On September 9, 1971, inhumane conditions led to a sudden and violent riot at the Attica, New York prison. Approximately 2,200 prisoners at the prison participated in the riot. About 1,281 prisoners occupied the exercise yard. About 39 prison guards and employees who were taken hostage were blindfolded. In the meantime, a guard was killed and prisoners took over the prison for five days. Negotiations took place, but all of the authorities in Attica wanted to overwhelmingly take back the prison. Just prior to this, in the summer of 1971, Attica Prison in New York State was in danger of exploding. Prisoners complained of chronic overcrowding, censorship of letters, and unsatisfactory living conditions; they were limited to one shower a week and one roll of toilet paper each month. Some Attica prisoners were beginning to perceive their treatment as that of political prisoners rather than convicted criminals.
On September 13, 1971, the authorities asked the prisoners to surrender, incapacitating them with large amounts of tear gas and short machine guns dropped from helicopters and swarmed by some 700 or more state police, local officers and guards. They indiscriminately abused and massacred every prisoner in sight. Many prisoners who had already been subdued or injured were also executed. Prisoners' skulls were caved in with rifle handles. The police fired about 3,000 rounds in six minutes indiscriminately at the tear gas miasma. About 29 prisoners were killed. About 10 hostages were also killed by gunfire. About 89 other prisoners were seriously injured. Only the officers and guards retaking the prison had guns. The prisoners were armed with knives and other cutting weapons.
Immediately after retaking the prison, the guards and policemen tortured the prisoners in retaliation. The means of torture included rubbing lime powder into their wounds, shooting them in the arms and legs, burning them with cigarettes, forcing them to drink urine, threatening to castrate them, and denying them medical treatment. For decades, prison authorities covered up the actual riots that took place. The New York State Troopers involved in the massacre were found innocent; with the exception of the Indian massacre in the late 19th century, the state police assault that ended the four-day prison uprising became the bloodiest history among Americans since the Civil War.
