Inside
Prisoners will be engaged in the following actions in prisons across the country:
- Work Strikes: Prisoners will not report to assigned jobs. Each place of detention will determine how long its strike will last. Some of these strikes may translate into a local list of demands designed to improve conditions and reduce harm within the prison.
- Sit-ins: In certain prisons, men and women will engage in peaceful sit – in protests.
- Boycotts: All spending should be halted. We ask those outside the walls not to make financial judgments for those inside. Men and women on the in side will inform you if they are participating in this boycott.
- Hunger Strikes: Men and women shall refuse to eat.
2018 Confirmed Actions:
California
- New Folsom Prison: hunger strike started by Heriberto Garcia on August 21 continues
- CSP LAC (Lancaster): a group is hunger striking
Florida
Confirmations of work strikes & boycotts (via Jailhouse Lawyers Speak):
- Charlotte Correctional Institution
- Dade Correctional Institution
- Holmes Correctional Institution
- Appalachee Correctional Institution
- Franklin Correctional Institution
Georgia
Confirmations of work strikes & boycotts (via Jailhouse Lawyers Speak)
- Georgia State Prison “Reidsville”
- Georgia Diagnostic and Classification State Prison in Jackson, GA
Indiana
- Wabash Valley Correctional Institution, prisoners in a segregation unit initiated a hunger strike on Monday August 27, demanding adequate food and an end to cold temperatures in the unit.
Kentucky
Boycott activity confirmed by Jailhouse Lawyers Speak:
- FCI Manchester (Federal)
Maryland
- Jessup Correctional Institution – small group engaged in work stoppage reported by JLS and another independent source.
Michigan
- Alger Correctional Facility, a group of prisoners are boycotting all phone contact and payment to Global Tel Link (GTL)
Missouri
- Leavenworth (USP) has at least one prisoner on a hunger strike.
New Mexico
- Lea County Correctional Facility in Hobbs, NM. On August 9, prisoners organized a work stoppage against conditions at the prison, operated by private corporation GEO Group. Tensions at the prison reached a tipping point prior to the date of the strike and prisoners could not wait before initiating their protest. All facilities in New Mexico were placed on lockdown status on the morning of August 20. This statewide lockdown has since been lifted except for Lea County C.F..
North Carolina
- Prisoners at Hyde Correctional Institution in Swanquarter, NC demonstrated in solidarity with the strike.
- At least one prisoner has been retaliated against at Polk Correctional Institution for alleged strike activity.
New York
- Coxsackie Correctional Facility – strike activity confirmed by JLS and NYC Books Through Bars
- Eastern Correctional Facility – work strike activity and boycotts confirmed by JLS
Ohio
- Ohio State Penitentiary (supermax in Youngstown) – at least one block engaged in a 3 day fast on first days of the strike and a commissary boycott throughout. Also there was a brief work stoppage in late July in response to preemptive repression by staff.
- Toledo Correctional Institution – At least two prisoners began a hunger strike on August 21. David Easley and James Ward were moved into isolation for participating and authorities have cut off their means of communication to outside contacts.
South Carolina
Confirmations of work strikes & boycotts (via Jailhouse Lawyers Speak):
- Broad River CI
- Lee Correctional C
- McCormick CI
- Kershaw CI
- Lieber CI
Boycott activity confirmed by Jailhouse Lawyers Speak:
- FCI Edgefield (Federal)
Texas
- IWOC was forwarded a message dated 8/23 from inside administrative segregation, (solitary) of a Texas gulf prison confirming that 2 people are on hunger strike in solidarity with the national action: “I feel great. But very hungry! And not because I don’t have food but because of our 48 hours solidarity with our brothers and sisters. It’s the only way we can show support from inside of Seg. Let everyone know we got their backs.”
- IWOC has confirmed that Robert Uvalle is on hunger strike in solitary at Michael Unit, Anderson County, TX in solidarity with the nationwide strike. Robert has been in solitary for most of his 25 years inside. IWOC has subsequently confirmed that more prisoners are involved in the hunger strike.
- IWOC has confirmed that there is a work stoppage at the McConnell Unit in Texas.
Virginia
- Sussex II a group of has released a communique related to a hunger strike
Washington
- Northwest Detention Center – Representatives of over 200 immigrant detainees at Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma, Washington declared a hunger strike on day one of the national prison strike. Amid fears of retaliation, 70 across three blocks participated. As of this time, seven continue to refuse food into a second week.
International Inside Solidarity
Nova Scotia, Canada
- Burnside County Jail in Halifax prisoners went on strike and issued a protest statement in solidarity with the strike and naming local demands. They went through a lockdown and extensive negotiations with authorities; those who refused to cooperate with humiliating body scans were punished by being locked in a dry cell (no water or working toilets) for three days.
