The Roanoke City Jail (in VA) is among the top 10 jails in the U.S. with the highest death rates and has triple the national average. Two weeks ago another person died there. Local activists and community members rallied outside of the Roanoke City Jail on Tuesday to pull the curtain back on State inaction and bring attention to the horrendous tragedy taking place in our community. Since 2015 six inmates have died, many deaths being ruled suicides. However, when challenged by family members to produce evidence of suicides, the Local Sherriff’s office has provided differing stories, failures in protocols, and will not turn over video evidence of the death’s to family members.
Led by Roanoke Peoples’ Power Network, family members and community members rallied outside of the Jail in order to bring media attention to this atrocious situation taking place in our community and demand accountability from a Sherriff’s department more focused on re-elections and cover-up than justice and inmate welfare. In solidarity with current captives inside the group picketed and chanted with megaphones and drums to breach the walls of the prison and to let them know they are not alone in their struggle. Inmates could be heard banging on the walls and windows in response, some of them in the rhythm of the chants. Connections were made between family members of three of those who died in Roanoke City Jail, who had never met each other. People visiting their loved ones at the jail were shown support with chants of “Free [loved one’s name]”. There was real solidarity in the air.
The community recognizes that people of color and the poor are disproportionately affected by injustices found within the Prison-Industrial-Complex, and will continue to work to bring attention to the plight of the inmates, families and loved ones of those who have died and support their struggles for justice and resolution, while also confronting the oppressive systems of State violence against the community. Jails and jakes don’t keep us safe; we keep us safe. There will be future actions.
Invest in communities: good housing jobs and food to eat! Divest from police and prisons, cause that’s not how we teach our children!
