March From Philadelphia To Harrisburg Set To Protest Prison Expansion Projects
by Paul Kurtz
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - A coalition of groups opposed to mass incarceration has announced plans to hike from Philadelphia to Harrisburg and call on the legislature to stop building new prisons.
Decarcerate PA's Joshua Glenn says the protestors will turn into lobbyists after the ten-day march that kicks off May 25th in Love Park.
"We're going to get there by June third, that's when the legislature begins discussing the budget. And we want to meet them there and tell them we want a people's budget, not a prison budget," said Glenn.
Glenn is referring to the Corbett Administration's plan to build two new prisons in Montgomery County at a cost of $400 million. City Councilman Kenyatta Johnson is supporting the group, saying that it's wrong to pour more funding into new prisons while slashing money for public schools.
"It shows that investing in children isn't a priority. It sends the wrong message to future generations. It costs $32,000 to house a prisoner and only $11,000 to teach a student," said Johnson.
Along the route, the marchers will stop to hold rallies and other events in towns through which they pass.
