Inmates barricade themselves inside a New Orleans prison pod

Inmates in a high-security pod at Orleans Justice Middle protest for higher residing situations.
WVUE

Inmates at a New Orleans jail barricaded themselves within a pod on Sunday amid an ongoing standoff with jail guards.

The prisoners on the Orleans Justice Middle staged the protest to demand improved residing situations — together with one other TV to look at Saints video games.

The prisoners additionally demanded higher meals and medical care, a washer and dryer, and extra books.

The inmates in pod 2A — a high-security pod — refused to return to their cells and take away barricades from entryways into the pod, Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson instructed Fox Information.

Jail officers have supplied the inmates water, meals and medicine for individuals who want it.

“Sheriff’s deputies are persevering with to make use of greatest practices to deescalate the state of affairs. They're participating in negotiations with the residents within the hopes of resolving this matter with out using power,” Hutson’s workplace stated.

“Thus far, gives to resolve this matter have all been refused by the leaders of the protest.” 

Video of the protesters from WVUE exhibits inmates shouting to cameras from behind a screened window.

One of many calls for that the inmates protesting had was they need entry to look at New Orleans Saints soccer video games.

opso.us

“We haven’t eaten since Thursday,” one inmate yelled. One other inmate claimed that a diabetic prisoner has not been offered insulin and is “about to die.”

“We, the folks in block 2E, are affected by inhumane therapy,” one other learn from a paper. “We're being locked in our cells for 20 hours a day. We don't go to courtroom. A few of us haven’t been to courtroom in seven months.”

A concurrent protest within the ladies part of the jail protest was resolved rapidly, officers instructed WDSU, however the male protests have been happening since Friday. They reportedly communicated with one another by the bathroom system.

The inmates’ protest comes after the Orleans Justice Middle reported a number of stabbings inside the ability, a minimum of three of which occurred in Pod 2E, Hutson stated.

In response to the stabbings, OJC imposed an alternating lockdown schedule, which is another excuse the inmates stated they had been protesting.

Hutson’s workplace stated the requests for a washer and dryer had been seemingly on account of residents breaking these machines to make weapons.