Activists protest in favor of prisoner release during COVID-19 outbreak

A caravan of cars in favor of releasing prisoners and detainees took over the streets outside Portland City Hall this afternoon. A coalition of activist groups used the socially-distanced protest to push state and local leaders to forcefully address the threat that coronavirus poses in prisons and detention centers. 

Particular to this May Day action was the focus on prisoner labor. Prisoners work for as little as 60 cents a day, doing laundry for the very hospitals treating COVID-19 patients. They do not receive personal protective equipment for this work, which activist say further compounds their risk, along with the fact that proper social distancing is often impossible in jails. 

Comments from Zia Laboff, Never Again Action PDX.