December 3rd, 2019: Detainees who are currently seeking asylum in Winn Correctional Center (WCC) refused to move back to their cells in a protest over their prolonged detention, some having spent over 8 months awaiting parole.
2019
26
Jul
Hunger Strike and Protest at Bossier Medium Security Facility, Louisiana
July 26 – August 2, 2019: Approximately 30 immigrant detainees were pepper-sprayed following a protest in the cafeteria of the Bossier Medium Security Facility. The protest occurred in the midst of a hunger strike at the facility that began Friday, July 26.
22
Jun
Protest at Minnesota Correctional Facility – Shakopee
June 22, 2019: According to the Industrial Workers Organizing Committee (IWOC), 100 of the 130 prisoners in the Anthony Unit of the Minnesota Correctional Facility-Shakopee wore blue to protest treatment of LGBTQ prisoners at the facility. The Shakopee prison is a women’s facility.
2018
30
Nov
Work Strike at Rush City Correctional Facility, Minnesota
November 30, 2018: 115 prisoners who work at the prison’s anagram balloon factory went on strike in response to delays in delivery of canteen items and abuse by guards. Prisoners state that the administration recently changed the amount of time it takes for canteen items to be delivered from one week to two weeks.
07
Sep
Hamilton Correctional Annex, Florida: 100 Prisoners “Become Noncompliant”
September 7, 2018: Staff mobilize security teams and law enforcement from the surrounding area to contain prisoners who “became noncompliant” on the recreation yard. News helicopters captured images of prisoners, dressed in white, in the yard confronted by a line of guards.
22
Aug
Protest at Northeast Correctional Center, Missouri
August 22, 2018: Prisoners refused orders to return to their cells and engaged in a non-violent sit-down protest in order to raise grievances regarding lack of recreation time.
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: Burnside Jail, Nova Scotia
August 21 – September 9, 2018: On August 19 prisoners at Central Nova Correctional Facility in Burnside, Nova Scotia issue a statement in solidarity with the nationwide prisoner strike in the US. Their statement contained a committment to striking and a list of demands. They refused work and faced severe retaliation, including humaliating body scans and being locked in dry cells (no water or working toilets) for three days.
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.
17
Aug
Protest at South Central Correctional Center, Missouri
August 17 – 21, 2018 (exact end date uncertain): Prisoners in the administrative segregation (ad-seg) unit engage in a collective protest in order to raise grievances regarding conditions in the unit. Prisoners use a tactic of refusing their cellmates on the basis of protective custody, forcing the prison to remove them from the double bunked ad-seg cells.