Israel
- Imprisoned Palestinians of the Popular Font for the Liberation of Palestine, held in Israeli jails share, “we extend our solidarity to the prisoners in the jails of the US participating in the national prison strike beginning August 21 fighting exploitation, racism and capitalism from within the heart of imperialist prisons” mailed via letter dated 20 August 2018
Larissa, Greece
- 127 Greek prisoners share a message, “solidarity to all South Carolina imprisoned fighters and all the prisoners of America” from in the A-wing Larissa prison located in the capitol and largest city in the Thessaly region of Greece, mailed via letter dated August 2018
Outside
- July 27th – Liberate the Caged Voices @ The Octopus Literary Salon, 6:30p – 8:30p Oakland, CA hosed by California Prison Focus
- August 1 – Black August Kickoff @ The Potter’s House 6:00p – 8:00p; District of Columbia hosted by Aging People in Prison Human Rights Campaign
- August 4 – Chicago Day of Solidarity hosted by RAM & Chicago GDC
- August 5 – Running Down the Walls, Panel Discussion & Framed in America Event @ Fairmount Park, 10:00a – 7p; Philadelphia, PA hosted by MOVE9
- August 6 – Day of Action: Stand for Reform @ DC’s Central Holding hosted by Faith Strategy and DC Poor People’s Campaign
- August 18 – End the Contract with ICE Rally @ Kent County’s Sheriff’s Office 10:00a – 12:00p hosted by Movimiento Cosecha GR and GR Rapid Response to ICE
- September 6– Sit in @ Office of the UW President, UW Seattle, WA
- September 6– Movie Night of “13th” by Ava Duvernay, with discussion @ San Jose Peace and Justice Center 7:00p – 9:00p hosted by Prisoners Human Rights Coalition CA
- September 7– Protest Poetry Open Mic @ New Youth Jail Construction Site; 5:00p – 8:00p Seattle, WA hosted by Seattle IWW Black & Pink and SawariMi
- September 8 – SC Prison Reform & Sentencing Rally in Columbia, SC @ 1:30p -4:00p
- September 9– Community Gathering/Alliance in support of strikers- food, speakers, tabling, open mic @ Backesto Park, downtown San Jose, CA 11:00p – 2:00p hosted by Prisoners Human Rights Coalition CA
- August 21– National Prison Strike Solidarity Demonstration @1445 E Grand Ave, Des Moines, IA 7:45a – 8:30a hosted by Central Iowa DSA
- August 21– Nat Turner Day Noise Demo @ Metropolitan Detention Center 7:00p – 10:00p, New York, NY hosted by RAM & NYC Anarchist Black Cross
- August 21– National Prison Strike Kickoff Rally @ University of Washington 1:00p – 3:00p Seattle, WA hosted by Seattle IWW Black & Pink and SawariMi @ Durant Park
- August 21– Awareness March @ Plaza de Cesar Chavez @ 7:00p hosted by California Prison Focus
- August 21 – Solidarity Noise Demo in Los Angeles, CA @ 7:30p hosted by WW-LAGMB; General Defense Committee-LA; Black Rose/Rosa Negra Anarchist Federation; OccupyICE-LA; Defend NELA; ICE out of LA; ABCF-LA; Black August Los Angeles
- August 21– Noise Demo @ Elliot Park 8:00p Minneapolis, MN hosted by Twin Cities Anti-Repression
- August 22 – Solidarity Rally @ Milwaukee Secure Detention Facility in Milwaukee, WI 5:30p – 8:30p
- August 23– March in Solidarity with National Prisoner Strike
- August 25– Solidarity Mobilization @ San Quentin State Prison 11 AM – 3:30 PM, San Quentin, CA
- August 21 – Solidarity Rally in New Haven, CT @ 1:00p
- August 25– Rally @ Lee Correctional Institution; Bishopville, SC hosted by the Party for Socialism and Liberation & Students for Justice in Palestine at USC
- August 25–Solidarity with the National Prison Strike @ 501 S Calhoun St, Tallahassee, FL 32301 6:00p – 9:00p hosted by The Party for Socialism and Liberation – Florida
- August 26– The 13th Film Viewing and Panel Discussion @ 4799 Shattuck Ave, Oakland, CA 94609 6:30p hosted by Liberated Lens
- August 28-Teach-in: Curriculum and discussion based on prisoner’s 10 demands @San Jose Peace and Justice Center 7:00p – 9:00p hosted by Prisoners Human Rights Coalition CA
- August 30 – The Prison in Twelve Landscapes in Battleboro, VT hosted by Brattleboro Solidarity Indigo Radio
- September 1– Activist workshop- present concept of phone zaps & their impact, and current actions @ San Jose Peace and Justice Center 11:00a hosted by Prisoners Human Rights Coalition CA
- September 1 – Solidarity Letter Writing @ The Big Idea Bookstore in Pittsburgh, PA 1:00p
- September 2 – Prison Solidarity Vigil in Houston, TX @ 4:00p – 6:00p hosted by Houston DSA
- September 9 – Wrap Up Letter Writing Night @ Pipsqueak; 3:00p – 5:00p Seattle, WA hosted by Seattle IWW Black & Pink and SawariMi
See a list of events with social media captures and video at https://itsgoingdown.org/prisonstrike/