1981 Irish hunger strike showdown between the prisoners and the British Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher. One hunger striker, Bobby Sands, was elected as a Member of Parliament during the strike, prompting media interest from around the world. The strike was called off after ten prisoners had starved themselves to death—including Sands, whose funeral was attended by 100,000 people. The strike radicalised Irish nationalist politics, and was the driving force that enabled Sinn Féin to become a mainstream political party. There had been hunger strikes by Irish republican prisoners since 1917, and twelve had previously died on hunger strike, including Thomas Ashe, Terence MacSwiney, Seán
2013 California prisoner hunger strike participating in the hunger strike. Judge Thelton E. Henderson granted the order the same day. By the time the order was put into effect, the number of participants in the strike had dropped exponentially. There was less than 200 prisoners still fasting, and numerous others had been hospitalized. There was only one fatality from the strike. Billy "Guero" Sell died on July 22, 2013 after requesting medical attention for seven days leading up to his death. The lawsuit, "Todd Ashker, et al., vs. Governor of the State of California, et al.," was brought by 10 Pelican Bay State Prison inmates