“If we can’t live like human beings, we shall at least die like humans.”

Οn September 9, 1971, around 1.200 prisoners at the Attica Correctional Facility in the State of New York occupy 3 sections of the prison and take 38 guards and employees hostage. Their demands included amnesty for and the release of all political prisoners in the U.S. Immediately, the prison is surrounded by the forces of the National Guard and on the 13 of September the police intervenes. Over 1.000 police officers and national guards took place in the battle, which lasted 90 minutes. Helicopters, flying above the prison, flood the prison with tear gas as the crew calls through loudspeakers the prisoners to surrender. Amid the tear gas the police and the army start shooting indiscriminately. The final report counts 43 dead and over 250 injured. After the massacre the prison looks like a battlefield. A wave of protests breaks out across the country, especially from the black community. After all, 85% of prisoners in Attica were black. Despite the bloody ending, the uprising strengthened the feeling of unity and militancy amongst the black community in the U.S. Continue reading Text for the strike in USA prisons from 9/9/2016 →