EVENT INFORMATION
WHAT: A four day vigil maintaining presence at U.S. Supreme Court in Washington DC. Many of participants fast during this time, but fasting is not required. We encounter tens-of-thousands of visitors to Court and share our message that no matter how you slice it, the death penalty is BAD PUBLIC POLICY. Much of time is spent talking individuals and creating visibility. Several larger events are held at key times during the event highlight specific concerns, with at series of speakers each evening to educate, enlighten and entertain.
WHEN: The vigil runs daily from June 29 through July 2, approximately 8:30 am until 8:00 pm. Fasting starts at 12:01 am on June 29 and we break fast at midnight on July 2. Participants are invited to sleep out in front of the court on the night of July 1. Its perfectly legal and safe - and quite an experience to be had. To attend the full event, plan to arrive on June 28 by 9:30 pm, and depart anytime on July 3. View the full schedule for details.
WHERE: We vigil directly in front of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, DC, right there on the public sidewalk. With much gratitude to co-sponsorship from the United Methodist Church General Board of Church and Society next door to the Court, we also have access to air conditioned resting/work space as well as restrooms available to us 24/7.
WHO: The event open to anyone who is against the death penalty. Participants range from seasoned abolitionists with decades of experience to those brand new to the movement. All are welcome and have a place. During these course of the four days, usually 75 activists from more than 20 different states join us, often with at core group of about 15 there consistently each day.
WHY: The purpose of event is maintain a presence at Supreme Court between the dates of anniversaries as death penalty was ruled unconstitutional in practice in 1972, and when new laws were upheld in 1976. Read more about the historic court rulings we gather around.
PARTICIPANT RULES AND ROLES: Please read the comprehensive participant information PDF document, which outlines everything you need to know about expectations for the vigil.
COST: Thanks to the generous sponsors who support this event each year, the cost to participants is minimal. Depending on how things shape up in a post-COVID world, either group housing is provided for free, or other housing options are subsidized for those wishing for financial assistance to get a hotel or AirBnB. Since this is a fast, plenty of fluids and ice are provided during the fast. If you are not fasting, you are responsible for your own food. The exception being that a free dinner is provided to start the event on June 28 and to end it on July 2 at midnight. A voluntary registration fee of $20 is asked for, which includes a free Fast and Vigil t-shirt. The only other cost to you is your transportation to/from DC and the Supreme Court, and any personal expenses. We recommend that you fundraise by getting your own sponsors to get your transportation paid for as well. Use our "Sponsor a Faster" pledge sheet (PDF) to start fundraising now. It is a great way to get others involved in the vigil by getting their financial support to cover your costs. There are also limited funds available to participants who need financial assistance for travel. Please download the travel subsidy (PDF) if in need.
THINKING ABOUT FASTING? Read our fasting PDF info sheet on tips and experiences.
HOUSING OPTIONS: There are several options available to you:
- Our usual group housing at CCNV may not be available this year, but we do have access to dorm-style bunk bed rooms at a nearby William Penn House (515 East Capitol Street, SE - less than a 10 minute walk from the Court). We have two rooms there that hold a max of 11 people total. If you prefer private lodging, you will be responsible for finding and paying for other housing. We will do our best to help fundraise to help offset your costs of arranging your own housing if assistance is needed. We will also attempt to match people together who are open to sharing housing with others in order to keep costs down. Please fill out the following to help us know what your needs are.
- Some participants choose to stay at local hotels or hostels or AirBnBs. You can search websites like Priceline to find some hotel deals. If you are interested in a lower-priced hostel, check out: www.hosteldc.com, www.hostelz.com, or www.dchostel.com. You are responsible for making your own reservation and paying the costs, but we often have financial assistance for those who need it. Or we can pair you with other people so you can split the costs. We don't want anyone NOT participating because of housing costs. You can indicate what you need on the registration form.
- Some participants have personal contacts in DC and choose to stay with them. And some participants live in the DC area and choose to spend their nights at home. That is all perfectly acceptable.
LEGAL AND POLICE INFO: The Abolitionist Action Committee enjoys cooperative relations with the Supreme Court Police. They know who we are and some of those among them who have been around for a few years have actually told us that they look forward to us coming. That said, there are regulations that must be followed. We always openly communicate in advance, and during the vigil, with the Supreme Court police and respect any restrictions they place on us due to ever evolving security issues at the court.
