jan 9, 2026 6:27 PM by The Maritime Executive

 

After multiple warnings throughout the year about the dramatic increase in piracy around Singapore, the monitoring operation ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre, in its year-end report, highlights that the surge peaked at mid-year with the arrest of some perpetrators. It cautions that the rate remains high, however, while it is mostly low-level thefts.

Overall, there was a 74 percent increase in reports of piracy and robbery in the area around the Singapore Strait and the Straits of Malacca (SOMS), according to ReCAAP’s 2025 data. It says the 108 incidents reported (104 actual and four attempted) were concerning, noting that it is “the highest number of incidents recorded” for the area in the 19-year period that began tracking incidents in 2007.

Across the tracking region in South East Asia, ReCAAP recorded a total of 132 incidents of piracy and robbery in 2025. That was up 23 percent from 2024, but most of the increases were in the area of the Singapore Strait and the Straits of Malacca.

The report highlights fewer incidents in ports and anchorages in Bangladesh, Indonesia, and the Philippines. There was a marginal increase in India’s anchorages. It also emphasizes that for the fifth consecutive year, there were no reports of abductions of crew in the Sulu-Celebes Seas and off Eastern Sabah. The last abductions were reported in January 2020.

“While the increase in sea robbery incidents in the SOMS highlights the continuing security challenges faced by ships transiting the busy waterway, the decline in incidents following the arrest of perpetrators by the Riau Islands Regional Police illustrates the deterrent effect of effective enforcement,” said ReCAAP ISC Executive Director Vijay D. Chafekar.

ReCAAP also highlights that 87 percent of the incidents reported in the Singapore-Straits of Malacca area happened in the first seven months of 2025. It recorded a significant decline frm August to December following the arrests of perpetrators by the Indonesian authorities.

Most of the incidents are low-level crimes and specifically attempts at stealing items such as engine spare parts, scrap metal, and ship stores. In half the reports, ReCAAP reflects that nothing was reported stolen. Most of the perpetrators are unarmed, and frequently they flee when discovered. Interactions with crew are low, and there were no serious reports in 2025 of injuries to crewmembers by armed perpetrators. It notes that the proportion of the lowest level crimes increased to 53 percent versus 44 percent in 2024.

It says, however, the declines in the second half of 2025 do not indicate the end of the dangers in the region. Ships continue to be warned to take measures to protect their crews and prevent boardings. They also urge prompt reporting and call on local authorities to respond quickly.
 

 

Taiwan Refocuses Offshore Wind Tenders to Maximize Viability

iStock

Published Jan 11, 2026 3:14 PM by The Maritime Executive

 

For the upcoming Round 3.3 offshore wind auction, Taiwan has proposed a raft of measures geared towards improving project viability. In 2025, the offshore wind sector proved rather turbulent, with multiple projects globally failing to reach final investment decision. To counter these challenges, Taiwan has signaled a change in policy guiding allocation of offshore wind capacity going forward.

Last week, the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) held a public consultation on draft rules for Round 3.3. Although a consensus is yet to be reached, the government highlighted the need for a shift in the country’s renewable energy strategy. The proposed rules prioritize execution and delivery capability of a developer. Previously, offshore wind auctions were price-led and strict on localization rules.

One of the major changes in the proposed updates is the removal of Taiwan's localization regulations, satisfying a cost-control priority for developers. In its place, developer track record and financial capacity will become a key focus, accounting for 35 points of the total evaluation score. Again, the track record will incorporate a “negative list,” evaluating issues such as past delays by a developer, early termination and failure to sign administrative contracts.

“This effectively screens out speculative players and those who have damaged credibility in earlier rounds. Only a limited number of developers can independently meet both execution and financial requirements. The likely market response will be more joint-development partnerships, allowing capital-strong investors and technically capable developers to complement one another in order to participate,” commented Will Liu, Senior Consultant at the global engineering and management consulting firm, AFRY.

Most importantly, the new guidelines have introduced ESG requirements, which will account for 10-15% of the total evaluation score. Conventionally, ESG assessments are carried out during financing stage. The need to incorporate ESG in the early planning stages appears to be an effort aimed at reducing project delays. ESG assessments carried out after capacity is awarded have led to additional baseline surveys, increasing costs and project timelines.

