MADISON — Twenty-five activists from across the United States will participate in a pro-peace, anti-drone demonstration and walk from Aug. 17-25 beginning in Madison and ending outside of Volk Field. Marchers will be walking about 90 miles from Madison’s City-County Building to the Wisconsin Air National Guard base at Camp Douglas. The Air National Guard Base trains pilots to operate “Shadow Drones” that are used in surveillance, flying over other countries to determine targets for the Predator and Reaper drones.
The walkers aim to educate the public on racial profiling both locally, as it relates to the propensity of police officers to use violence against people of color; and internationally, as it relates to the propensity of drone surveillance to target foreign nationals deemed “nefarious” on not much more than a hunch, resulting in the death of innocent people, including many children.
On Monday, Aug. 17, in Madison’s Edgewood College, a kick-off event will begin at 7 p.m. The daily walks will range from 12 -16 miles. In Baraboo, on Aug. 21, 7 p.m.., a public event will be held at the United Methodist Church at 615 Broadway. In Mauston on Aug. 23, walk participants will be part of a discussion on fracking in the Community Room of the Mauston City Hall from 7-8:30 pm.
The walk ends on Tuesday, Aug. 25, with a vigil against drones, from 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. at the gates of Volk Field. Some individuals may engage in nonviolent civil resistance during the vigil.
The Wisconsin Coalition to Ground the Drones and End the Wars has been holding monthly vigils at the gates of Volk Field for 3 ½ years.
The walk is sponsored by:
Voices for Creative Nonviolence
Wisconsin Coalition to Ground the Drones and End the Wars
Wisconsin Network for Peace and Justice
Vets for Peace Madison Clarence Kailin Chapter 25
Vets for Peace Janesville Chapter 970
Upstate Drone Action
Nukewatch
Madison Women’s International League for Peace & Freedom
Madison-Rafah Sister City Project
