Activists rally outside governor's house, protest conditions at Stillwater prison
ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Activists seeking change in Minnesota's correction system were hoping to grab the governor's attention Saturday morning, bringing a brass band outside his Eastcliff mansion
"The prisons right now our time bomb, and their time bomb peak as the Commissioner of Corrections is refusing to address the staffing crisis, and that is making the prisons unlivable every day," said David Boehnke with the Twin Cities Incarcerated Workers Organizing Committee.
Over Labor Day weekend, inmates protested living conditions inside a Stillwater correctional facility. There are concerns about water quality, sweltering heat and staffing shortages causing issues with visitation and programming.
RELATED: Protesters decry conditions inside Stillwater prison following Sunday's inmate protest
"Make it better. Make it better now. The time is now. We want to move forward, not stay stagnant," Doraminga Assani said. "The people in minimum, let them go on work release so they can have real wages."
Activists tried to leave a card requesting a meeting on the governor's doorstep but were swiftly met by security.
Releasing more non-violent prisoners is an idea DOC Commissioner Paul Schnell recently said he hears all the time, but said it's not that simple.
"At this point in time, we believe it's really important that we are smart about how we manage this, not just to release people to fail, and not just release people to communities where there isn't a support network to help them be successful," Schnell said.
Activists say something needs to change and fast.
"If we want to have people come home, and be successful, we can't make our prisons like animals in a cage. We can't do it. We can't, we can't have people locked into their cells all the time without showers, without hot food, without programming, like people are going to come back worse," Boehnke said.
A DOC spokesperson says they brought in extra staff to return inmates to their normal shower and recreational schedules.
The DOC says the only inmates still receiving less recreational time are those being punished for involvement in the protest.