![BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaSan Quentin begins prison reform – but not for those on death rowPublished7 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Keith DoolinImage caption, Keith Doolin and his mother, Donna Larsen, are worried about his transfer to another California prisonBy Madeline HalpertBBC News, New YorkCalifornia is transferring everyone on death row at San Quentin prison to other places, as it tries to reinvent the state’s most notorious facility as a rehabilitation centre. Many in this group will now have new freedoms. But they are also asking why they’ve been excluded from the reform – and whether they’ll be safe in new prisons.Keith Doolin still remembers the day in 2019 when workers came to dismantle one of the United States’ most infamous death chambers. He was in his cell at San Quentin prison on the north side of San Francisco Bay, watching live footage on television showing an execution chair – where 194 people had been put to death – carried away after more than 80 years of use. The green gas chamber being taken apart was just several hundred feet from where he sat.A former long-distance truck driver convicted of murder, Doolin has spent nearly 23 hours a day for the last 28 years in a tiny cell. He long worried he would one day be shackled to a mint-green chair and executed.But in the last few years, California has been moving fast with some plans for prison reform. Governor Gavin Newsom’s decision to deconstruct the death chamber – and also place a moratorium on the death penalty in the state – was a watershed moment for Doolin.”He [Newsom] was sending the message: ‘Look, it might take a while, but things are going to change’.”Mr Newsom is now seeking more changes at San Quentin, which currently has the nation’s largest death row. The governor announced last year that he planned to transform the state’s oldest prison into a rehabilitation centre. He will close the prison’s death row unit and move Doolin and the other 532 death row inhabitants to standard prisons across the state in the coming months (70 have been moved already). Doolin and his neighbours will still have death sentences – meaning they will spend the rest of their lives in prison. For some, the threat of execution still looms large, as a future governor could reinstate the state’s death penalty. Six people on death row who spoke to the BBC over the phone shared mixed feelings about their move. Some were elated by the opportunity to live closer to family and step outside their cells without handcuffs, while others were terrified at the prospect of starting over after decades living alone in a cell.Image source, Getty ImagesRats, birds and handcuffs: Life on death rowBuilt in 1852, San Quentin is California’s oldest prison and the state’s only facility for incarcerated males who have been sentenced to death. Since 1893, 422 people have been executed there, including by gas, hanging or lethal injection. Family members walk by the entrance to the prison’s execution chamber every time they visit their loved ones, said Doolin’s mother, Donna Larsen, who drives a nine-hour round trip once a month to visit her son.The execution chamber would emit a green light that turned red as a person was being executed, a sight visible to Californians driving by on the highway, she said. This green room of death – and infamous inmates such as cult leader Charles Manson – have brought international notoriety to San Quentin, featured in podcasts, television shows and films.When Ramon Rogers arrived at the prison in 1996, rain leaked through the ceiling of the death row unit, and mice and rats would run rampant. But the biggest pests, he said, were the birds. “They started defecating all over the place – all over the railings,” he said. “It was a gross environment.”Since then, life on death row has remained restrictive and, at times, hazardous. An outbreak of Covid-19 during the height of the pandemic killed at least 12 death row inmates – part of a wider coronavirus surge at the prison that infected 75% of the population.Ms Larsen – Doolin’s mother – said she was shocked by how dirty the prison was the first time she visited. “It had a stench to it,” she said. “Sometimes Keith’s clothing smells mouldy when we visit. To know that your loved one is living in that made me sick.”Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Those imprisoned in San Quentin’s death row spend nearly all of the day in their cellsPeople housed in San Quentin’s death row are kept alone for most of the day in a roughly four foot (1.2m) by nine foot (2.7m) cell, a space that Doolin said feels like a “sardine can”. The 51-year-old was sentenced to death in 1996 for killing two sex workers and shooting four others. Doolin has maintained his innocence, and a California attorney has alleged that he has information learned while working on another case that could potentially exonerate him. But the lawyer, David Mugridge, told the BBC that he could not share the details due to attorney-client privilege.Doolin and others living on death row are required to wear handcuffs at all times when outside their cells, which officers have to unlock with metal keys