Hull prison is “on he brink of a riot” today after 15 inmates involved in the Birmingham jail protests were transferred there this weekend.
The prison officers’ union says staff were attacked, CCTV cameras were torched and inmates refused to return to their cells following the arrival of the Birmingham prisoners.
Officers were forced to flee Winson Green prison in Birmingham last week after inmates threatened a officer with a syringe and stole his keys.
Rob Nicholson, chairman of the Hull branch of the Prison Officers Association, told the Hull Daily Mail: “It is a powder keg and it’s waiting to go off.
“They are trying to incite riots here and we’ve had a really bad couple of days here.
“I’ve spoken to very experienced prison officers this morning and they tell me they fear for their safety.”
(Photo: Copyright unknown / SWNS.com)
(Photo: SWNS)
Hull East MP Karl Turner added: “I have it on good authority that Hull prison is on the brink of a riot. And clearly this chaos has been caused by the Government, no-one else.
“Since 2010, they’ve slashed the numbers of prison officers by 7,000 and, clearly, the prison system cannot cope.
“They’re replaced highly experienced prison officers with people who are inexperienced in order to save cash.”
The riot at Winson Green involved the takeover of at least four wings of the category B prison by around 400 criminals – including the gym, pharmacy and security equipment store.
Hundreds of prisoners were moved out of Winson Green afterwards in a bid to diffuse the tension, with 15 going to Hull.
Distressing footage from inside Winson Green showed inmates hanging out of windows “gasping for breath and screaming for help” as several fires broke out.
It took 14 hours for specialist ‘Tornado team’ prison riot officers and armed police to get the situation back under control.
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Winson Green prison riots: Prisoners film fires blazing
Dramatic pictures taken inside the jail showed further scenes of chaos as inmates posed with officers’ keys, riot helmets and wings were strewn with debris.
There were also reports one prisoner was stabbed in the neck twice in a gangland hit and of other inmates burning and destroying their files.
Private security firm G4S dramatically handed control of the jail back to the Prison Service to reclaim control.
(Photo: PA)
Reports from the scene suggested inmates had breached internal gates and threw paint at the Tornado team as the riot continues to spread.
All prison staff were accounted for after being evacuated in accordance with prison guidelines to avoid a potential hostage situation.
Winson Green prison riot: Inmates chant “we want food” as plumes of smoke emerge over prison wall