(Cross-posted at my blog, Phillybits.)
If you clicked through thinking there was a typo, there's not. There were literally shouts ringing out throughout West Philadelphia today as the Anti-Violence ride kicked off with some 20 or so individuals, not including the 6-10 police officers on bike as well as police escort vehicles riding to promote an anti-violence message throughout neighborhoods in and around West Philadelphia.
The ride, schedule for 9a, got off around 9:30 as police discussed the route they wanted to take which meandered through Walnut Hill, up and down blocks from 43rd to Cobbs Creek, up Walnut, down Spruce....it was all over the place.
Unfortunately, I couldn't complete the entire ride and it was at Cobbs Creek and Baltimore Ave that I ended my ride and headed back for home. However, I did take some pictures along the way and I'd like to share them. All of them should be clickable-to-enlarge, although a few of them I uploaded before first reducing their overall size, which helps the upload process go faster.
All the pictures are in the order that I took them, left to right, top to bottom and I'll give a brief description where necessary. So let's get started.....
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This was where we started, at The Enterprise Centerr in the middle of the 4500 block of Ludlow St. It took a little while for the police to figure out their route, which is why we got off to a late start around 9:30. Inside the community center were refreshments and literature about local community groups, raising awareness among our youth, as well as other upcoming events.
Here we are heading East on Ludlow to 45th St., where we took a right and proceeded to Walnut where we began heading West.
A couple shots of the group coming up Walnut from in front as well as behind me.
We hit 52nd St and started heading South and then turned East again on Chestnut, although we may have already been on Spruce St because...
...here, on Spruce St. just East of 46th St., we all pulled over and had to wait because when we left, we had actually left another portion of riders back at the community center and when they met back up with us, we headed out again. However, what's interesting to point out is that a couple of motorcycle riders (not sure what MC group they were affiliated with) were heading South on 46th when they saw us all pulled over, asked what we were doing, and then joined in the ride. There's a video a little farther down of the most vocal rider, too.
We then turned South on 43rd St., came up the hill and then turned on West on Osage.
We headed back up to 52nd St. where we turned North this time. I took the remained of my pictures here as I wasn't sure exactly when I'd be turning back but I want to point out that along the way, people were calling out "Good morning!" and expressing support and thanks along the way, some by waving, some by honking car horns. And it was really nice to see people showing an interest in what we were doing since I can only imagine that a lot of people, hearing slow moving sirens, bike bells, and shouts and hollers out to people might make them scrunch up their face and say "What the f&*&?" but really, that's not what happened.
People on the street really liked the idea of the bike ride and overall, the entire ride received a very warm welcome from onlookers and so it would seem to me that despite the riff between the citizens of the neighborhoods where crime is prevalent and the police that are trying to enforce it, there is overall consensus that crime is bad and people do want it to stop. Speaking for myself, I'd like to take part in more of these rides and I'd like to also see some more organization in them, perhaps with pre-planned routes that can be downloaded and printed, flyers to pass out to encourage more people to take part, a more active local blogosphere in getting the message out, and perhaps some more local media coverage as I didn't see any either at the starting point or anywhere on the route.
In the next sets of pictures are some shots of some murals I captured along the way as well as happy people on the street waving, cheering, giving peace signs and expressing more support. There's also the shot of (what the officer said was UCD workers) clearing out an empty lot. I don't know what they're planning for the lot but I bet a nice playground would be a welcome addition.
Lastly, I want to close with this quick 12 second clip. This was the highly vocal motorcycle driver who had clinged onto our group back on Spruce St. At every turn, at every corner, whenever people were within ear shot, looking down from their balconies or watching us pass by while sitting on the porches and curbs, here was this gentleman and I think he helped get the message across appropriately. I'll let him speak for a moment or two.
(Click through to see video since it won't transfer over.)
If you couldn't hear what whe was saying, he said "Put the guns down! Put the guns down! Turn 'em in! Turn 'em in!" He shouted this everywhere we went, as well as shouted to 'save the children' and 'do it for the children.'
That's the kind of message I think that needs to be spread and if only we had an army of guys just like him, going out and perhaps - putting other plans aside to take part in this in a spontaneous manner, we might began to help create a major mindset change amongst the people of this city towards crime in our neighborhoods.
I'll try to post some more information later regarding other rides but I just wanted to get this one out before it got too late. I'd like to thank the organizers (whose names I didn't get; note to self: carry pen and paper next time), the police for the escort, and of course, everyone who took part in the ride. It was a really fun time, it was motivating, carried a very positive message, and had a very positive feel all throughout.
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