after strip-searching them. Image source, CDCRImage caption, A photo of one of the cells, provided by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation”Our daily life confinement is based on going from one box to another,” said another inmate, Tony, who declined to share his last name for privacy reasons.Death row inmates are offered little access to rehabilitative programmes except for some college courses and jobs such as cleaning showers.Ending death rowIn March 2019, Governor Newsom issued an executive order that halted the death penalty in the state and ordered the dismantling of the gas chamber in San Quentin. Mr Newsom’s move did not alter any incarcerated individuals’ sentences, though he said that he might later consider commuting death row sentences.While the state had not actually performed an execution since 2006, Mr Newsom argued the death penalty system had been “by all measures, a failure” that was unfairly applied to people of colour and people with mental illness. According to the Death Penalty Information Center, black people comprise 34% of California’s death row, but only 6% of the state’s population. Since 1973, seven people on death row in the state have been exonerated. Preparing for bigger changes, Mr Newsom announced a two-year pilot programme in 2020 to transfer around 100 volunteers from San Quentin’s death row to other prisons, the first move in his bigger plan to eventually move all the inmates out, to more than 20 other prisons that meet security requirements.Correll Thomas left San Quentin with the pilot programme in 2021 after being on death row since 1999.But at Centinela prison, in Imperial, California, settling in was a struggle. “They didn’t want to give us [rehabilitation] programs,” he said. “We had to pretty much fight for everything.”Image source, Correll ThomasImage caption, Correll Thomas was happy to have the chance to leave San Quentin death rowOther prisoners and staff appeared frightened of his death row status, said Thomas, who added that with time, some at the prison grew to accept him.Ramon Rogers, the inmate who first arrived at San Quentin in 1986 when birds and rats had overrun the facility, said the move was welcome. “I didn’t care where they sent me, I just knew anywhere else would be better,” he said.Now at the Richard Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego, Rogers, 64, has been able to enrol not just in rehabilitation programmes but also college.The greatest relief, he said, came from not having to wear handcuffs around the clock outside his cell for the first time in decades.”Sometimes, I’m amazed at what I’m allowed to do here that I would never be able to do on death row.”Starting over But some advocates say not enough support is being offered as these inmates make a drastic transition. There is a “huge difference” between the people on death row who chose to leave and those being forced to move now, said Gavrilah Wells, a volunteer with human rights group Amnesty International. “I’m so worried about the safety and the human rights of so many people being involuntarily transferred,” she said. “The massive endeavour of rapidly moving 550 people to unknown prisons, with unknown cultures specific to each facility, raises serious concerns.”Ms Wells and other advocates say moving the death row population, which includes many who are sick and elderly, poses great challenges. The oldest person in San Quentin’s death row is 93. “It’s not the same as just transferring any person in prison,” said Natasha Minsker, a policy adviser for non-profit Smart Justice California. Advocates worry about those being moved far away from their lawyers and family members, and how they will adjust after decades living alone in a cell.”These guys have never lived with anyone but themselves,” Tony said. “They’re going to have to learn how to do things all over again.”Image source, Keith DoolinImage caption, Doolin is worried about starting over and avoiding conflict in a new prison with a new cultureDoolin is anxious about avoiding conflict as he interacts with more people than ever before, including prison guards. “It’s extremely stressful,” he said. “I’m forced to start all over again like my first day in prison.”Ms Larsen, Doolin’s mother, said she and others suggested programmes to offer support to their incarcerated loved ones as they made the transition, but the prison turned them down. ‘We still have humanity’For several death row inhabitants, the anxieties of a new environment are outweighed by the prospect of breaking free from a dismal life in San Quentin. “For some people, it’s a godsend,” Tony said. “They want to leave this oppression.” But for others, the departure from San Quentin before its estimated $360m (£282m) upgrade has only served as a reminder of their inferior status as condemned people. Mr Newsom has said the goal is to transform the prison into a college campus-like setting, modelled on Scandinavian correctional facilities that focus on rehabilitation.In response to a question from the BBC on how people on death row fit into the state’s larger plans for prison reform, Mr Newsom’s office said he was committed to “addressing failings in our criminal justice