Hundreds Protest Drug War & Mass Incarceration!

Hundreds of people turned out at the San Francisco City Hall Friday, June 17th, to participate in the "Communities Rising to End the Drug War and Mass Incarceration" rally and march to protest the 40 year "war on drugs" and continued criminalization of the poor, the addicted and communities of color.

The spirited and militant protest then marched to the state and federal buildings nearby. Working and poor people struggling with addiction fill the prisons and jails of the US. This country has the dubious distinction of having the largest per capita incarcerated population in the world. Protesters called for drug policy reform that would emphasize rehabilitation versus the current policy based on punitive measures. They also demanded human rights to prisoners isolated in the notorious Pelican Bay Prison in Northern California.

"Communities Rising to End the Drug War and Mass Incarceration" July 17th, protest and march was organized and sponsored by ACLU of Northern California, America Friends Service Committee (AFSC), All of Us or None, Berkeley Needle Exchange Emergency Distribution, California Coalition for Women Prisoner (CCWP), California Partnership, Californians United for a Responsible Budget (CURB), Community United Against Violence (CUAV), Critical Resistance (CR), Drug Policy Alliance (DPA), Harm Reduction Coalition, Justice Now, Legal Services for Prisoners with Children (LSPC), OASIS Clinic, SF Drug Users Union, TGI-Justice Project, These Cuts Won’t Heal, and United for Drug Policy Reform.

Communities Rising SF march and rally, as well as other statewide events covered in the BayView:
http://sfbayview.com/2011/groups-rally-across-california-to-end-mass-incarceration-and-the-40-year-war-on-drugs/

ABC 7 News:
http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local/san_francisco&id=8198142

All photos taken by Bill Hackwell:
http://www.billhackwell.com/

For more information on United for Drug Policy Reform:
http://drugpolicyreform.org/
udpr [at] mail.com
510-402-5423

Californians United for a Responsible Budget (CURB)
http://curbprisonspending.org

The Pelican Bay Hunger Strike:
http://www.prisons.org/hungerstrike.htm

Critical Resistance:
http://criticalresistance.org

SF Drug Users Union:
http://www.sfdrugusersunion.org

Drug Policy Alliance:
http://www.drugpolicy.org