The awarded wind farms must complete grid connection between 2030-2031. The minimum application capacity is 300 MW, with a maximum cap of 1 GW. MOEA plans the new rules will be finalized by this Q1, with a selection mechanism issued during the same period. The target capacity for this round is 3.6 GW, closing in on the goal to have 60% renewably sourced power by 2050. To date, Taiwan has installed around 4GW of offshore wind capacity.

Maersk Offshore Wind’s Installation Vessel Completes Sea Trials

Maersk Offshore Wind's WTIV on sea trials (Seatrium)

Published Jan 9, 2026 3:38 PM by The Maritime Executive

 

Maersk Offshore Wind and Seatrium reported that their under-construction massive offshore wind installation vessel has completed sea trials. The vessel’s delivery, however, is approaching as the future of the U.S. offshore wind industry for which it was designed remains uncertain.

Seatrium reports that the vessel, which is approximately 475 feet (145 meters) in length, successfully completed its trials in the South China Sea. Both Maersk Offshore Wind and the vessel’s classification society participated in the trials. They are continuing to work towards the agreed delivery of the vessel by the end of February.

The ship was designed with a coordinated feeder system using barges to transport materials from shore. The barges interlock with the installation vessel, making it possible for the ship to remain on site and speed installation times. The largest of the WTIV’s cranes will have a lifting capacity of 1,900 tonnes and the ability to reach up to 590 feet (180 meters) above the deck. Maersk has highlighted in the past that the vessel would be capable of handling the largest offshore wind turbines. It will have 100 cabins and a walk-to-work gangway. In late December, Seatrium had reported the vessel was approximately 99.8 percent completed.

 

 

The project appears to be back on track after a dispute between the customer and shipbuilder last fall. Citing problems with the construction, Maersk Offshore Wind had announced it was canceling the contract, and both companies invoked arbitration. The dispute was settled in December with Seatrium agreeing to finance $250 million of the $360 million contract price, giving Maersk Offshore Wind an interest-bearing credit arrangement good for up to 10 years. Seatrium will have a mortgage on the vessel as well as first priority rights, with the financing to be paid through the cash generated by the vessel.

The installation vessel is contracted to Equinor for the Empire Wind offshore project located south of New York’s Long Island. It is one of the five projects that were ordered in December by the Trump administration to stop offshore work. Equinor has filed suit seeking a preliminary injunction to resume offshore work, but the company has said in court filings that if work does not resume by January 16, “cascading effects” could result in the project’s cancellation. Heerema’s heavy-lift vessel Sleipnir is currently transporting the project’s topside and is scheduled to install it in late January. If that cannot proceed as scheduled, Equinor warns the topside might have to be sent to Europe, as it doubts a storage site and crane could be secured in the United States.

Maersk Offshore Wind has not commented on its outlook. The company was launched several years ago, shedding its oil service work to focus on wind energy. Owned by AP Moller Holdings, the company had emphasized the strong opportunities in the business. Its website says a second, XL conventional jack-up installation vessel was designed in collaboration with GustoMSC, but the vessel has not been reported as ordered,

The first WTIV was ordered in 2023 to be built at what is now Seatrium’s yard in Singapore for delivery to the United States by 2025. In 2024, they announced a partnership with Edison Chouest Offshore, saying the U.S. shipyard would build the tugs and barges for the installation system at the Bollinger Shipyards.

 

Taiwan Fines and Deports Fishing Boat Captain Who Damaged Subsea Cables

Taiwan's Coast Guard detained the fishing boat shortly after the cable damage was reported (Coast Guard Administration)

Published Jan 9, 2026 4:18 PM by The Maritime Executive

Taiwan continues to carefully monitor its subsea communications cables and other connections after a series of incidents involving ships. In the latest case, the Coast Guard Administration reports Chinese national fishing boat captain has been deported after paying a fine and admitting to his guilt in damaging a cable.

The incident took place in October 2025 and began with Chunghwa Telecom reporting an outage on its Taiwan-Malaysia Submarine cable. Several hours later, the Coast Guard located a Chinese fishing vessel that was approximately 4.2 nautical miles offshore. They took the captain, a Chinese national identified as Wu, into custody for questioning. The captain reportedly later confessed to causing the damage to the subsea cable. 

During an appearance in court, the Taiwanese officials argued the captain was experienced and should have been aware of the location of the submarine cables. They said the cables were clearly marked on electronic nautical charts and in a no-anchor zone.

The fishing boat named Minlianyu 60138 reported however, proceeded to deploy its nets in the area. They became entangled in an abandoned anchor and then damaged the submarine cable. 

