Last Saturday, protestors from the group Millions for Prisoners New Mexico gathered to show their support for abolishing the U.S. prison system.
The group considers the prison system oppressive, unfair, and counterproductive.
Selinda Guerrero, a member of Millions for Prisoners, told KRQE, “Abolition is not just about state violence, police, and prisons – abolition is about what’s missing in the society. What’s missing in the society are all of the basic needs that are being met by the people struggling right now.”
One of the group's chief complaints with the prison system is that they say it affects communities of color most of all, and that poor communities have been over-criminalized. This, they say, leads to mistreatment in prison.
The main goal of the group is to abolish the prison system, but they also want to address some of the inequalities that exist in society.
The protest organized by Millions for Prisoners also coincides with a nationwide strike put on by prisoners doing labor that is scheduled to run through Sept. 9.
