More than 40 inmates from the Alabama Department of Corrections are the latest group to go viral with a take on the Mannequin Challenge.
The minute-long clip shows prisoners frozen in various scenes ranging from praying together, reading, exercising, and even mid-brawl.
The video picked up attention after it was posted to Facebook on Nov. 13, generating upwards of 200,000 views and 4,000 shares. The original post included the message “Free us… prison reform… free my family!” and the hashtags “#ALLlivesMATTER, #GodLovesAll, #ChaingangChallange.”
The issue of prison reform in Alabama has received some added attention following riots at the Holman Correctional Facility in Atmore, Alabama, in March.
Typically, the biggest obstacle to a successful Mannequin Challenge is getting a large group of people to stand still. For the inmates, another test was obtaining a phone.
Al.com reports that “it is unknown which Alabama prison the video was filmed inside of and how the inmates were able to get a smartphone to record the video.”
The news outlet noted that the Alabama Department of Corrections has confiscated 3,000 illegal cellphones since January.
While lots of people have had fun with the Mannequin Challenge, the concept has also been used to take on more serious issues. One take, by writer and director Simone Shepherd, showed scenes of racial profiling and police brutality.