The court determined the captain to be negligent in the incident. Taking into consideration his admissions, the court sentenced him in December to three months in jail. The jail time, however, could be commuted with the payment of fines and restitution to the telecom company.

Captain Wu reported arranged for the payment of approximately $2,850 to the court. In addition, a payment of approximately $7,900 was made to Chunghwa Telecom. The Mainland Affairs Council approved the immediate deportation of Captain Wu, which was carried out on January 8.

The Coast Guard Administration says the law was being followed, and recognized Wu’s admission of guilt. The Chinese captain of another cargo ship, which damaged a subsea cable in February 2025, however, has been sentenced to three years in prison after the court determined he had intentionally damaged another subsea cable.

Taiwan officials highlighted last year that they were increasing the monitoring and patrols of critical offshore infrastructure after several incidents. Of particular concern, they said, were old Chinese-owned ships that are registered in international flag of convenience states.
 

 

Rough Weather is Putting the Irish Coast Guard to the Test

An Irish Coast Guard rescue swimmer hoists a crewmember from the grounded fishing vessel Fastnet, December 2025 (IRCG)

Published Jan 11, 2026 8:03 PM by The Maritime Executive

 

Ireland is recording an increase in the number of marine incidents in its vast coastline, and this reality is testing the resilience and capability of the Irish Coast Guard (IRCG), particularly for its core search and rescue mission. 

In yet another indication of how perilous the country’s rugged coast and harsh weather can be, the IRCG responded to 2,793 incidents in 2025. This was an increase from the 2,554 incidents recorded in 2024. Most of the response missions were carried out under extreme weather and unpredictable conditions, situations that demanded rapid and coordinated responses.

The agency, which has 44 units spread across the country, also deployed nearly 1,200 times for missions that served shoreside communities. This included 933 helicopter missions, including medical support for offshore island communities.

During the year, the Coast Guard provided life-saving assistance to more than 1,900 people. This was a significant increase considering the agency provided care or medical transport to 537 people in 2024.

The year also witnessed Royal National Lifeboat Institution lifeboats being launched on 798 occasions, compared to 699 in the previous year.

Among the notable incidents, in October the IRCG rescued 12 crewmembers from the Spanish-owned trawler Radoche Tercero, which was operating off the southcoast west of Cork. The crew sent a mayday after the vessel started taking on water. In December, IRCG also rescued the crew of French trawler Fastnet after the vessel started drifting onto the rocks near Dingle.

The rising numbers of incidents has forced the Irish government to increase the budget for the Coast Guard and invest in improving the agency’s assets. For the current financial year, a budget of $190 million has been allocated to the IRCG and maritime services.

Last year, the agency reached a major milestone in its aviation capability after taking delivery of four AW189 helicopters, bringing the total of new helicopters that have been acquired in the recent past to six. The expansion has enhanced the IRCG’s ability to respond more effectively to emergencies, ensuring rapid deployment and improved coverage across the country’s coastline and inland areas.

Severe Winter Storm Hits UK Shipping, Sends Containers Overboard

Shipping near the Isle of Wight and elsewhere in the English Channel was impacted by a severe winter storm (European Space Agency file photo)

Published Jan 9, 2026 7:37 PM by The Maritime Executive

The UK’s Maritime & Coastguard Agency is reporting a busy night and efforts on Friday, January 9, to track containers after a severe winter storm crossed the region around the English Channel overnight. Warnings were posted for shipping as containers went overboard near the Isle of Wight.

In meteorological terms, the storm became what is known as a bomb cyclone, where the storm rapidly intensifies. It, however, left local areas surprised by the ferocity. There were reports of wind gusts of 73 mph at Needles on the western side of the Isle of Wight. At Portland, the winds were measured at approximately 65 mph, while in parts of Devon and Cornwall the winds reached 99 mph.

There were widespread reports of flooding, with the Portland Beach Road closed for hours due to high waves, while parts of the region reported sleet and even snow. Elsewhere, 22 mm of rain was recorded in the Channel Islands.

The storm grew in intensity in the evening, peaking around 2300 local time.  The winds and waves, however, continued much of the night.

It was around the peak of the storm that the MCA reported it received a call about containers going overboard. Around 2310, it was informed that an unnamed ship had lost 17 containers near Nab Tower and the Isle of Wight. While the first report was being processed, a second vessel reported it had lost seven containers about 16 nautical miles south of St. Catherine’s Point.

