Labor leaders at the state’s second-largest prison said they were not consulted on the plan to shut it down. They argued at the Capitol that this will harm public safety and corrections operations throughout Minnesota.

Friday's event with state correctional officers and union members is to demand state lawmakers stop the prison's closure.

The closure is expected to be completed in two phases upon passage of the public safety omnibus bill at the Legislature. There are currently 1,171 inmates at the prison.