According to other members of the group, a jailed Insulate Britain activist who was on hunger strike in prison while she was held captive has been transferred from her cell into a hospital wing.
According to eco-activists, HMP Bronzefield prison guards in Surrey have become “increasingly worried” about Emma Smart’s health.
Since being imprisoned in connection with Insulate Britain’s roadblocking demonstrations, the 44-year old Weymouth biologist has been on hunger strike since then.
The group posted on Twitter today: “Emma who was in prison today on hunger strike since 13 days”
“The prison is increasingly worried about her health.”
MailOnline received word from Insulate Britain that Smart was in good health.
‘She’s been moved to the hospital wing because she’s going through some stuff,’ the spokesperson said.
She’s thriving. She is not in critical condition.
Emma Smart, an activist for Insulate Britain, is being held in jail and on hunger strike. The group says she has been transferred to the hospital.
Smart, 44 years old, is currently on a 13-day hunger strike after being released from jail for her part in the Insulate Britain road-blocking protests
Smart was imprisoned with eight other people from Insulate Britain (pictured: An Insulate Britain protest) who were given sentences of between three and six months and were each ordered to pay costs of £5,000
The group released today a statement in support of the eco-activist who is currently being held.
How does HMP Bronzefield look like?
HMP Pentonville will house the Insulate Britain male protestors. It is located in Islington and North London. (file image)
HMP Bronzefield, in Ashford (Surrey), was the first British prison built for women. It opened its doors in 2004. There are four categories of Category A jails, each with a maximum capacity for about 130 persons.
Every wing includes a servery area for women, where they can collect their food and either take it home or eat on the wings. In each room, there are telephones. There is a healthcare center with 17 beds, as well as a unit for mother and child (12 women and 13 infants) up to the 18-month mark.
At the prison, women are checked and assessed for their wellbeing by both a nurse and a doctor when they arrive. After being searched, a nurse and doctor assess their welfare, the women are given a meal. The induction process begins on the next day. Some notable former prisoners include Rose West (murderer), Vanessa George (child abuser), and Fiona Onasanya, Labour MP.
A July 2016 study by the HM Inspectorate of Prisons revealed that prisoners are usually offered five choices for lunch, and one for dinner. A prison lunch would consist of a wrap, sandwich, or pasta with fruit, or biscuits. You could choose from pie, curry, or baked fish, as well as a selection of rice, vegetables and potatoes.
The latest report on Bronzefield, 2018 by HM Chief inspector of Prisons stated that many inmates had’significant mental illness problems’, self-harm among prisoners remained high’ and ’violent incidents had significantly increased over the last four years’. But it found that it was an —overwhelmingly safe prison.
A second report, released in March 2019, found that an 18-year old inmate died in jail after giving birth in isolation. A probe revealed that Ms A (the mother) repeatedly pressed the cell door twice, asking for help, but she was not answered. An hour later, a prison officer shined a torch inside her cell. However, it found nothing extraordinary. The inmate claimed she was in constant pain at that time, and then passed out. She then awoke to discover her baby girl had been born.
From prison she spoke out saying: “The window of my hospital wing cell has been blocked and there is very little natural light. I can see birds and trees from my former cell.
I don’t have as much time now to get outside and exercise in the prison yard.
“All of it is testing me resolve to continue. But I feel that refusing to eat is the best thing I can do in prison to draw attention towards those who will need to make the decision between heating up or eating out this winter.
“It is the most important thing in my life to not stand by and watch our government commit treason against the citizens of this country.
Smart, along with eight Insulate Britain activists were imprisoned after they broke an injunction to prevent roadblocking demonstrations.
They were also each ordered to pay costs of £5,000. They were also ordered to serve half of their sentences.
Nine more Insulate Britain residents were summoned to the High Court in London next month, to face contempt charges.
If they are found guilty, they can be punished with unlimited fines and asset seizes as well as prison sentences for up to two year.
Smart was released from jail earlier in the month and was taken to HMP Bronzefield, Ashford, Surrey.
When it was opened, in 2004, it was Britain’s first prison built specifically for women.
