Protesters and elected city officials crowded the street facing the Brooklyn Metropolitan Detention Center on Saturday as the facility’s inmates experienced a sixth day of freezing temperatures while the jail remains with limited power. The protesters, some of whom have family members detained at MDC, were drawn to the site after reports revealed that more than 1,600 inmates and workers were forced to endure frigid conditions after an electrical failure left the jail running only on emergency power. At the demonstration, people yelled “Get those lights on,” while holding signs that called on jail officials to “turn on the heat.” The demonstration continued on into the night. New York state Sen. Julia Salazar (D) said in a tweet that inmates’ family members were leading the protests and intended to stay “until adequate conditions are restored.”

Family members & activists are keeping their vigil outside the Sunset Park jail.



The prisoners reply by banging on their windows.



It is a chilling, appallingly unnecessary, and yet still beautiful form of solidarity. pic.twitter.com/8AnPP2N78m — Brad Lander (@bradlander) February 3, 2019

Salazar called the jail conditions infuriating and accused Warden Herman Quay of denying inmates medical care and refusing donated blankets from the city’s emergency management. The federal Bureau of Prisons, which runs the Brooklyn detention center, said in a statement to news organizations that “medical services continue to be provided.”

The ongoing situation at MDC federal jail in Brooklyn—where there is still no power and inadequate heat in the bitter cold—is infuriating. The jail’s warden, Herman Quay, is denying people medical care and refusing to permit NYC’s Office of Emergency Management to bring blankets. — Julia Salazar (@JuliaCarmel__) February 3, 2019

Videos surfaced Friday showing inmates at the detention center flashing reading lights and banging on the cells’ walls and windows, which line the perimeter of the facility. This continued late into the night, according to The City reporter Rosa Goldensohn. New York City Councilman Justin Brannan filmed the scene on Friday. “Inmates are banging on S-O-S on windows to get our attention. This is surreal,” Brannan tweeted, adding that it was “one of the most harrowing sounds I’ve ever known.” Over the week, temperatures in New York City dropped to as low as two degrees. According to The New York Times, cells at the detention center had no electricity and inmates were forced to stuff clothing or cardboard into vents in the ceiling to keep cold air out. “The situation is really, really a nightmare,” Rep. Nydia Velázquez (D-N.Y.), who was at Saturday’s protest, told the Times. “It is like living in a closet without lights.” In a tweet, Velázquez said that a detention center guard said he needed to “wear fleece over a down vest to stay warm in overnight hours.”

Banging and a beam of light from inside MDC in Brooklyn. Wives and a fiancee of men inside honked horns to show support. This was just before midnight tonight. pic.twitter.com/2lTx0lc0EQ — Rosa Goldensohn (@RosaGoldensohn) February 2, 2019

In a statement to CBS News, the prison bureau said that a fire in the switchgear room caused the “partial power outage.” Outside contractors have installed a new electrical panel, but full electricity isn’t expected to restored until Monday. According to a statement to the NBC News, the bureau said the facility was operating on emergency power, but that cells had access to heat and inmates were receiving hot meals. A bureau spokeswoman told CNN that the inmates have hot water for their sinks and showers. Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) tweeted that prison conditions are “much warmer” when he toured the facility Sunday, but he confirmed that full electricity will be back Monday.

Just toured the #MDC and met with the Warden. Conditions are much better. It’s much warmer. And the electrical power will be back tomorrow morning. We will remain vigilant to insure that the health and safety of the inmates and correction officers are taken care of properly. — (((Rep. Nadler))) (@RepJerryNadler) February 3, 2019

“We will remain vigilant to [ensure] that the health and safety of the inmates and correction officers are taken care of properly,” Nadler said.

To those at today's MDC rally, we share your anger and we will keep fighting to end this outrage. pic.twitter.com/FZJIeoTvf2 — Rep. Nydia Velazquez (@NydiaVelazquez) February 2, 2019

Lawyer attorney Deirdre von Dornum, who toured the jail on Friday, told the Times on Saturday that inmates were not being allowed to enter common areas. Instead, she said they were being held in their cells. Some inmates said they had been locked in their cells since last Sunday. Von Dornum told Times reporter Annie Correal that she saw inmates whose heads were wrapped in towels for warmth.

Yesterday we reported on power and heat issues at the MDC. A judge issued a court order to allow the federal defender Deirdre von Dornum to take a tour last night to check on conditions. She told me the following: 1/7 — Annie Correal (@anniecorreal) February 2, 2019

The jail is running on emergency electrical power so inmates are being held in their cells instead of being let out into common areas. The cells are very cold and have no electrical power. Inmates say they have been locked in cells since Sunday. 2/7 — Annie Correal (@anniecorreal) February 2, 2019

The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund called on acting U.S. Attorney General Matthew Whitaker to investigate the detention center in light of the reported conditions. Samuel Spital, the organization’s director of litigation, said that the situation may be unconstitutional. “As temperatures dropped dramatically this week, so too did living conditions for over a thousand inmates who were forced to weather the cold without heat, hot water, sufficient light, or even additional blankets,” Spital said in a statement to HuffPost. “This situation is not just inhumane, but likely unconstitutional,” Spital said. “The lack of adequate clothing and shelter run afoul of the Eighth Amendment’s protections and put inmates’ lives in jeopardy. So far it seems little has been done to improve the situation, with requests for relocation or backup heating going unheeded.” New York Mayor Bill de Blasio said Saturday night that city officials would be delivering generators and hundreds of blankets and hand warmers despite reports that the jail was refusing such donations. “We’ve told the Federal Bureau of Prisons the supplies are coming ― whether they like it or not,” the mayor tweeted.

New York City is sending trucks with hundreds of blankets and hand warmers to the Metropolitan Detention Center NOW and generators are being readied for transport. We've told the Federal Bureau of Prisons the supplies are coming – whether they like it or not. — Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) February 3, 2019

Later Saturday night, de Blasio tweeted photos of a delivery being made to the detention center.

.@nycemergencymgt just delivered generators, blankets and hand warmers to the Metropolitan Detention Center. The people inside have a right to dignity and safety and we won’t stand by while the Federal Bureau of Prisons fails them. NYC stands ready to do all we can to help. pic.twitter.com/5HGA3Co0G4 — Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) February 3, 2019