December 11, 2018: A group of about 10 prisoners barricaded themselves into the cafeteria unit of the jail at 11:30 am and used mattresses to defend themselves against guards. In the video, guards are seen spraying pepper spray on the prisoners and violently tackling them.
2018
11
Dec
Uprising at Webb County Detention Center, Laredo, Texas
December 11, 2018: Two correctional officers were attacked by prisoners while reportedly conducting a “cell search” at approximately 3:00 am Tuesday morning at the private prison run by CoreCivic.
04
Dec
Uprising at Iredell County Detention Center, North Carolina
December 4, 2018: Fights broke out at about 7:45pm between four detainees and guards as the detainees were being led back from visitation. As the fight escalated, a group of about 25 detainees started “becoming loud, hitting the glass in the door, and causing disturbances,” according to the press release.
11
Nov
Unrest at Iredell County Detention Center, North Carolina
November 11, 2018: A fight broke out between two prison guards and four detainees during Sunday breakfast. After the altercation began between one detainee and a guard, other detainees joined in. Following the fight, charges were brought against all four prisoners.
21
Aug
2018 National Prison Strike: North Carolina
August, 2018 (exact dates uncertain): North Carolina prisoners issued a set of 8 additional demands focusing on mental health treatment and solitary confinement as well as a call for truce between various groups of prisoners. On August 20, supporters gathered for a noise demo outside Hyde Correctional Institution during the prisoners’ yard time. Prisoners responded to the demo by holding up their own banners saying “parole” “better food” and “solidarity”. Unconfirmed strike activity was reported at 11 prisons in the state.
21
Aug
2018 National Prison Strike
August 21 – September 9, 2018 (exact dates vary based on location): Prisoners with Jailhouse Lawyers Speak and other organizations issued 10 national demands with a call to action for work stoppages, sit-down strikes, hunger strikes and boycotts of the commissary. Organizers stated that the strike was organized in response to the riot at Lee Correctional Institution in South Carolina that resulted in the violent deaths of seven prisoners.
28
Jul
Uprising at Cascade County Detention Center, Montana
July 28, 2018: Five days after the Sheriff of Great Falls issued a memo warning of rising tensions and refusing to accept new inmates held on nonviolent crimes due to conditions of overcrowding, an uprising broke out in one of the jails housing pods. On Saturday morning, as many as 36 prisoners housed in Pod N took control of the unit and started destroying prison infrastructure. The prisoners held control of the unit for four hours, destroying as much prison property as possible.
17
Jul
Hunger Strike at Bristol County House of Corrections, Massachusetts
July 17-26, 2018: Approximately 60 immigrant detainees went on hunger strike on July 17 in protest of conditions in the part of the jail operated by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). When prisoners in the general population unit of the same jail heard of the hunger strike on the news, 250 joined the protest in solidarity. Reports of exact dates and numbers of strikers vary between sources.
11
Jul
Uprising at Bannock County Jail, Idaho
July 11, 2018: Twenty-seven prisoners at the Bannock County Jail participate in an uprising in which they destroy sprinkler systems and stop up their sinks and toilets to flood their cells. According to the Sheriff the riot was caused by conditions of severe overcrowding. After about two and a half hours, the uprising ended when a group of armed deputies entered the cells.
11
Jul
Uprising at Marshall County Jail, Alabama
July 11, 2018: Approximately 60 prisoners “physically engaged deputies and jail staff during a shakedown.” The riot occurrs two days after a guard was arrested on charges of selling a contraband cell phone to a prisoner. Deputies call in for back up from neighboring counties and the situation is resolved without harm to guards or prisoners.
