[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":4},["ShallowReactive",2],{"event-plain-mountjoy-prison-strike":3},"Republican prisoners in Mountjoy Prison launched a hunger strike that would become a model for future prison protests. The strike, led by Thomas Ashe, demanded prisoner-of-war status and better conditions for political prisoners. Their action marked the first use of hunger striking as a systematic political weapon by Irish republicans. The protest gained significant public support and highlighted the growing tension between British authorities and republican prisoners. The British government's response, particularly the practice of force-feeding, would later prove controversial and generate further sympathy for the republican cause.",1789333839187]