| On Monday January 18th, The Free Maroon Now Coalition will be gathering at 11 am on the Capitol Steps in Harrisburg (501 N. 3rd St, Harrisburg, PA 17120) demanding the immediate release of PA political prison Russell Maroon Shoatz. On this Martin Luther King holiday, we remind the community that Martin Luther King was unpopular with the government of his time and that he was a political prisoner incarcerated for standing up for Black Lives. |
| Russell Maroon Shoatz is a 77 year old grandfather who has spent over 50 years in prison for standing up for Black Lives. 22 of those years were spent in solitary confinement. Maroon was diagnosed with stage 4 colo-rectal cancer in 2019 and has undergone chemo over the last year. He is an elder who is no threat to anyone. Maroon is one of 1300 people over the age of 60 sentenced to die in PA Prisons. We must change the practice of excessive sentencing and the mass incarceration of elders.Maroon was diagnosed with Covid in December, where he experienced “refugee like” circumstances with 30 ailing men living in a gym with only one bathroom. 145 organizations from across the country signed on to a letter demanding his immediate release. Join us as we call for Mercy for Maroon. Join us as we demand Amnesty for all Political Prisoners.Join us as we invoke the call for Reparations. Granting compassionate release for people defending Black lives is a part of Reparations.Join us as we mourn the death of justice. For as long as people continue to be incarcerated for defending Black Lives there can be no justice.There will be a funeral procession to an undisclosed location following the gathering at the Harrisburg Capitol Steps. Please sign up here, so we can get an idea of how many people are planning to attend and keep you updated with event details. Traveling is expensive, so if that is a barrier to your participation we can support your gas and toll money. |
