05/01/2024
PRESS RELEASE
FCI Fort Dix Raided, Cops Laugh While Throwing Away Personal Belongings
On Thursday, April 25th, 2024, FCI Fort Dix, the prison where Ant Smith is serving out his sentence, was raided by Correctional Officers. Though this was disguised as a prison-wide search for contraband, prisoners were stripped of their personal belongings, government-provided work uniforms, bedding, and toiletries. Incarcerated people were forced to place all of their precious belongings in two trash bags, and all items that couldn't fit were immediately discarded. This was especially hard for people with longer sentences who have accumulated many sentimental belongings. Even after complying with this demand, prisoners were forced to throw away most of their bagged items under arbitrary rules. This included toothbrushes (only 1 allowed), toilet paper (only 2 rolls allowed), and books (only 4 allowed). Additionally, prisoners were forced to dispose of unopened mail, art, pictures, and irreplaceable items received from outside the walls.
During the raid, prisoners missed breakfast and were forced to remain outside from 8:45am to almost 2pm, receiving no food. Incarcerated workers were forced to assist in transporting all confiscated belongings, including their own, to the garbage dump. As “unauthorized” items were discovered, correctional officers were observed clapping and cheering.
Once everyone returned to their quarters, they found their spaces in disarray. Beds sliced open, holes in walls, lockers flipped and contents broken and scattered on the ground. Prisoners were missing mattresses, sheets, pillows, shower shoes, work boots, and other essential items. Many items that were just received from commissary and still unopened (clothing, socks, underwear, snacks, sodas) were thrown away with no regard for financial burden. Currently, many prisoners must wait until the next commissary (5/2/24) to replace their items.
Raids, lockdowns, and destruction/theft of property are common practice in many prisons. It is a form of collective punishment and is often used as a tactic to showcase the vulnerability and lack of privacy that prisoners experience behind the walls. This power move is less about property and more about how every aspect of prisoners’ lives are out of their control. Not only do prisons control what you eat, who you talk to, what you wear, and what you own, but they also can take any and everything that you have away at any time and discard it like garbage. This is just one more dehumanization strategy that strips people of their power and agency while incarcerated.
As another example of collective punishment, one of Ant’s co-defendants, Khalif Miller has experienced multiple lockdowns this year (2024) that affect the entire prison (USP Sandy). During lockdowns, all prisoners are restricted to their cells and barred from going to chow hall, the yard, or any common area. Additionally, when Khalif was transferred from USP Sandy in Kentucky back to FDC in Philadelphia, his commissary and property was “lost”.
Currently, the defense committee has been communicating with Ant regarding his needs following the raid. Ant has already received funds to replace his belongings. As usual, Ant is less concerned about his own items, and more upset at the impact the raid had on more vulnerable prisoners (elderly, non able-bodied, etc.).
In lieu of this, the defense committee is calling for commissary donations so that we can distribute funds to impacted prisoners upon their request. Though this is not a remedy to the systemic cause of these raids, we hope that providing some funds can lessen the burden of replacing stolen property (within the $350 monthly commissary limit). Please note that one major item can cost upwards of $100, and many items are unavailable. We are asking that donors comment “prisoner commissary” if interested in contributing to this specific fundraising goal.
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What's the call? Free ‘em all!
The Defense Committee
