(New York) – Today is the eighth day of the illegal work stoppage by New York State prison guards, who abandoned their jobs and left incarcerated people on lockdown with limited or no access to food, medicine, medical care, programs, or legal and family visits. Victor Pate, Co-Director of the HALT Solitary Campaign and a survivor of years in solitary confinement, released the following statement:
“These guards have gotten corrupted by their power. They hold incarcerated people hostage all day, so maybe they think they can hold our democracy hostage, too. As someone who was locked in long-term solitary confinement at Attica for having too many bed sheets, I can assure everyone we will not go backwards. I still suffer the trauma of that ordeal. The most painful part is knowing that DOCCS has been violating the letter and the spirit of the HALT Solitary Law, leaving people to suffer and even die in extreme isolation and making these facilities less safe for everyone….”