system – including the discriminatory nature of the death penalty system”. Mr Newsom’s office did not elaborate on why people on death row could not participate in the San Quentin project, but touted the closure of death row and his moratorium on the death penalty.The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said all the death row inmates had to be moved because San Quentin did not have the “required lethal electrified fence”. It did not respond when asked why that had been okay up to this point. It also did not respond to questions about support being offered to transfers.Darrell Lomax, one of the men in San Quentin, said: “It’s not what they’re doing. It’s the way they’re doing it… Why are we being moved so they can make room for a rehabilitation program that doesn’t even serve us?” The arrangement sends the “unfortunate” message that one of the biggest prison reform projects in the US can’t include people sentenced to death, Ms Minsker said. Tony believes some in California are still not ready to reckon with the status – and future – of those sentenced to death, even in a state that is not executing people.”There’s a notion that because we’re here, it’s the end of the road,” he said. “But we still have humanity in this place. I don’t think our humanity has been seen enough.” Related TopicsPrison reformUnited StatesCaliforniaMore on this storyHow desperate US prisoners try to escape deadly heatPublished25 July 2023California governor halts executionsPublished13 March 2019What life is like after 48 years wrongfully behind barsPublished6 JanuaryTop Stories’He will come back’ – Israeli hostage families cling to hope, and demand a dealPublished2 hours agoIceland volcano lava nears Grindavik in new eruptionPublished35 minutes agoHow much trouble is Boeing in?Published58 minutes agoFeatures’He will come back’ – Israeli hostage families cling to hope, and demand a dealThe Papers: ‘Shapps missile threat’ and ‘Strictly stars summit’The ‘insane’ plan to save the Arctic’s sea-iceShould adult Harry Potter fans ‘grow up and get over it’?Chris Mason: How will Welsh Labour change under Gething?Born on 7 October: Gaza mum’s fight to feed her babyWorkaholics Anonymous: ‘I couldn’t step away from the computer’What we know about Meghan’s regal lifestyle brandRos Atkins on… Why one in five people do not work. VideoRos Atkins on… Why one in five people do not workElsewhere on the BBCThe ultimate bromanceWatch the masters of satire Peter Cook and Dudley Moore with a look back through the archivesAttributioniPlayerThe mystery of a devastating helicopter crash…A weekend away for those leading the intelligence war in Northern Ireland turns to disasterAttributioniPlayer’A few people laughed, a few cried, most were silent’The extraordinary story of the rise and fall of the inventor of the atomic bomb, J Robert OppenheimerAttributioniPlayerFancy a film tonight?There’s something for everyone on BBC iPlayerAttributioniPlayerMost Read1’Shapps missile threat’ and ‘Strictly stars summit’2How much trouble is Boeing in?3Derek Thompson’s Casualty exits after 38 years4Iceland volcano lava nears Grindavik in new eruption5’Unprecedented’ M25 closures enter third day6Game of Thrones creators: Why we swapped dragons for aliens in new show7Councils told to consider residents’ support of LTNs8Diana’s press attention more dangerous than Kate scrutiny – Spencer9Shapps abandoned Ukraine trip over security – MoD10Ed Davey calls for ‘once in generation’ election](https://newsinsightplus.com/wp-content/uploads/https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/branded_news/B60C/production/_132940664_gettyimages-1130296485.jpg)
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BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaSan Quentin begins prison reform – but not for those on death rowPublished7 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Keith DoolinImage caption, Keith Doolin and his mother, Donna Larsen, are worried about his transfer to another California prisonBy Madeline HalpertBBC News, New YorkCalifornia is transferring everyone on death row at San Quentin prison to other places, as it tries to reinvent the state’s most notorious facility as a rehabilitation centre. Many in this group will now have new freedoms. But they are also asking why they’ve been excluded from the reform – and whether they’ll be safe in new prisons.Keith Doolin still remembers the day in 2019 when workers came to dismantle one of the United States’ most infamous death chambers. He was in his cell at San Quentin prison on the north side of San Francisco Bay, watching live footage on television showing an execution chair – where 194 people had been put to death – carried away after more than 80 years of use. The green gas chamber being taken apart was just several hundred feet from where he sat.A former long-distance truck driver convicted of murder, Doolin has spent nearly 23 hours a day for the last 28 years in a tiny cell. He long worried he would one day be shackled to a mint-green chair and executed.But in the last few years, California has been moving fast with some plans for prison reform. Governor Gavin Newsom’s decision to deconstruct the death