The MCA said it had fixed-wing aircraft searching on Friday for a total of 24 containers believed to be in the water. Ships were being warned of the danger. 

The MCA was working with the shipping companies to determine the contents of the boxes. Some reports said the first lot was believed to be reefers. The second lot was thought to be empties, and the MCA said there was a good chance that some of the boxes sank in the high seas. 

It emphasized that it is the responsibility of the shipping companies to locate and retrieve the overboard containers.

These losses come just a month after another reefer vessel lost 16 containers in the same general area. Boxes washed ashore and on the beaches, and inland, people were finding bananas. At last account, 13 of the 16 containers were located, and the others were thought to have sunk in the waterway.

The MCA launched an investigation, noting that one concern was improperly secured containers, or it said that crews sometimes started to remove restraints in anticipation of reaching port to speed the handling. 

While the search was continuing for the overboard containers, the weather was also impacting other shipping operations. Hovertravel to the Isle of Wight was entirely canceled. DFDS was warning of disruptions and delays due to winds and waves for its cross-channel service between Dover and France.

 

Union Condemns Pace of Investigation Into P&O Ferries' 2022 Ferry Layoffs

File image courtesy P&O Ferries

Published Jan 11, 2026 8:13 PM by The Maritime Executive

 

A trade union in the United Kingdom is reawakening the ghosts of the 2022 unilateral sacking of about 800 seafarers by P&O Ferries after condemning a government agency for delays in concluding civil investigations against the company’s bosses.

The National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers (RMT) has criticized the Insolvency Service over delays in launching a civil trial against P&O Ferries. RMT believes the delayed civil investigation is eroding confidence and allowing senior figures involved in the layoffs to escape accountability.

In 2022, P&O Ferries declared 786 seafarers redundant, without prior notice or consultations with workers’ unions. The company, owned by Dubai-based DP World, announced plans to substitute foreign agency workers to crew its ships, who would be paid far less.

The move sparked protests from the UK government and workers’ unions, prompting the Insolvency Service to carry out a criminal investigation into the circumstances. Britain has consultation requirements for layoffs, and at the time, then-Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said that if the law was not followed, it would be "a matter for criminal prosecution and unlimited fines" for P&O. The agency decided not to file criminal charges after coming to the conclusion that there was no realistic prospect of a conviction.

While the government agency opted out of any criminal proceedings, RMT says that a civil probe into potential misconduct by the ferry operator’s directors remains unresolved.

The trade union is now warning that the failure to reach a conclusion risks sending a signal that law-breaking can go unpunished, particularly since senior executives have already departed with bonus payments. 

“Almost four years on from one of the most disgraceful acts of corporate law-breaking in modern British industrial history, workers are still waiting for answers. This situation raises serious questions about whether company law is being enforced in the public interest or quietly shelved when powerful employers are involved,” said Eddie Dempsey, RMT General Secretary.

RMT highlighted that it has written to the Insolvency Service demanding an update on the investigation, saying that further delay will make the agency look "opaque and ineffective."

Since the mass layoffs, the UK has implemented measures to protect seafarers. It requires shipping lines to pay seafarers higher wages and prohibits fire and rehire practices.

Currently operating 11 ro-pax and ro-ro cargo ships, P&O Ferries offers services from UK ports to Belgium, France, Ireland and the Netherlands.

Amid Trump’s War on Antifa, Activists Face Arrest for Zines and Group Chats


The Trump administration now has zine distributors and jail support efforts in its sights.

News Analysis
By Brit “Red” Schulte , 

Truthout

January 10, 2026

Composite / Getty Images / Truthout


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I’ve been making zines since I was 14 years young. I’ve been distributing them since I was 16. I’m now 37 years old and pursuing a doctorate in art history studying communities of zine makers.

In recent years I’ve seen a notable increase in people talking about zines, making them, and attending zine fests — it’s been heartening and wild to witness! I’ve watched what felt at times like this niche and nerdy part of my life blossom into something much more expansive.

When working with my students, or hosting community zine making workshops, I often define zines as small, independently published objects that are amateurish in the best way — they’re free or cheap to get copies of, contain typed or handwritten text, and depending on what zine you find, they’re filled with collage, art, poetry, political history, personal stories, recipes, health advice, quite literally everything you can think of. Zines are an embodiment of the “do it yourself” ethos.

