A group of prisoners housed in Pelican Bay State Prison's Security Housing Unit, a housing assignments in which prisoners are restricted to their cells in solitary for at least 23 hours a day, have announced plans to stage a hunger strike on July 1st. According to a formal complaint published by some prisoners in the Summer 2011 issue of Prison Focus, they are calling for the prison staff to meet 5 demands. They are

"1) Eliminate group punishments; 2) Abolish the debriefing policy and modify active/inactive gang status criteria; 3) Comply with the recommendations of the US Commission on Safety and Abuse in Prisons (2006) regarding an end to long-term solitary confinement; 4) Provide adequate food; 5) Expand and provide constructive programs and privileges for indefinite SHU inmates."--PA Prison Report

We speak with Ed Mead, editor of the California-based Prison Focus newspaper, member of California Focjus, and former political prisoner about the living conditions for prisoners inside of Pelican Bay and the development and structure of this latest planned prison protest.