Activists Plan Solidarity Demonstration Amid Uprising At St. Louis Justice Center

St. Louis MO

08 February, 2021

2:46 PM

Description

CBS St. Louis February 08, 2021 A demonstration is planned outside of the St. Louis City Justice Center (CJC) Monday night after 115 inmates busted out their cells and took over a floor of the jail this weekend. For The People STL are standing in solidarity with the inmates. The organization, who will hold a demonstration around 5 p.m., said people incarcerated at the facility are struggling against poor nutrition, abusive staff, and poor COVID-19 measures. News 4 spoke with a family member of an inmate who cited similar claims that food has been withheld and water turned off as punishment. A spokesperson from St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson's office dismissed the claims as "categorically untrue" and added the rumors were started on social media. Congresswoman Cori Bush tweeted that she's working to ensure the needs of inmates are met. This is the third incident at the CJC since late December when a group of detainees refused to return to their cells after a recreation break.