A prison riot broke out in Melbourne, Australia last Wednesday, and authorities had to break up the 15-hour commotion that involved 300 inmates. According to reports, the riot may have been triggered by a smoking ban.
Reports said the riot began at 12:20 pm at the Metropolitan Remand Centre, when prisoners broke through the inner perimeter fence. The inmates were armed with sticks, which they used to smash windows and bash doors at the maximum security facility in Ravenhall. They also lit fires.
About 200 employees were evacuated from the scene. Five prisoners needed medical attention for broken jaws and dog bites, according to ABC news.
The Victoria state prison department said one officer also needed treatment for pepper spray exposure while three had minor injuries. Still, corrections minister Wade Noonan said he was relieved that nobody was seriously hurt.
According to Corrections commissioner Jan Shuard, the riot may have been triggered by the new smoking ban, which was imposed a day before the riot.
"It is probably likely that the smoking ban is at the heart of why the prisoners caused such a disruption, but we don't know that for sure yet," Shuard reported. However, an exact cause of the mayhem still needs to be investigated.
Inmates have been relocated to other prisons while repairs are ongoing. Corrections Victoria reported that all staff members had been accounted for and the public need not fear for their safety.
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reports that around 84% of prisoners smoke.
All territories and states in Australia have already imposed or are still planning to impose a smoking ban, except for Western Australia. New South Wales will impose the ban in August while South Australia will conduct a trial ban starting next year.
Western Australia still allows outdoor smoking for fears that imposing a ban could create dangers within prisons, as reported in Fox News.
