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Just three days after the last attack against a Penitentiary Police officer, new moments of very high tension in Gazzi prison, in Messina, where an attempted revolt by four inmates resulted in the injury of six members of the Penitentiary Police.
The episode dates back to two days ago and, according to the reconstruction of the Sinappe union, the four inmates, already subjected to a special surveillance regime, would have taken advantage of the return from free time and the possibility of making a phone call to carry out the action.
The inmates would have reached the general surveillance office, surrounding the service inspector and giving rise to a situation that quickly degenerated. During the riots, some fire extinguishers would also have been used, with the consequent diffusion of the extinguishing material in the rooms, while the inspector would have been physically attacked.
Among the people involved is also the commander of the Penitentiary Police Department who, having intervened immediately to coordinate the operations and restore order, was allegedly kicked several times by the inmates. Only the arrival of other officers allowed the situation to be brought under control.
After particularly tense moments, the staff managed to contain the four inmates and take them back to their respective cells. The final toll is that six prison officers were injured, all forced to seek medical treatment.
The regional deputy secretary of Sinappe, Giovanni Spanò, spoke about the incident, defining what happened as a “crazy and unjustifiable” gesture, underlining how it is yet another episode of violence against prison staff.
«What happened in the Messina prison represents a further alarm bell – says Spanò –. Agents are called upon to operate in an increasingly complex and risky context every day. The fact that the department commander was also among those attacked makes the matter even more serious and requires immediate reflection on the security conditions within the institute.”
The union representative also points the finger at what he defines as a lack of response from the regional Penitentiary Administration to the critical issues reported several times. According to Sinappe, the structural problems of the institution and the presence of particularly violent inmates would make the daily management of the facility increasingly difficult. For some time, the union highlights, the transfer of the subjects deemed most problematic has been requested, without concrete measures having been adopted.
Finally, Sinappe expressed full solidarity with the officers involved in the intervention, praising their courage, sense of duty and professionalism demonstrated in containing a situation that risked degenerating further. A particular certificate of closeness was addressed to the Department Commander, whose dedication and commitment demonstrated since his installation by the union was highlighted by the union.
In light of the incident, the union renews its request for immediate intervention by the Penitentiary Administration, so that effective measures are adopted to guarantee the safety of the staff and the transfer of the four prisoners involved, deemed incompatible with the needs of order and management of the Messina prison, is evaluated.