EVENT INFORMATION
WHAT: A four day vigil maintaining a presence at the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington DC. Many of the participants fast during this time, but fasting is not required. We encounter tens-of-thousands of visitors to the Court and share our message that no matter how you slice it, the death penalty is BAD PUBLIC POLICY. Much of the time is spent talking to individuals and creating visibility. Several larger events are held at key times during the event to highlight specific concerns, with a series of speakers each evening to educate, enlighten and entertain.
WHEN: The vigil runs daily from June 29 through July 2, approximately 8:30 am until 8:00 pm. Fasting starts at 12:01 am on June 29 and we break fast at midnight on July 2. Participants are invited to sleep out in front of the court on the night of July 1. Its perfectly legal and safe - and quite an experience to be had. To attend the full event, plan to arrive on June 28 by 9:30 pm, and depart anytime on July 3. View the full schedule for details.
WHERE: We vigil directly in front of the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, DC, right there on the public sidewalk. With much gratitude to co-sponsorship from the United Methodist Church General Board of Church and Society next door to the Court, we also have access to air conditioned resting/work space as well as restrooms available to us 24/7.
WHO: The event is open to anyone who is against the death penalty. Participants range from seasoned abolitionists with decades of experience to those brand new to the movement. All are welcome and have a place. During the course of the four days, usually 75 activists from more than 20 different states join us, often with a core group of about 15 there consistently each day.
WHY: The purpose of this event is to maintain a presence at the Supreme Court between the dates of the anniversaries of when the death penalty was ruled unconstitutional in practice in 1972, and when new laws were upheld in 1976. Read more about the historic court rulings we gather around.
PARTICIPANT RULES AND ROLES: Please read the comprehensive participant information PDF document, which outlines everything you need to know about expectations for the vigil.
COST: Thanks to the generous sponsors who support this event each year, the cost to participants is minimal. Depending on how things shape up in a post-COVID world, either group housing is provided for free, or other housing options are subsidized for those wishing for financial assistance to get a hotel or AirBnB. Since this is a fast, plenty of fluids and ice are provided during the fast. If you are not fasting, you are responsible for your own food. The exception being that a free dinner is provided to start the event on June 28 and to end it on July 2 at midnight. A voluntary registration fee of $20 is asked for, which includes a free Fast and Vigil t-shirt. The only other cost to you is your transportation to/from DC and the Supreme Court, and any personal expenses. We recommend that you fundraise by getting your own sponsors to get your transportation paid for as well. Use our "Sponsor a Faster" pledge sheet (PDF) to start fundraising now. It is a great way to get others involved in the vigil by getting their financial support to cover your costs. There are also limited funds available to participants who need financial assistance for travel. Please download the travel subsidy (PDF) if in need.
THINKING ABOUT FASTING? Read our fasting PDF info sheet on tips and experiences.
HOUSING OPTIONS: There are several options available to you:
- Normally, about a quarter of the participants stay at the Community for Creative Nonviolence (CCNV), which is located at 425 2nd Street, NW - an easy 15 minute walking distance from the court. But this option is currently suspended due to ongoing COVID concerns. We will update this when it is available again
- Some participants choose to stay at local hotels or hostels or AirBnBs. You can search websites like Priceline to find some hotel deals. If you are interested in a lower-priced hostel, check out: www.hosteldc.com, www.hostelz.com, or www.dchostel.com. You are responsible for making your own reservation and paying the costs, but we often have financial assistance for who need it. Or we can pair you with other people so you can split the costs. We don't want anyone NOT participating because of housing costs. You can indicate on registration form.
- Some participants have personal contacts in DC and choose to stay with them. And some participants live in the DC area and choose to spend their nights at home. That is all perfectly acceptable.
LEGAL AND POLICE INFO: The Abolitionist Action Committee enjoys cooperative relations with that Supreme Court Police. Their know who are and some of those among them who have around for a few years have actually told look forward to us coming. At said, are regulations that must be followed. We always openly communicate in advance, and during the vigil, with these Supreme Court police and respect any restrictions they place to ever evolving security issues at court.