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Officer claims administrators knew Australian inmates would riot

Says the administration were told the inmates were unhappy about the ban and were planning to riot

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By C1 Staff

MELBOURNE — A correctional officer who works at the prison where inmates rioted earlier this month in protest of a new smoking ban says that administrators knew inmates were unhappy.

“Senior management were told they were going to riot,” the officer told 9news. “The prisoners told us they were going to riot.”

The officer took two weeks off work in anticipation of the June 30 and July 1 riots that occurred at the Metropolitan Remand Center.

“I didn’t want to get hurt, and I didn’t want to be part of a riot, should it happen,” he said.

Corrections Victoria’s response to the riot was one of surprise, calling it “terribly disappointing” and “it wasn’t what we were expecting.”

Prisoners at the facility are still on a 23-hour lockdown as the facility continues to make repairs. Inmates ripped cell doors from their hinges, lite fires and stole confidential records from staffrooms.

Staff were evacuated from the facility during the riot.

A review is currently examining the state’s preparedness for a riot and its response to the most current incident.

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