chamber – and also place a moratorium on the death penalty in the state – was a watershed moment for Doolin.”He [Newsom] was sending the message: ‘Look, it might take a while, but things are going to change’.”Mr Newsom is now seeking more changes at San Quentin, which currently has the nation’s largest death row. The governor announced last year that he planned to transform the state’s oldest prison into a rehabilitation centre. He will close the prison’s death row unit and move Doolin and the other 532 death row inhabitants to standard prisons across the state in the coming months (70 have been moved already). Doolin and his neighbours will still have death sentences – meaning they will spend the rest of their lives in prison. For some, the threat of execution still looms large, as a future governor could reinstate the state’s death penalty. Six people on death row who spoke to the BBC over the phone shared mixed feelings about their move. Some were elated by the opportunity to live closer to family and step outside their cells without handcuffs, while others were terrified at the prospect of starting over after decades living alone in a cell.Image source, Getty ImagesRats, birds and handcuffs: Life on death rowBuilt in 1852, San Quentin is California’s oldest prison and the state’s only facility for incarcerated males who have been sentenced to death. Since 1893, 422 people have been executed there, including by gas, hanging or lethal injection. Family members walk by the entrance to the prison’s execution chamber every time they visit their loved ones, said Doolin’s mother, Donna Larsen, who drives a nine-hour round trip once a month to visit her son.The execution chamber would emit a green light that turned red as a person was being executed, a sight visible to Californians driving by on the highway, she said. This green room of death – and infamous inmates such as cult leader Charles Manson – have brought international notoriety to San Quentin, featured in podcasts, television shows and films.When Ramon Rogers arrived at the prison in 1996, rain leaked through the ceiling of the death row unit, and mice and rats would run rampant. But the biggest pests, he said, were the birds. “They started defecating all over the place – all over the railings,” he said. “It was a gross environment.”Since then, life on death row has remained restrictive and, at times, hazardous. An outbreak of Covid-19 during the height of the pandemic killed at least 12 death row inmates – part of a wider coronavirus surge at the prison that infected 75% of the population.Ms Larsen – Doolin’s mother – said she was shocked by how dirty the prison was the first time she visited. “It had a stench to it,” she said. “Sometimes Keith’s clothing smells mouldy when we visit. To know that your loved one is living in that made me sick.”Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Those imprisoned in San Quentin’s death row spend nearly all of the day in their cellsPeople housed in San Quentin’s death row are kept alone for most of the day in a roughly four foot (1.2m) by nine foot (2.7m) cell, a space that Doolin said feels like a “sardine can”. The 51-year-old was sentenced to death in 1996 for killing two sex workers and shooting four others. Doolin has maintained his innocence, and a California attorney has alleged that he has information learned while working on another case that could potentially exonerate him. But the lawyer, David Mugridge, told the BBC that he could not share the details due to attorney-client privilege.Doolin and others living on death row are required to wear handcuffs at all times when outside their cells, which officers have to unlock with metal keys after strip-searching them. Image source, CDCRImage caption, A photo of one of the cells, provided by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation”Our daily life confinement is based on going from one box to another,” said another inmate, Tony, who declined to share his last name for privacy reasons.Death row inmates are offered little access to rehabilitative programmes except for some college courses and jobs such as cleaning showers.Ending death rowIn March 2019, Governor Newsom issued an executive order that halted the death penalty in the state and ordered the dismantling of the gas chamber in San Quentin. Mr Newsom’s move did not alter any incarcerated individuals’ sentences, though he said that he might later consider commuting death row sentences.While the state had not actually performed an execution since 2006, Mr Newsom argued the death penalty system had been “by all measures, a failure” that was unfairly applied to people of colour and people with mental illness. According to the Death Penalty Information Center, black people comprise 34% of California’s death row, but only 6% of the state’s population. Since 1973, seven people on death row in the state have been exonerated. Preparing for bigger changes, Mr Newsom announced a two-year pilot programme in 2020 to transfer around 100 volunteers from San Quentin’s death row to other prisons, the first move in his bigger plan to eventually move all the inmates out, to more than 20 other prisons that meet security