Democracy Now! | "Complete Neglect": Thousands Not Evacuated from Florida Jails & Prisons Ahead of Hurricane Milton @DemocracyNow | Uploaded October 2024 | Updated October 2024, 11 hours ago.
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As many as 28,000 people incarcerated in central and southern Florida jails and prisons were in mandatory evacuation zones for Hurricane Milton, but many officials reportedly refused to evacuate them. Some who were moved to more secure facilities ahead of the storm report having been left in lockdown with no power, updates or access to prison staff. "The fact that they are unable to evacuate people in mandatory evacuation zones goes to show the complete lack of prioritization of the lives of incarcerated people during hurricanes. And I think we can all agree, if we are prioritizing the safety of our communities, those communities must include the incarcerated people inside," says Jordan Martinez, an organizer with the Campaign to Fight Toxic Prisons and the group's Hurricane and Disaster Response Team. They helped organize pressure campaigns for officials to evacuate incarcerated people during this storm as they have for many others.
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As many as 28,000 people incarcerated in central and southern Florida jails and prisons were in mandatory evacuation zones for Hurricane Milton, but many officials reportedly refused to evacuate them. Some who were moved to more secure facilities ahead of the storm report having been left in lockdown with no power, updates or access to prison staff. "The fact that they are unable to evacuate people in mandatory evacuation zones goes to show the complete lack of prioritization of the lives of incarcerated people during hurricanes. And I think we can all agree, if we are prioritizing the safety of our communities, those communities must include the incarcerated people inside," says Jordan Martinez, an organizer with the Campaign to Fight Toxic Prisons and the group's Hurricane and Disaster Response Team. They helped organize pressure campaigns for officials to evacuate incarcerated people during this storm as they have for many others.
Democracy Now! is an independent global news hour that airs on over 1,500 TV and radio stations Monday through Friday. Watch our livestream at democracynow.org Mondays to Fridays 8-9 a.m. ET.
Subscribe to our Daily Email Digest: democracynow.org/subscribe