Maximum 572 women can be detained in the Category A jail. There are four blocks that can contain around 130 people.
A servery is available in each wing for women who wish to pick up their food. They can either go to the same wing as their husbands or return it to their bedrooms.
Each room also has a telephone. There is a healthcare center with 17 beds, as well as a unit for mother and child (12 women and 13 infants) up to the 18-month mark.
Bronzefield prison is privately owned and operated by Sodexo. We have reached out to them for more information.
MailOnline was informed by the Ministry of Justice that Sodexo would be available for comments.
It comes as Smart’s sister, Clare, took to Twitter on Friday to raise concern about her sibling.
“Emma is strong, but today Emma was crying when she called,” she said. It’s really hard to hear her crying.
The frustrating delays in getting her items; books, clothing, and glasses that she needed to be comfortable reading the printed emails.
“She is assured that this will occur every day and it never happens.”
Clare stated that Clare wanted her sister to speak out and to let her know the reasons behind her hunger strike.
She stated, “For those who are able act in solidarity to do so. Not to be forgotten.
“To believe that she continues to act, even from prison cells.
Smart and eight Insulate Britain activists were arrested in October along with Smart on the 8th.
Protests were banned on the M25 and around Port of Dover, as well on other major routes around London.
Transport For London received a fifth injunction, on October 8.
Eco-activists claim that HMP Bronzefield, Surrey’s prison, staff have been ‘increasingly concern’ over Emma Smart, one of their members.
Smart was arrested earlier this month. He was transferred to HMP Bronzefield (Ashford, Surrey), which was Britain’s first prison built for women. It opened in 2004.
Last week she spoke out from prison, telling Insulate Britain that “Imprisoning everyone who disagrees with me is the sign of a bully” and, as we all know, bullies tend to be cowards.
We say, “So to the government, carry on,” bring down your combined might of all of the machinery and best lawyers. We won’t be subjugated.
“Our numbers keep growing, because people know we’re on the right side”
A short video of Emma can be seen last week in an Insulate Britain shared online. She defends her actions, and calls for civil disobedience.
Emma Smart said that she thought the proceedings were “obscene” and called out the National Highways barristers. The biologist, Andy Smith and Emma Smart have been accused of hypocrisy following a 81,000-mile trip around the globe. Above: This is Andy Smith with the couple before they took off in their diesel-fueled Toyota Camry.
Emma Smart of Insulate Britain, 44, has previously called on more eco-zealots and to continue this extreme campaign.
Smart is an ecologist by trade and said that it was a very extreme campaign to get onto the motorway. However, we are in an extremely difficult situation, so I felt I needed to do my best.
“I stood up for myself, and we should all do the same. We can only make change by non-violent civil disobedience.
Emma Smart (pictured), a Weymouth resident, declared via an Insulate Britain spokesperson that she was going on a hunger strike
We don’t need 9 or 20 people, so we need everyone to give their liberty if we want to avoid losing everything.
Smart, in this clip that was shared on Twitter, explains how she came to be involved with the mob’s protests along the motorways earlier in the year.
Speaking with a row of fence panels behind her, she said: ‘I don’t know what more I can do and then IB [Insulate Britain]it was the right time for me to step up.
“It was quite an extreme campaign you know, getting onto the motorway, but we’re still in an extreme position and I felt that I needed to do whatever was necessary.
“So, I believe this is the right moment. The government could have acted in a meaningful way to meet our demands.
“But they decided to imprison us, and that really has to send an important message to everybody. It is now. All we can do is fail to bring people together.
“I stood up for myself, and we should all do the same. We can only make change by non-violent civil disobedience.
We don’t need 9 or 20 people, so we need everyone to give their liberty if we want to avoid losing everything.
“Our lives support systems are falling apart, and society will collapse.” You have a chance to be part of the change.
Emma told her court during sentencing that she thought the proceedings were “obscene” and laughed at the barristers from National Highways.
After driving 81,000 miles across the globe, Andy Smith and her biologist husband drove 81,000 miles.