requirements.Correll Thomas left San Quentin with the pilot programme in 2021 after being on death row since 1999.But at Centinela prison, in Imperial, California, settling in was a struggle. “They didn’t want to give us [rehabilitation] programs,” he said. “We had to pretty much fight for everything.”Image source, Correll ThomasImage caption, Correll Thomas was happy to have the chance to leave San Quentin death rowOther prisoners and staff appeared frightened of his death row status, said Thomas, who added that with time, some at the prison grew to accept him.Ramon Rogers, the inmate who first arrived at San Quentin in 1986 when birds and rats had overrun the facility, said the move was welcome. “I didn’t care where they sent me, I just knew anywhere else would be better,” he said.Now at the Richard Donovan Correctional Facility in San Diego, Rogers, 64, has been able to enrol not just in rehabilitation programmes but also college.The greatest relief, he said, came from not having to wear handcuffs around the clock outside his cell for the first time in decades.”Sometimes, I’m amazed at what I’m allowed to do here that I would never be able to do on death row.”Starting over But some advocates say not enough support is being offered as these inmates make a drastic transition. There is a “huge difference” between the people on death row who chose to leave and those being forced to move now, said Gavrilah Wells, a volunteer with human rights group Amnesty International. “I’m so worried about the safety and the human rights of so many people being involuntarily transferred,” she said. “The massive endeavour of rapidly moving 550 people to unknown prisons, with unknown cultures specific to each facility, raises serious concerns.”Ms Wells and other advocates say moving the death row population, which includes many who are sick and elderly, poses great challenges. The oldest person in San Quentin’s death row is 93. “It’s not the same as just transferring any person in prison,” said Natasha Minsker, a policy adviser for non-profit Smart Justice California. Advocates worry about those being moved far away from their lawyers and family members, and how they will adjust after decades living alone in a cell.”These guys have never lived with anyone but themselves,” Tony said. “They’re going to have to learn how to do things all over again.”Image source, Keith DoolinImage caption, Doolin is worried about starting over and avoiding conflict in a new prison with a new cultureDoolin is anxious about avoiding conflict as he interacts with more people than ever before, including prison guards. “It’s extremely stressful,” he said. “I’m forced to start all over again like my first day in prison.”Ms Larsen, Doolin’s mother, said she and others suggested programmes to offer support to their incarcerated loved ones as they made the transition, but the prison turned them down. ‘We still have humanity’For several death row inhabitants, the anxieties of a new environment are outweighed by the prospect of breaking free from a dismal life in San Quentin. “For some people, it’s a godsend,” Tony said. “They want to leave this oppression.” But for others, the departure from San Quentin before its estimated $360m (£282m) upgrade has only served as a reminder of their inferior status as condemned people. Mr Newsom has said the goal is to transform the prison into a college campus-like setting, modelled on Scandinavian correctional facilities that focus on rehabilitation.In response to a question from the BBC on how people on death row fit into the state’s larger plans for prison reform, Mr Newsom’s office said he was committed to “addressing failings in our criminal justice system – including the discriminatory nature of the death penalty system”. Mr Newsom’s office did not elaborate on why people on death row could not participate in the San Quentin project, but touted the closure of death row and his moratorium on the death penalty.The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation said all the death row inmates had to be moved because San Quentin did not have the “required lethal electrified fence”. It did not respond when asked why that had been okay up to this point. It also did not respond to questions about support being offered to transfers.Darrell Lomax, one of the men in San Quentin, said: “It’s not what they’re doing. It’s the way they’re doing it… Why are we being moved so they can make room for a rehabilitation program that doesn’t even serve us?” The arrangement sends the “unfortunate” message that one of the biggest prison reform projects in the US can’t include people sentenced to death, Ms Minsker said. Tony believes some in California are still not ready to reckon with the status – and future – of those sentenced to death, even in a state that is not executing people.”There’s a notion that because we’re here, it’s the end of the road,” he said. “But we still have humanity in this place. I don’t think our humanity has been seen enough.” Related TopicsPrison reformUnited StatesCaliforniaMore on this storyHow desperate US prisoners try to escape deadly heatPublished25 July 2023California governor halts executionsPublished13 March 2019What