After 3 days of networking, movement building and organizing at the Fight Toxic Prisons (FTP) Convergence in Denton, TX, approximately 50 organizers and revolutionaries from across the country gathered outside the Carswell federal prison Monday morning, June 5, 2017. The protest marched to the remote back gates of the facility, which is located on a massive military base that has a long history of environmental contamination and contains a repressive, secretive Administrative Unit.
Today’s demonstration kicked-off of an international effort to demand the immediate closure of Carswell’s Administrative Unit, a unit similar to draconian Communication Management Units. The Carswell Admin Unit has been used to isolate female and trans political prisoners as well as prisoners with serious mental health needs.
Armed with a mobile sound system and bullhorn, the demonstration was able to create a loud disruption for guards and establish contact with prisoners across the razor wire fences with amplified chants of “You are not forgotten, you are not alone, we will fight to bring you home!”
Prisoners replied with waves and raised fists as they viewed banners reading “Close Carswell Admin Unit Now!”, “Free Aafia Siddiqui” and “Fight Toxic Prisons.”
Demonstrators highlighted political prisoners currently held in the facility, such as Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, Marius Mason and Ana Belen Montes, all of whom have experienced extreme sentences and isolation as a result of their political and/or religious affiliations.
They also noted a decade of extensive complaints regarding abuse, mold and medical neglect among the general population, handing out a printed collection of these stories in the surrounding neighborhood and passers-by.
For more info visit CloseCarswell.wordpress.com and FightToxicPrisons.org
If you want to help support the above prisoners, please see their websites-
Dr. Aafia Siddiqui: www.aafiamovement.com
Marius Mason: www.supportmariusmason.org
Ana Belen Montes: www.prolibertad.org
You can help spread the #CloseCarswell campaign by circulating this information and these photos.
You can help build pressure to close the Carswell Administrative Unit by calling the government agencies which oversee the federal prison system.
Call the Federal Bureau of Prisons (202) 307-3198
and the Department of Justice 202-353-1555