Now, the latest targets of President Donald Trump and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s agenda of political repression include a diverse group of protesters, jail support volunteers, educators, and, crucially, zine distributors, and print artists. More than a dozen people face criminal charges, including riot; conspiracy to use and carry explosives; the use and carrying of explosives; attempted murder of officers and employees of the United States; discharging a firearm during, in relation to and in furtherance of a crime of violence; and corruptly concealing a document or record. And at the center of their charges is a box of zines and jail support group chats.

From a Typical Noise Demo to a Series of FBI Raids

On July 4, 2025, protesters had gathered at the Prairieland Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facility in Alvarado, Texas, to oppose immigration enforcement practices and show support for detainees, using fireworks and noise-making as their demonstration method — a traditional form of protest in solidarity with incarcerated people. When local police responded to ICE’s call to remove the protesters, an officer reportedly suffered a neck injury that authorities attributed to a gunshot. Prosecutors have only identified two individuals as alleged shooters despite the broad scope of arrests. Following the demonstration, federal authorities launched an extensive investigation that resulted in charges against 16 individuals known as the Prairieland Defendants, and harassment of their extended friends, families, and neighbors.

These Dallas Residents Are on the Front Lines of Trump’s War Against “Antifa”
If convicted, people who showed up to a protest could face “decades of prison time,” the National Lawyers Guild says. By Andrew Lee , Truthout October 25, 2025

Guidelines issued by the White House in September detail how the Trump administration will target and pursue anyone it deems to be motivated by “anti-Americanism, anti-Capitalism, and anti-Christianity” as domestic terrorists. Trump has also designated “antifa” as a domestic terrorist organization. Those of us who are anti-fascist know that “antifa” simply refers to a collective sense of being anti-fascist and believing that fascism is ultimately a real and present threat to all life. It is not a unified entity or organization. Antifa is a rallying cry, a politic, a historical reference that connects one to a legacy of fighting Nazism in Germany, and fighting other fascists in Italy, Spain, and elsewhere in the 1930s.

Zines have been criminalized before our current moment, and at times their creation and circulation was made punishable by death.

Texas resident Des Revol, in particular, is being targeted by the Trump administration under these guidelines. He did not attend the July 4 demonstration in Alvarado, Texas, but he was arrested two days afterward after he had a phone call with his wife, who was detained at the noise demonstration. FBI agents stopped him for a traffic violation in Denton, Texas, and took him into custody at gunpoint. Authorities charged him with evidence tampering constituting obstruction of justice as well as conspiracy, alleging he “transported a box that contained numerous Antifa materials” from his residence to another location. This literature — pamphlets and zines commonly found in activist spaces — became the basis for his prosecution. Despite having no connection to the original demonstration, Des faces potential federal imprisonment and additional risks from both immigration enforcement and hostile right-wing groups that have publicly identified him online.

When we spoke, Lydia Koza, the wife of Prairieland Defendant Autumn Hill, plainly stated what’s happening: “At the most abstract level, I believe the Trump administration and the state of Texas know in some collective-unconscious way that authoritarian, grasping models of power are unsustainable and require ever-greater levels of escalation; and that models predicated on care and equity are both more natural and more sustainable. Solidarity and compassion therefore become threats.”

Meanwhile, Prairieland Defendant Savanna Batten has lost more than 30 pounds since her incarceration in September of 2025, according to her sister, Amber Lowrey. When we spoke about her mounting concerns, Lowrey said:

When an individual becomes a target of state repression, it harms everyone within their orbit. Everyone who was taken from the Prairieland protest has lost, at very least, their employment. Many lost their homes or vehicles, and some owe huge repair bills as a result of violent raids that left their dwellings badly damaged and exposed to the elements. At least two minor children said goodbye to their parents as they left to go to a protest five months ago, and they never came back. Pets have had to be rehomed … State repression is violent. It is extreme. It is incredibly isolating, and that is by design. This has been, by far, the most traumatic experience of my life — and I wasn’t even the target.

Likewise, when the FBI began raiding the home of Autumn Hill and Lydia Koza, “I wondered if I was going to die or be taken to a rendition site,” Koza said. “At that moment, I had resigned myself to losing everything I cared about. Every ounce of ideological opposition to police violence, to state terror, to incarceration, suddenly became viscerally relevant.”

Are Zines a Threat?

I myself have copies of most, if not all, of the zines that Des Revol had in that box. Those zines were free or cheap to get, and are filled with history, free thought, anarchist political analysis, discussions of shared struggle, and hope. I have many such titles, and yes, I believe they are at once paper and ink and also incendiary devices. I reject the framing of innocence and crime being used to describe zines and those who make or share them.

