A standoff between up to 40 Irish republican dissident inmates and prison staff ended on Monday night inside Northern Ireland’s top-security jail.
The Northern Ireland Prison Service confirmed that the protest in Maghaberry prison, Co Antrim, had ended without the authorities resorting to force. All of the prisoners were back in their cells, according to the Prison Service.
Outside the prison about 200 republican demonstrators held a protest at the gates. (According other reports a screws car was attacked during the protest)
Earlier the Irish Republican Prisoners Welfare Association claimed that one inmate, Martin Kelly, had been taken to hospital after sustaining injuries in clashes with the prison’s riot unit over the weekend.
The Northern Ireland Prison Officers Association denied reports that a republican inmate had been assaulted during the protest.
A spokesman, Finlay Spratt, said there had been no riot or major violent clashes inside the prison.
The republicans said they were protesting against “repressive measures” at Roe House, where Continuity IRA and other prisoners are held separately from non-political inmates.
In a statement from inside the prison they said: “Corridors and doorways leading from our landings into areas such as the canteen and yard have been replaced with obstacle courses of multiple turnstiles and steel doors. Furthermore, steel birdcages have been erected to cage us like animals in certain areas of the landing.
“Following protestations from Republican political prisoners the jail administration responded belligerently by covering the birdcages with darkened Perspex and sheets of wood. This setup would be hard to imagine for those who have not experienced Roe House. The purpose of these developments however is clear; to debase and disempower Republican political prisoners.”
The republican prisoners warned: “Those overseeing and implementing these policies would do well to use history as their guide to see where their actions will lead.”
In 2012 dissident republicans shot and killed a Maghaberry prison officer, David Black, while he drove along a motorway on his way to work.(Further reports claim that prisoners also made death threats to the screws during the stand-off)
Protesters attack screws cars outside the prison
source: liberal bleeding heart press