The group that I was arrested with was kept on a bus for 5 hours that had windows that only went down about 2 inches. It was in the 80s outside and in the 90s at least on the bus. We were given only 2 "squirts" of water during that time.

We were left in handcuffs for about 6 hours. The cuffs were so tight that people were bleeding and our hands were swelling. Once we were in the "Roundhouse" (the jail) we were placed in 7 or 8 per cell. The cells are 5 1/2 by 6 feet.

These overcrowding conditions were still happening when I left. The temperatures inside were extremely cold the first few nights, but we were denied blankets (and people's long-sleeved shirts were taken away.) After the first few days, they seemed to crank the heat and it became extremely warm.

One woman on our cell block was in solitary (same type of 5 1/2 by 6 foot cell but with plexiglass covering the bars except for the bottom foot or so). We screamed and chanted for her to be let out of solitary (one of our demands) and in retribution the cops stuck 9 more people in her cell. (This coincided with when the heat seemed to be turned up.)

People were complaining that they could not breath but the guards refused to let them out for what seemed to be several hours. People are being denied medical treatment.

Meals consist of a cheese or peanut butter sandwich which is given only twice per day at random times. They seemed to be trying to break people mentally by keeping us constantly awake so the sandwiches would often be delivered at weird times like 3 a.m.

They were also trying to play people against one another by only delivering a few peanut butter sandwiches or allowing 1 person per cell to have a phone call... hoping we'd start fighting with one another. (But we didn't--people are really taking care of each other).

Almost everyone was denied a phone call. In 4 days I wasn't allowed to make one.

We were denied legal representation from R2K. When one person fired the public defender, and asked for an R2K lawyer, her bail was doubled. There were people in a holding room outside the regular cell blocks who were able to use the phones, but on Wednesday afternoon the phones were turned off. We were able to hear guards in the men's cell blocks saying things like "Stand up and walk like a man, bitch" following by crashing sounds, screams and the guard saying "You think that one hurt?"

I witnessed several episodes of people being dragged, cuffed wrist to ankle and being slammed into walls, doors and file cabinets. There were also several people I saw who were having their fingers and arms twisted, were being choked and were having their toes stomped on by guards.

At the Roundhouse the men and women are able to communicate through the walls and we sang and chanted in support of one another.

People are also doing an amazing job taking care of each other. (And the jail support group is doing an awesome job on the outside). But the media in Philly are all reporting on what an excellent job the cops are doing and the media elsewhere are ignoring the situation entirely. 400+ people arrested and most of the people in the country don't even know it happened, which is why it is so important that everyone call the numbers below from the email I'm forwarding. And try to think of some other tactics as well. I'm too fried to think of any ideas, but I hope that you will be able to. I'm sorry that this is written so... incoherently... but, I needed to get the word out before I can rest.

Please email me back if you have any questions. PLEASE do something about this!!!!!!!!!!