Los Angeles - Running Down the Walls!

What: Running Down The Walls

When: September 8th, 2007

Where: Whittier Narrows Regional Park, El Monte, Ca

Who: LA-ABCF

PO BOX 11223

Whittier, CA 90603

abcf.net/la

Running Down The Walls is here again!

The Los Angeles Anarchist Black Cross Federation is proud to announce the return of Running Down the Walls (RDTW). RDTW is a 5k run/walk for Political Prisoners.

Due to increased demand by PP/POW's and community activists, LA-ABCF will be organizing the next RDTW on Saturday, September 8th, 2007. We hope our friends will come out and support the run just as they have in the past. Our goal is to increase the number of solidarity runs in prisons and other cities from six to ten. Those interested in organizing solidarity runs should contact LA-ABCF before August 2007.

Proceeds from this run will be divided between the ABCF Warchest and the Black Riders Liberation Party's Watch a Pig Program.

What is Running Down the Walls?

From 1999 to 2002 and in 06, LA-ABCF organized a 5k non-competitive run/jog/walk designed to raise funds for the ABCF Warchest and other programs supported by the local organizations. Since its inception this event has raised thousands dollars for important programs. In the first three years, the funds were divided between the ABCF Warchest and the Prisoner Art Project – a fund designed to monetarily assist political prisoners with art supplies. In 2002, the run helped the ABCF Warchest and autonomous settlement of Maclovio Rojas in Mexico - which has faced considerable repression over the years. In 2005, RDTW helped raise funds for the Growing Healthy program Sponsored by the New Panther Vanguard.

Solidarity Runs are one of the strongest components of Running Down the Walls and they take place in various prisons and cities. In the previous five Running Down the Walls, there have been solidarity runs in prisons such as USP Leavenworth, USP Lompoc, USP Atwater ,and MCI Walpole. In addition to this we have begun to expand runs to other cities, such as Winnipeg, Boston, and Montreal.

We hope to expand this portion of Running Down the Walls because of its impact with the runners both in Los Angeles and other run locations. Jaan Laaman wrote about his experiences with the Leavenworth RDTW in 1999: "Not only our pace and spirits soared, but the sun broke through the clouds and the temperature rose to the 60's. So we ran down the walls and ran up the sun and we were glad to be doing it."

PP/POW's have organized runs in their locations as an act of solidarity with those of us running in Los Angeles. In the past comrades like Malik Smith, Leonard Peltier, Ali Khalid Abdullah, Tom Manning, Bill Dunne, and many more have put their running shoes on and broken a sweat along the prison fences. These comrades have also reached out to our social prisoner comrades, who have been committed to Running Down the Walls year after year.

RDTWs and PP/POWs

Political Prisoners and Prisoners of War have always been an extremely important aspect of Running Down the Walls. The runs themselves are designed to build support and awareness for those imprisoned for their political convictions. Prior to every run, statements by the prisoners are read to remind us of why we are running. The runs within the prisons give the prisoners an opportunity to participate in events taking place beyond the walls. The past five RDTWs have seen two Political Prisoners participate in the run, outside the walls, before being locked away. Former anarchist political prisoner Rob Middaugh assisted the LA chapter in organizing the first several years of the run. In 2002, SLA political prisoner Sara Olsen and her daughter participated in the run prior to her being sentenced to 20 years for crimes committed in 1974.

Since the goal of the LA-ABCF is to support PP/POWs and the communities they come from, we feel it is imperative this year's run supports programs and organizations inspired by movements created by these comrades. For this reason, proceeds of this year's run will be given to the ABCF's Warchest and the Black Riders Liberation Party's Watch a Pig Programs, respectively.

ABCF's Warchest Program

In 1994, the ABCF initiated a program designed to send monthly funds into those PP/POWs who have been receiving insufficient, little, or no financial support during their imprisonment. Its purpose is to collect monthly funds from groups and individual supporters and send that money to political prisoners and prisoners of war (PP/POW) via monthly checks. Since its inception, the program has raised over $44,000 for PP/POWs in need. One component of the ABCF Warchest is the Emergency Fund. Its design is to immediately send funds to those PP/POWs in need of one time or emergency assistance. This portion of the program has been used to assist PP/POWs in purchasing shoes, toothpaste, and clothing in desperate times, as well as to assist with legal costs. These programs are the very heart of the Anarchist Black Cross Federation. Our imprisoned friends rely every month on the donations and money raised through the Warchest Program.

B.R.L.P.'s Watch a Pig Program

In 1997 the Black Riders Liberation Party circulated in Watts, South Central, Inglewood, Hawthorn, Compton, and Long Beach talking to young black brothers and sisters on the need to unite and push for their constitutional right to defend themselves against the brutality of the police. The Watch a Pig Program was designed to defend the community against patrols of the fascist police who act as an imperialist occupying army (like in Iraq) and make sure the police don't harass, terrorize, or torture poor people, armed with only law booklets, video cameras, camouflage fatigues, and any other legal weapons they can get a hold of. The program's purpose is to show the people that resistance is possible and to unite the community under the idea of self-determination.

How to Support RDTW's

We encourage people to participate in helping us raise funds for the Warchest and Watch a Pig programs, which can be done in the following ways:

Be a runner:

We are asking people or groups who are running to collect as many sponsors for the run as possible. Remember the money received is going to help imprisoned comrades and help keep our streets free from violent police.

Sponsor a runner:

This can be done through a flat donation to the runner of your choice. We ask from those who wish not to run to actively support those who are running in hopes of collecting as much for our comrades as possible.

Sponsor Running Down the Walls:

Any amount helps. Contact the Los Angeles Anarchist Black Cross if you wish to simply donate money to the cause. Organizations who donate more than $35 will be added to list of sponsor organizations on the website and all fliers/posters.

Donate to the Warchest:

Send funds to the Philadelphia ABCF, who head up the Warchest, indicating your desire for those funds to go to the Warchest. Their address is:

Philadelphia ABCF

Post Office Box 42129

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19101

Organize a Running Down the Walls in your location:

We wish to expand the solidarity runs in more cities and prisons. Please contact the Los Angeles Anarchist Black Cross if you plan on doing this. Also, the LA ABCF welcomes anyone interested in helping us to organize the LA run.

LA-ABCF • Post Office Box 11223 • Whittier, California • 90603 • la@abcf.net •

"As we ran we were thinking and talking about all the runners in Los Angeles and how we'd love to be out there running with them. We also spoke about the other political prisoners who were running with us in at least some other prisons."