Social Justice Advocates Rally to Close Rikers Island
Criminal justice advocates rallied in Lower Manhattan Wednesday to demand the closure of Rikers Island as a federal judge mulls whether to hand over the city correctional facility to a federal receiver.
Advocates March from City Hall Park to Foley Square
In preparation for the hearing, organizations like the Katal Center for Equity, Health, & Justice marched from City Hall Park that afternoon to Foley Square, where several speakers decried the alleged, ever-decaying conditions of Rikers Island — even after the Adams administration and the federal government agreed upon an action plan for improvement.
“The conditions are dirty, the shower area, the living area is awful. The medical staff, they do not attend to our needs,” Curtis Brown, a detainee currently housed at Rikers Island said via phone.
Federal Judge Considers Taking Control of Rikers Island
Judge Laura Taylor Swain held a Sept. 25 at the federal courthouse and was poised to decide whether to find the Adams administration in contempt of a federal monitor already providing oversight at Rikers, and take control of the controversial island away from the mayor amid years of inmate deaths and allegations of human rights abuses.
In September 2012, The Legal Aid Society and Emery Celli Brinckerhoff & Abady LLP filed NuìnÞez v. City of New York et al., a class action lawsuit challenging systemic brutality by staff against people incarcerated in New York City jails.
Elected Officials Call for Federal Takeover
With eight Rikers inmates having died in custody in 2024, and new claims that quality of life conditions are falling to abysmal levels, some elected officials are also calling for the feds to take charge of the embattled island.
“I visited Rikers, and I saw the despair of people who were being detained there, who had broken arms, that were untreated, who were being left to sh*t in bags — excuse my language. People were being treated as if they were not human beings,” Brooklyn Assembly Member Emily Gallagher said. “No one deserves this treatment, innocent or guilty.”
Conclusion
The hearing is ongoing, and the result is expected to be announced sometime during the evening. The advocates are demanding the closure of Rikers Island, citing the poor conditions and human rights abuses. The outcome of the hearing will have a significant impact on the future of the island and the lives of those detained there.
FAQs
Q: Why are advocates demanding the closure of Rikers Island?
A: Advocates are demanding the closure of Rikers Island due to the poor conditions and alleged human rights abuses.
Q: What is the history of Rikers Island?
A: Rikers Island has a history of systemic brutality by staff against people incarcerated in New York City jails, which led to a class action lawsuit in 2012.
Q: What is the current situation at Rikers Island?
A: The current situation at Rikers Island is dire, with eight inmate deaths in 2024 and allegations of poor quality of life conditions.
Q: What is the outcome of the hearing?
A: The outcome of the hearing is expected to be announced during the evening, with Judge Laura Taylor Swain deciding whether to take control of Rikers Island away from the mayor.