“Zines could be called the atomic unit of free speech — the simplest possible, highest-impact pamphlet; the most entry-level way of disseminating ideas that can’t find footing in mainstream discourse,” Koza told me.

Two other Prairieland Defendants had previously established a small, independent print shop and literature distribution to support local book clubs as well as anarchist and socialist reading groups, and had only just begun tabling at book fairs and zine fests. These artists’ and writers’ arrest and subsequent incarceration has shuttered this local resource, ending access to affordable and free printing and breaking up print communities — an outcome the Trump administration is all too happy to execute.

How many of us have visited a public library’s zine rack, or attended a local print fair or zine fest? Under a fascist political regime, all oppositional discourse … is subject to attack.

Zines are often sources of great inspiration and personal conviction. If being against a regime that deports, kills, silences, poisons, and cages is criminal, then we must abandon the nonsensical concept of innocence. Political literature should make you feel, think, learn, and act. Zines have been criminalized before our current moment, and at times their creation and circulation was made punishable by death — in revolutionary France, in the post-revolutionary United States, and in Nazi Germany, just to name a few. Nothing about the Trump administration’s tactics should surprise us; we are sure to see more zines, pamphlets, leaflets, and other print culture be labeled “domestic terrorism materials” in the future.

Even still, there is solidarity everywhere. In October, I traveled to Athens, Greece, and visited La Zone, a beautiful anarchist community space and cafe, with a tremendous selection of zines, books, artwork, and free literature. At the time of writing this, I learned that La Zone hosted a “letter-writing & solidarity evening for the imprisoned Prairieland (Texas) codefendants.” Yes, zines are folded pieces of paper, but they’re also lifelines, histories, and embodiments of hope.

How many of us keep a box of zines, or leaflets, or political pamphlets around the house? Around our offices or apartment? How many of us have visited a public library’s zine rack, or attended a local print fair or zine fest? Under a fascist political regime, all oppositional discourse, literature, art, and life is subject to attack. We must recommit to solidarity, and rise to the defense of those whose lives and actions become criminal by default. The Trump administration wants us to live in ignorance and fear, so we must continue making, thinking, and learning together. Zines will continue to play vital roles in our movement organizing and political education. Keep informing yourself about the calls for support and solidarity with the Prairieland defendants. Keep reading, keep making.


This article is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0), and you are free to share and republish under the terms of the license.

Brit “Red” Schulte
Brit “Red” Schulte is a doctoral candidate in art history at the University of Texas at Austin, a community organizer, and zinester. They are a guest librarian with the Sherwood Forest Zine Library in Austin, a founding member and current organizer of Midwest Perzine Fest, and The Support Ho(s)e Collective zine distro. Their writing can be found at Truthout, The Funambulist, In These Times, Monthly Review, The Avery Review, and Kernel Magazine.

HISTORICAL REVISIONISM IN PLAIN SIGHT

Smithsonian removes text referencing Trump’s 2 impeachments that 'upset' White House

WOULD MAKE STALIN PROUD

Sarah K. Burris

January 11, 2026

ALTERNET

The National Portrait Gallery swapped out President Donald Trump's official presidential portrait on display this week and changed his biography while they were at it.

The New York Times reported Saturday that the language on the wall about Trump and his history "removed wall text that referred to President Trump’s two impeachments — language that had upset the White House."

The official painting of Trump was recently replaced in the "America's Presidents" exhibition, and the biography was as well.

Previously, the language read: “Impeached twice, on charges of abuse of power and incitement of insurrection after supporters attacked the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, he was acquitted by the Senate in both trials.”

Earlier last year, Trump fired Portrait Gallery Director Kim Sajet, crafting a dossier on her "partisanship and bias" to justify firing her.

The previous image of Trump featured his big smile and reddish skin as he stands in front of a flag and what appears to be the gold Oval Office wallpaper. The new official painting has his head floating in a sea of black with his signature red tie dangling from his neck. His hands are folded in front of him, and he's lit dramatically from his left, leaving his right side in shadow.

White House spokesman Davis Ingle told the Times that the "iconic photo” of Trump will spread and his “unmatched aura will be seen and felt throughout the halls of the National Portrait Gallery.”

The Trump biography says only that he is the 45th and 47th president and was born in 1946. Former President Bill Clinton's portrait notes his impeachment for "lying while under oath about a sexual relationship he had with a White House intern.”

Read the full report here.