life is like after 48 years wrongfully behind barsPublished6 JanuaryTop Stories’He will come back’ – Israeli hostage families cling to hope, and demand a dealPublished2 hours agoIceland volcano lava nears Grindavik in new eruptionPublished35 minutes agoHow much trouble is Boeing in?Published58 minutes agoFeatures’He will come back’ – Israeli hostage families cling to hope, and demand a dealThe Papers: ‘Shapps missile threat’ and ‘Strictly stars summit’The ‘insane’ plan to save the Arctic’s sea-iceShould adult Harry Potter fans ‘grow up and get over it’?Chris Mason: How will Welsh Labour change under Gething?Born on 7 October: Gaza mum’s fight to feed her babyWorkaholics Anonymous: ‘I couldn’t step away from the computer’What we know about Meghan’s regal lifestyle brandRos Atkins on… Why one in five people do not work. VideoRos Atkins on… Why one in five people do not workElsewhere on the BBCThe ultimate bromanceWatch the masters of satire Peter Cook and Dudley Moore with a look back through the archivesAttributioniPlayerThe mystery of a devastating helicopter crash…A weekend away for those leading the intelligence war in Northern Ireland turns to disasterAttributioniPlayer’A few people laughed, a few cried, most were silent’The extraordinary story of the rise and fall of the inventor of the atomic bomb, J Robert OppenheimerAttributioniPlayerFancy a film tonight?There’s something for everyone on BBC iPlayerAttributioniPlayerMost Read1’Shapps missile threat’ and ‘Strictly stars summit’2How much trouble is Boeing in?3Derek Thompson’s Casualty exits after 38 years4Iceland volcano lava nears Grindavik in new eruption5’Unprecedented’ M25 closures enter third day6Game of Thrones creators: Why we swapped dragons for aliens in new show7Councils told to consider residents’ support of LTNs8Diana’s press attention more dangerous than Kate scrutiny – Spencer9Shapps abandoned Ukraine trip over security – MoD10Ed Davey calls for ‘once in generation’ election
[ad_1] The execution chamber would emit a green light that turned red as a person was being executed, a sight visible to Californians driving by on the highway, she said.…
![BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaConfronting the Houthis: How powerful are Yemen’s rebel rulers?Published7 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsIsrael-Gaza warImage source, ReutersBy Frank GardnerBBC Security CorrespondentThe Houthis continue to confound some of the world’s most powerful militaries. They are still firing missiles at any international shipping they consider linked to the US, UK or Israel, as well as some that isn’t.They have already had a major impact on global trade, forcing ships to divert thousands of miles away. They seem undaunted by repeated US-led airstrikes on their missile bases and they have vowed to retaliate against US and UK assets.So just who are the Houthis, how did they get so powerful and what happens now in the Red Sea?Who are the Houthis?The Houthis are a minority group of Yemenis from the mountainous northwest of the country. They take their name from their movement’s founder, Hussein Al-Houthi. They fought several wars against Yemen’s strongman ruler in the early 2000s and then, after he was deposed by the Arab Spring protests, they marched down to the capital, Sana’a, and seized power in 2014. The previously deposed President Saleh, still bitter at being ousted, put his loyal Republican Guard at their disposal, enabling them to take over 80 per cent of Yemen’s population.The Houthis then promptly assassinated him.Since the Houthis seized power Yemen, already the poorest Arab nation, has been torn apart by a catastrophic civil war.An estimated 150,000 people have been killed, along with millions made dependant on food aid. For seven years the Houthis survived a massive and ultimately fruitless coalition air campaign to oust them, led by the Saudis who were alarmed at the Houthis’ links to their arch-rival, Iran.”The Houthis embody a triumphant mindset, forged through a series of victories over two decades”, says Mohammed Al-Basha, a Middle East expert with the Virginia-based consultancy Navanti.”Demonstrating resilience from 2015 to 2022, they effectively thwarted the Saudi-led coalition’s attempt to reinstate the internationally recognised government in Sana’a.”Who are the Houthis attacking Red Sea ships?Houthis defiant after warning over Red Sea attacksFrom mid-November 2023 onwards, the Houthis have used their substantial arsenal of missiles and drones to target shipping passing close to the narrow, strategic chokepoint of the Bab Al-Mandeb Strait.Their stated aim was to attack any vessel with Israeli links, in support of Hamas, vowing to continue their attacks until Israel ends its own assault on Gaza. When US and British warships came to the defence of container vessels steaming past Yemen’s Red Sea coast the Houthis directed their attacks on the warships, at one point losing three of their speedboats and 10 sailors in a one-sided engagement with the US Navy.Despite that loss, attacking the US Navy and Royal Navy, says Mohammed Al-Basha, “underscores the Houthis’ prevailing sense of triumph and fosters euphoric hubris within their