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| Prison staff protesting over inmate violence - POA union | Prison staff protesting over inmate violence - POA union |
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| Prison staff in England and Wales are taking part in widespread protests over "unprecedented violence" in jails, the Prison Officers' Association has said. | Prison staff in England and Wales are taking part in widespread protests over "unprecedented violence" in jails, the Prison Officers' Association has said. |
| Steve Gillan, POA general secretary, called for union members to protest outside their work from 07:00 BST on Friday until "instructed otherwise". | Steve Gillan, POA general secretary, called for union members to protest outside their work from 07:00 BST on Friday until "instructed otherwise". |
| Staff are protesting in London, Liverpool, Manchester and elsewhere. | Staff are protesting in London, Liverpool, Manchester and elsewhere. |
| Prisons Minister Rory Stewart said the POA was "irresponsible" for calling the action, which he said was illegal. | |
| 'Contingency plans' | 'Contingency plans' |
| The POA said protests were taking place outside the "majority" of prisons. | The POA said protests were taking place outside the "majority" of prisons. |
| BBC home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw said between 50-60 prison officers were protesting outside Manchester Prison and there were significant protests at the Wandsworth and Pentonville prisons in London, as well as Nottingham's jail. | BBC home affairs correspondent Danny Shaw said between 50-60 prison officers were protesting outside Manchester Prison and there were significant protests at the Wandsworth and Pentonville prisons in London, as well as Nottingham's jail. |
| More than 100 officers were protesting outside the entrance to Berwyn Prison, in Wrexham, while about 50 staff were outside Swansea Prison. | More than 100 officers were protesting outside the entrance to Berwyn Prison, in Wrexham, while about 50 staff were outside Swansea Prison. |
| The protests have also caused delays in courts because prisoners were unable to be transferred for hearings. | The protests have also caused delays in courts because prisoners were unable to be transferred for hearings. |
| Analysis | Analysis |
| By Danny Shaw, BBC home affairs correspondent | By Danny Shaw, BBC home affairs correspondent |
| Prison staff are banned from taking industrial action, so holding "protest" meetings in car parks or outside the gates on the grounds that health and safety is being compromised is the union's way of trying to circumvent the rules. | Prison staff are banned from taking industrial action, so holding "protest" meetings in car parks or outside the gates on the grounds that health and safety is being compromised is the union's way of trying to circumvent the rules. |
| The POA has done it before - most recently in November 2016, when 10,000 officers stopped work before the High Court ordered them to return. | The POA has done it before - most recently in November 2016, when 10,000 officers stopped work before the High Court ordered them to return. |
| I expect a similar court injunction to be granted this time. | I expect a similar court injunction to be granted this time. |
| The union is aware of that: the action it is taking is designed to highlight the very real problems its members are facing. | The union is aware of that: the action it is taking is designed to highlight the very real problems its members are facing. |
| There's particular frustration officers haven't been equipped with PAVA incapacitant spray - similar to pepper spray - to deter and respond to attacks. | There's particular frustration officers haven't been equipped with PAVA incapacitant spray - similar to pepper spray - to deter and respond to attacks. |
| A trial has been taking place in four jails but union officials believe the government is stalling on rolling the equipment out to others. | A trial has been taking place in four jails but union officials believe the government is stalling on rolling the equipment out to others. |
| The protests come after an inspection report on Thursday found inmates had effectively taken control at Bedford Prison. | The protests come after an inspection report on Thursday found inmates had effectively taken control at Bedford Prison. |
| Brian Cooper, branch chairman of the POA, said conditions at the jail were unsafe "every day". | Brian Cooper, branch chairman of the POA, said conditions at the jail were unsafe "every day". |
| "This year so far we've had an officer who's had his head stamped on and needed emergency surgery for a bleed on the brain. | "This year so far we've had an officer who's had his head stamped on and needed emergency surgery for a bleed on the brain. |
| "We've had an officer have his arm broken with a pool cue when he was attacked by a prisoner. | "We've had an officer have his arm broken with a pool cue when he was attacked by a prisoner. |
| "Another officer has a fractured eye socket with part of the bone detached and might lose the ability to move his eye properly, permanently." | "Another officer has a fractured eye socket with part of the bone detached and might lose the ability to move his eye properly, permanently." |
| A female prison officer who was demonstrating outside Bedford Prison said she had a bucket of urine thrown over her from an above landing. | A female prison officer who was demonstrating outside Bedford Prison said she had a bucket of urine thrown over her from an above landing. |
| "They're not bothered if you're female or male; they have no respect regardless if you're female," she told BBC Radio 5 live. | "They're not bothered if you're female or male; they have no respect regardless if you're female," she told BBC Radio 5 live. |
| "We have some issues of being hit. I've been spat at several times. The other week I was spat at twice within five minutes in the face." | "We have some issues of being hit. I've been spat at several times. The other week I was spat at twice within five minutes in the face." |
| On that occasion she said she had to be tested for hepatitis B. | On that occasion she said she had to be tested for hepatitis B. |
| 'Important work' | 'Important work' |
| The Ministry of Justice said "contingency plans" had been put in place and that it was seeking an injunction to stop the protests, which could be heard in court later. | The Ministry of Justice said "contingency plans" had been put in place and that it was seeking an injunction to stop the protests, which could be heard in court later. |
| Mr Stewart urged officers to end the protests, adding: "By not turning up for work, these prison officers are putting their fellow staff and inmates at risk." | Mr Stewart urged officers to end the protests, adding: "By not turning up for work, these prison officers are putting their fellow staff and inmates at risk." |
| Images posted on social media showed walkouts at many prisons. | Images posted on social media showed walkouts at many prisons. |
| The POA said members had been instructed to ensure there were enough staff on duty inside prisons to deliver medication to prisoners and deal with any disorder. | The POA said members had been instructed to ensure there were enough staff on duty inside prisons to deliver medication to prisoners and deal with any disorder. |
| It accused the government of overseeing "the demise of the prison service over the last eight years". | It accused the government of overseeing "the demise of the prison service over the last eight years". |
| Mr Gillan said ministers had been "paying lip service" to the safety and human rights of prison staff. | Mr Gillan said ministers had been "paying lip service" to the safety and human rights of prison staff. |
| "We will now be demanding that the government provide safe prisons, meet our demands to improve personal protective equipment, reduce levels of violence and overcrowding," he added. | "We will now be demanding that the government provide safe prisons, meet our demands to improve personal protective equipment, reduce levels of violence and overcrowding," he added. |
| The union said the decision to call for a protest followed a letter from the chief inspector of prisons, issuing an urgent notification notice at Bedford Prison, published on Thursday. | The union said the decision to call for a protest followed a letter from the chief inspector of prisons, issuing an urgent notification notice at Bedford Prison, published on Thursday. |
| Inspectors said they found Bedford prisoners regularly ignored rules, that there was a smell of drugs "pervading" some wings and an infestation of rats. | Inspectors said they found Bedford prisoners regularly ignored rules, that there was a smell of drugs "pervading" some wings and an infestation of rats. |
| Peter Clarke, the chief inspector of prisons, sent a letter to the Ministry of Justice, which means the government has to publish a response and plan of action for the jail within 28 days. | Peter Clarke, the chief inspector of prisons, sent a letter to the Ministry of Justice, which means the government has to publish a response and plan of action for the jail within 28 days. |
| It is the fourth jail to be subject to the "urgent notification" process after Nottingham, Exeter and Birmingham. | It is the fourth jail to be subject to the "urgent notification" process after Nottingham, Exeter and Birmingham. |