NEW YORK (VINnews)-As New York state prison guards continue their unauthorized strike, all visitations are canceled at facilities statewide, the state Department of Corrections and Community Supervision announced Thursday. DOCCS did not provide a reason for the cancellation.
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The cancellation impacts both personal and legal visits for people who are incarcerated at the state’s 42 prisons, according to a statement from the Center for Community Alternatives.
In the latest escalation of unrest within New York state prisons, riots broke out early Thursday at the Riverview Correctional Facility in Ogdensburg, located near the St. Lawrence River. The chaos follows a wave of sporadic inmate uprisings and a growing strike by prison guards across the state.
The disturbance began overnight on Wednesday and continued into Thursday morning. While no staff members were injured, the inmates reportedly forced guards out of their dorms. In response, a specialized Corrections Emergency Response Team was dispatched to regain control, according to reports from the Times Union.
WWNY 7 News confirmed that two inmates were injured during the confrontation, but authorities have since restored order at the facility.
This riot marks the second major uprising in the span of a week. The Collins Correctional Facility in Erie County was locked down last week following another inmate revolt, during which at least one guard was injured.
The unrest coincides with informal strikes staged by corrections officers across multiple state prisons. The strikes, which began on Monday, have intensified as corrections officials move to end all outside visits to state prisons in an effort to quell the mounting tension.
As of now, prison officials are working to manage the situation while the cause of the inmate unrest and the guards’ protracted strike continues to develop.