ranks.. leading some members of the group to perceive divine intervention and a historic alignment in their favour.”The Houthis – most of whom follow the Zaidi branch of Shia Islam in Sunni-majority Yemen – represent only around 15 per cent of Yemenis yet they consider themselves the rightful rulers. So how do they differ from the rest of the population?’Houthis are war-like, violent and cruel'”They are generally more war-like, violent and cruel” says Edmund Fitton-Brown, who was UK ambassador to Yemen from 2015-17. “I encountered astonishing instances of brutality in Aden and Ta’izz. The Houthis consider themselves an elite from an elite (the Zaidi sect). Some of their casual viciousness towards Sunni civilians in central and southern Yemen has been remarkable: a readiness to deploy snipers and kill non-combatants for fun.”There has long been a concerted effort, led by the UN, to end Yemen’s civil war and the Saudis, who host the legitimate but ousted Yemeni government, have concluded a fragile truce with the Houthis.Edmund Fitton-Brown had some experience of dealing with them in negotiations. “It was extremely challenging”, he says. “They were difficult, hostile, capricious, prone to tantrums, late arrivals and walkouts. They insisted on VIP treatment and a ready supply of qat [a narcotic leaf chewed by many Yemenis]. During peace talks they drove their Kuwaiti hosts mad with frustration.”Since the Houthis began their attacks on shipping, and the US and UK responded with air strikes on their missile bases, there have been vast, government-sanctioned protests against the West in the capital. So how genuine are they?US and UK launch fresh strikes on HouthisUS and UK strikes fail to slow Houthi attacks”By opposing what many in the population of northern Yemen perceive as foreign forces, including the US, UK and the Saudi-led coalition, and directly confronting Israel in support of Gaza” says Al-Basha, “the Houthis have gained popularity.”He adds however, that present-day Yemen remains a divided nation, with anti-Houthi resistance persisting in pockets of north-eastern Yemen, Ma’rib, Tai’izz and the southern governates. It appears unlikely the Houthis could emerge victorious in a “free and fair election”. As to the protests, Fitton-Brown says the Houthis bring out mobs on the street through fear. “They call a demonstration, make it a holiday from work, make it clear that attendance is expected. Many of their personnel were recruited because they were unemployed and desperate to earn a wage. In areas outside their control they are loathed.”And meanwhile the missiles keep coming.The Houthis seem to have an almost inexhaustible supply of drones and other munitions to launch at shipping, much of it supplied by Iran with parts smuggled in at sea in small boats or across the desert border with Oman.How does this end?Doubtfully with the Houthis capitulating. “They won’t want to lose face” says Fitton-Brown. “But [if a ceasefire occurred in Gaza] they may seize an opportunity to declare victory, claiming that they have achieved their objectives. If Iran becomes concerned that Houthi actions are putting the Islamic Republic at risk they have enough influence to make the Houthis look for a way out.”So for now, the situation in the southern Red Sea is a standoff. The Houthis are not backing down under military pressure, despite seeing one after another of their missile launch sites destroyed by US-led airstrikes. They clearly have plenty more in their arsenal and the indications are they are looking to raise the stakes by preparing surface-to-air missile sites with a view to shooting down a western warplane. The southern Red Sea and adjacent Gulf of Aden will remain a dangerous part of the world for the foreseeable future.Related TopicsMiddle EastIsrael-Gaza warYemenHouthis More on this storyWho are the Houthis attacking Red Sea ships?Published23 JanuaryWhat we know: Strikes on Houthis and strategy behind themPublished12 JanuaryUS and UK strikes fail to slow Houthi attacksPublished1 day agoTracking Houthi attacks in the Red SeaPublished20 JanuaryWhat do Red Sea assaults mean for global trade?Published12 JanuaryTop StoriesLive. 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VideoWatch: Footage of Brianna Ghey’s killers being arrestedCan ‘super libraries’ survive spending cuts?Are black voters losing faith in Biden?Elsewhere on the BBCHow did Britain lead the world into the jet age?An unlikely story of outstanding aviation achievement at a time of national austerityAttributioniPlayerThe sound effect that became the ultimate movie in-jokeIt’s used in everything from Toy Story to Reservoir Dogs, but what is the Wilhelm Scream?AttributioniPlayerHow are jelly beans made?Gregg Wallace visits a factory in Dublin that makes over ten million of the sweets per day!AttributioniPlayerScientists uncover alcohol’s hidden dangersInvestigating what alcohol is and why so many people love to drink itAttributioniPlayerMost Read1Escape to the Country’s Jonnie Irwin dies aged 502The teenagers who tried to get away with murder3The cancer doctor trying to stop his brain tumour killing him4Our cars are not UK’s most stolen, says Land Rover5Killers ‘unmasked’ and Clapham suspect asylum ‘outcry’6Inert nuclear missile found in US man’s garage7Hunt to uncover story of mysterious shipwreck8Clapham attack suspect last seen at King’s Cross9Why did the US wait to retaliate after deadly drone strike?10What ex-Doctor Who showrunner Chris Chibnall did next](https://newsinsightplus.com/wp-content/uploads/https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/branded_news/137E3/production/_132534897_704c7a3cf7901be504074fe001d57e723b7c9876.jpg)
![BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaCaptain Cook statue vandalised in Melbourne on eve of Australia DayPublished50 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Madelaine Burke/3AWImage caption, It is not the first time the Captain James Cook monument has been vandalisedBy Hannah RitchieBBC News, SydneyA century-old Captain James Cook statue has been cut down and a Queen Victoria monument covered with in red paint in an apparent protest in Australia.The late-night vandalism occurred in Melbourne on the eve of Australia Day and is under police investigation.The holiday on 26 January is the anniversary of the 1788 landing of Britain’s First Fleet at Sydney Cove and the start of the colonial era. The vandals wrote “The colony will fall” on the Cook statue’s plinth. Police said the “criminal damage” to both memorials happened in the early hours of Thursday. “It is understood the [Cook] statue was sawn off at the ankles. Several people were seen loitering in the area around the time of the incident,” Victoria Police said in a statement. The 1914 monument – one of the Australia’s oldest of the British explorer – commemorates his 1768-1771 voyage during which he charted the country’s east coast. It has a history of being vandalised on or around 26 January. In 2022 it was splashed in red paint, while in 2018 it was graffitied with the words “no pride” and had an Aboriginal flag placed next to it. Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan said the vandalism of both monuments had “no place in our community”.”We’ll be working with council to repair and reinstate the statue in St Kilda,” she added, referring to the suburb where it is located.Work is also under way to clean the Queen Victoria memorial in the city’s centre. Port Phillip Mayor Heather Cunsolo said that while she understood the “diverse views surrounding Australia Day” she could not condone “the vandalism of a public asset where costs will be ultimately borne by ratepayers”. She said her council had arranged for a security guard to protect the Cook statue on Thursday, but the incident occurred before they were scheduled to arrive. Opinion polls show roughly two thirds of Australians support celebrating Australia Day on 26 January.But many Indigenous Australians and others say it is wrong to celebrate a date which represents the theft of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander lands and their dislocation from culture.”Invasion Day” protests have grown in recent years and many people boycott the holiday.Related TopicsAustraliaMore on this storyCaptain Cook statue vandalised in AustraliaPublished25 January 2018Australia debates Cook ‘discovery’ statuePublished23 August 2017Cook monument plan divides opinionPublished29 April 2018Top StoriesRussia risked lives in downed plane, says ZelenskyPublished2 hours agoUK to loan back Ghana’s looted ‘crown jewels’Published4 hours agoChild obesity in pandemic could have lifelong effects, study saysPublished7 hours agoFeaturesDowned Russian plane leaves unanswered questionsThe Papers: UK ‘should have citizen army’ and Royal Mail cutbacksHas Sunak seen off latest Tory wobbles?South Africa fire survivors living in unsafe shacksMichael Owen: I’d pay anything for my son to see againRecords broken but Barbie snubbed – 6 Oscars talking pointsOscars 2024: List of nominations in fullSkepta: I’m bored of the black James Bond narrativeHeartache and betrayal behind ‘secret’ policeElsewhere on the BBCHow did Britain lead the world into the jet age?An unlikely story of outstanding aviation achievement at a time of national austerityAttributioniPlayerWhat can a Kinder Surprise tell us about language?Sociologist Keith Kahn-Harris explores the toy’s multilingual warning label…AttributionSounds’I never tried to be famous…it was accidental’Michael Parkinson with guests Ricky Gervais, Michael Palin and Kate AdieAttributioniPlayerThe DNA test that exposed a scandalJenny Kleeman investigates what happens when genealogy, technology and identity collideAttributionSoundsMost Read1Halle Berry’s film shelved by Netflix – US media2UK ‘should have citizen army’ and Royal Mail cutbacks3Russia risked lives in downed plane, says Zelensky4UK to loan back Ghana’s looted ‘crown jewels’5Britain must train citizen army, military chief warns6Top US court refuses to block nitrogen gas execution7Add salt to make perfect cup of tea, US scientist says8Patients deleted from surgery queues after ‘error’9Downed Russian plane leaves unanswered questions10Captain Cook statue vandalised ahead of Australia Day](https://newsinsightplus.com/wp-content/uploads/https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/branded_news/C0AA/production/_132422394_cook.jpg)
