Prisoners in a St. Louis prison revolted early on Saturday because of a variety of concerns, causing fires and throwing rubble into the street as prison guards worked for almost eight hours to end the “extremely violent” group.
The rebellion at the St. Louis City Justice Center ended just before 10 am, but only after the prisoners spent hours throwing an exercise bike, chairs, mattresses and other things in the streets below, some of the items burning.
Dozens of people gathered to watch the turmoil and the efforts to contain it. The flames could also be seen only inside the windows.
“Even though our automated PA system indicates that the cells are locked, they are not actually locked and other detainees have been able to leave their cells and enter the unit,” Jimmie Edwards, Director of Public Security in St. Louis, told KDSK.
Prison officers used tear gas to regain control and held all 115 prisoners involved in the rebellion in custody.
Prisoners claimed to be fed up with conditions during the coronavirus pandemic, as well as a series of restrictions that limited visits and paralyzed court proceedings, officials said.
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Dozens of inmates had already been transferred from the City Justice Center after two disturbances in late December and early January, making this the third disturbance in a very short time.
“There are some burn marks on the front of the building. They destroyed the interior of the floor and threw all kinds of things out. … They flooded the floor, blocked the bathrooms, blocked the drains, so there is water damage,” said Jacob Long, a spokesman for Mayor Lyda Krewson.
The riot started around 2:30 am after an inmate and a guard fought and the guard was attacked by other inmates, St. Louis Today reported.
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Jimmie Edwards, the city’s director of public security, told reporters that the prison officer was injured and taken to a hospital. This guard suffered bruises and bruises and was released later in the day.
No other police or prison inmate was reportedly injured.
The prison center is located on the fourth floor of the Justice Center, with only glass windows facing the city street and without additional fences or barriers around the building.
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Fox News contacted the St. Louis City Justice Center and the St. Louis Police Department for comment.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.