Waikeria Prison rioters 'commendable' - anti prison group

Wednesday, 30 December 2020

Prisoners can be seen on the roof of a unit at Waikeria Prison following riots which began on Tuesday.

An anti-prison group has labelled the actions of rioters, who torched Waikeria Prison, as “commendable'.

But a justice advocate says prison management needs to take into account both the needs of prisoners and the safety of prison staff and the public.

People Against Prisons Aotearoa representative Emilie Rakete told Stuff the prison uprising was a logical reaction to “unliveable” conditions.

Following nearly 24 hours of rioting, much of the “top jail” complex at the prison is in ruins, with rows and rows of roofs collapsed and the insides of buildings incinerated.

In 2018, People Against Prisons told RNZ they predicted riots would kick off at Waikeria Prison due to the environment there.

Major structural damage to Waikeria Prison after a fire was lit by prisoners. Some of who remain on the roof of the prison.

* Fire breaks out in Waikeria Prison, staff negotiating with nine prisoners

Independent inspectors issued a report in 2017 identifying damp, dark cells with little air where prisoners could be locked away for up to 26 hours at a time.

Jeremy Lightfoot, chief executive of Corrections talks to the media about a riot at Waikeria Prison.

The report detailed that gangs had a significant influence in the high security facility and violence was a regular part of prison life.

'Our organisation told Kelvin Davis in 2018 that this would occur and it did,' Rakete said.

Rakete says her group has 800 supporters across New Zealand and a committee of 16 members committed to abolishing the prison system.

People Against Prisons representative Emilie Rakete said the actions of rioting prisoners was 'commendable'.

She said uprisings don't happen randomly and don’t occur because prisoners are “bad or angry people”.

People wouldn't be on the roof for hours on a hot, sunny day because they felt like it, Rakete said.

'They happen because prison conditions have become unliveable.

Justice Advocate Kim Workman worked as the Head of the Prison Service from 1989-1993 then moved on to become a social justice advocate.

“That is exactly what's been happening and it's been happening for a really long time.'

Overcrowding in the prison and long hours of lock-ups were 'entirely logical reasons' for prisoners to riot.

“Providing these activists with their minimum legal entitlements would be a totally reasonable start to a de escalation.”

As of Wednesday afternoon, 17 prisoners remained on the roof of Waikeria Prison as a standoff between them and guards remained.

Corrections chief executive Jeremy Lightfoot said the cause of the unrest was unknown with nothing standing out among official complaints channels from prisoners.

Lightfoot said Corrections had not provided additional food and water to the non-complying inmates as that could become part of the negotiating process.

Prisoners were able to move about the block so could be obtaining food and water themselves.

But social justice advocate Kim Workman said prison management was a balancing act between the rights of prisoners and ensuring the safety of prison officers and the public.

“Maybe the prisoners were made to feel like they were not treated decently, but then there is also the view of the prison staff who quite often have to work in difficult circumstances.”

There should be an inquiry into the riots, Workman said.

Workman headed the Prison Service from 1989-1993 then moved on to become a social justice advocate.

He propelled the restorative justice movement in New Zealand.

“At the moment I understand Corrections is negotiating with the prisoners, they are well-trained in those emergency situations, and I am sure they are doing everything they can.

“Once all that is over there should be an inquiry, preferably and independent one, to determine what the underlying reasons for the riot were and how they might be prevented in the future.”

Any review should take into account the perspective of the prisoners and the staff, Workman said.

He wondered if the prisoners causing the trouble at Waikeria were on remand.

“We know remand prisoners don't receive any activities, they are very often locked into cells up to 20 hours a day.

“That is in constant breach of the Nelson Mandela Rules which are international rules relating to the minimum standards of treatment for prisoners.”

University of Waikato senior lecturer Dr Armon Tamatea said safety, de-escalating and reducing the emotion were the “go-to” actions to dissolve a riot situation.

Tamatea is a clinical psychologist who worked in the justice system for a decade before moving over to academia about eight years ago

“Firstly, to get some emotional stability. If you have a young person who might be more impulsive, de-escalation becomes really important.

“What we’re trying to achieve is to take the unhelpful emotion out of the situation, especially if that’s fuelling the riot.”

Negotiation would come next.

“If the issues are around inhuman conditions and the demands are reasonable, then there is something Corrections services can work with.”