Minnesota’s Stillwater Prison goes into lockdown as 100 angry inmates “take over an entire unit” after being locked in for days without access to showers due to staff shortages
Several convicts occupied part of the facility on Sunday morning
Up to 100 angry inmates refused to return to their cells because they did not have access to clean water
Stillwater Prison in Minnesota went on lockdown after around 100 angry inmates refused to return to their cells to protest the lack of access to clean water.
Several convicts took over part of the facility on Sunday morning after being unable to shower for days due to staff shortages at the all-male prison.
Minnesota Department of Justice spokesman Andy Skoogman said they activated members of the crisis negotiation team “out of great caution.”
Additional police officers, firefighters and ambulances rushed to the Bayport jail, which houses about 1,200 inmates.
Michelle Gross, President of Communities United Against Police Brutality, said: “We have just received information that prisoners who were peacefully protesting the lack of access to clean water have taken over a cell block at MCF Stillwater Prison.”
Stillwater Prison in Minnesota went on lockdown after around 100 angry inmates refused to return to their cells to protest the lack of access to clean water
“They were locked up for days due to staff shortages and had no access to ice or showers.” Some of the correctional officers expressed solidarity with them.
“Prison officers are free to leave the area.” Prisoner rights groups are urging people to go to Stillwater Prison to testify.”
The EMS command has requested ten more ambulances in addition to the eight ambulances currently on site in response to the operational readiness.
No injuries have been reported and tactical teams have not signed up yet.
AFSCME Council 5, which represents Minnesota Correctional Officers, blamed staff shortages for the prison protest.
They said: “Today’s incident at MCF-Stillwater is endemic and demonstrates the truth behind the operations of the MN Department of Corrections, where chronic understaffing leads to offender anger because program and/or off-time time must be restricted when it is not.” there is sufficient security.” Personnel to protect the system.
“Our union deeply believes that without adequate facility security, our correctional facilities cannot have transformative offender programming. We can and must have both.”
