California prisoner who swallowed a staple ends hunger strike to protest jail conditions

Char Adams, NBCBLK

Jazz Svarda began a hunger strike at the Santa Rita Jail after swallowing a staple he believes was intentionally placed in his food.

A prisoner at an infamous California jail led a hunger strike to protest poor food quality, lacking medical care and retaliation from jail staff.

Jazz Svarda, 34, was among several prisoners taking part in a hunger strike for about two weeks at Santa Rita Jail, an Alameda County facility with a history of health and safety violations. He ended his protest Monday, he said, for fear that jail staff would not help him if he were to face a health emergency as a result of the strike. 

“My health was declining way too fast,” Svarda said, noting that he’s now relying on food purchased from the commissary rather than eating meals provided by the jail. “I’m afraid if I go too far, they’ll just let me die. But I’m still holding them accountable, I’m still putting in grievances. I still haven’t eaten their food, because it’s traumatizing that trash is in the food. I don’t trust them.”

Continue reading about the inhuman conditions here.

Black men are disproportionately incarcerated.

Keep up on breaking news here!