Prisons campaigner arrested outside Holloway.

Guido | 10.11.2005 10:33 | Repression | Social Struggles | London

In 2003 Sarah Elizabeth Campbell took an overdose in her cell in Styal Prison. Despite her rapidly worsening condition the Prison authorities waited 40 minutes to call an ambulance. When it arrived it was held at the Prison gates for a further eight minutes. Sarah lost consciousness and died in hospital a few hours later. Pauline Campbell was informed of her daughter’s death by the Police by phone.

Ever since this tragedy Pauline has tirelessly campaigned for the rights of women prisoners. On Wednesday she took her unique form of protest to Holloway Prison which has just seen yet another suicide by a prisoner.

Waiting for the prisoner transport.

Action begins.

Road blocked.

The duty governor arrives.

The cops show up.

Pauline gets nicked (arrests now in double figures).

Later released without charge as authorities bottle it.

It’s a simple tactic. Pauline calls as picket of the jail and then waits for a prisoner transport to arrive. She then blocks its path arguing that the prisoner should be taken to a place where they will be properly looked after. The Police get called. Pauline gets nicked and gets the opportunity to highlight many of the facts and figures that the Prison service would rather keep quiet.

On Wednesday Pauline was joined by around 25 supporters including two ex prisoners. When the prisoner transport was halted the Duty governor arrived. He tried to persuade Pauline to move. She refused. Around 15 cops showed up and were equally unsuccessful in persuading Pauline to make her protest legal. So she was arrested for blocking the highway which seemed a little odd as the Governor had been arguing that she was on private property.

This is the tenth time that Pauline has been lifted in the past year. She has only been charged twice. On this occasion the cops decided that ‘It was not in the public interest to press charges’. In other words it is not in Holloway Prison’s interests to create another PR disaster. A court case would give Pauline the opportunity in the public domain to make the following facts known:
1)The death of Karen Ann Fletcher is the 4th at Holloway since last year.
2)The regime at the Prison has been repeatedly condemned by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons.
3)The Prisoners in Holloway share their cells with what has been described as a ‘serious infestation’ of mice and cockroaches.
4)Another prisoner remains in a coma after being cut down from a makeshift noose last year.

Guido
e-mail: guidoreports@riseup.net

Comments

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Well done, Pauline

20.11.2005 16:16

Well done Pauline!

A nice set of photographs too.

All the best , Matt

Matt Archibald
mail e-mail: mattarch@care4free.net

No More Deaths

11.04.2006 15:38

I greatly admire Pauline and all who support her. After spending 12 years in jail for a crime I did not commit I have witnessed so much of prison life. The whole system needs revising and for those who have serious problems, prison is not the place for them. Much more needs to be done to address mental health issues and drug problems. In its present form prisons cannot cope with the numbers now locked up and the safety of those held in prison is paramount. The Government panders to public opinion and neglects many who are vulnerable, yet sent to jail. The answer does not lie with building even more prisons but with reducing numbers and dealing fairly and humanely with those who are sent to jail. We need to look closely at the reasons why many end up in prison and deal with the social issues surrounding this. If the numbers were reduced then each prisoner could be seen as an individual. As it stands now prison is merely a paper exercise, where boxes are ticked and the 'job' is deemed to be done. It cannot carry on like this.....something has to change.
Sue May

Susan May
mail e-mail: susanmay.fosm@gmail.com
Homepage: http://www.susanmay.co.uk

Three Cheers for Pauline!!

18.04.2006 12:24

Three Cheers for Pauline!! At least someone is doing something about the rediculous amount of people committing suicide! Only the most dangerous offenders should be sent to these hellwholes. Prison was no way the right was to treat an 18 year old girl!!! Shame on the Government!! Your supposed to protect citizens! Keep doing your stuff Pauline!!!

Amanda Saywell
mail e-mail: amandasaywell@yahoo.com

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Prisons campaigner arrested outside Holloway.

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Well done, Pauline

No More Deaths

Three Cheers for Pauline!!

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