Arthur Gorrie prison protest: Inmates climb roof in Wacol jail protest

The prisoner protest at the Arthur Gorrie correctional facility is over after inmates climbed down from the building’s roof, ending a day-long saga over COVID-19 restrictions.

PRISONERS who took to the rooftop at Arthur Gorrie jail have finally come down after a day-long saga at the state’s remand centre.

A spokesman for GEO Group tonight confirmed the 10 prisoners had surrendered and had been medically checked.

“They are all OK,” the spokesman said.

“They were complaining, mainly about the lack of contact visits with family and the implementation of the social distancing policy.”

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Two prisoners at the jail tonight have also set toilet paper on fire and thrown it out their cell windows into the quadrangle.

“(They were) quickly extinguished by staff,” a GEO Group spokesman said. “No damage to the building.”

The spokesman said the prisoners would be reprimanded.

A Queensland Corrective Services spokeswoman said the “code silver” at the jail was “safely resolved with no injuries to prisoners or officers”.

“Officers successfully negotiated a surrender plan at about 6:15pm and no one remains on the roof,” the spokeswoman said.

“The centre is locked down for the night.”

Earlier, The Courier-Mail confirmed that five prisoners from the kitchen went onto the rooftop at midday.

Another five prisoners were on a separate rooftop after they went up there last night to complain about not getting visits due to coronavirus restrictions, the quality of the prison food and access to doctors.

Prisoners who work in the kitchen are usually some of the best behaved in the jail and are given the role as a privilege.

The two groups of prisoners were understood to be too far away from each other to be able to share items that they have taken up with them.

It is understood the first five prisoners took to the roof with warm clothing and blankets while some had also been eating food on the rooftop.

Prisoners are on the roof of the Arthur Gorrie Correctional Centre.

Under new restrictions at the state’s jails to prevent the spread of coronavirus, prison visits from family and friends have been banned.

Officers and other essential visitors such as health staff have also undergone temperature checks.

The Courier-Mail was also told a prisoner assaulted a staff member with a guitar at the jail.

A spokesman confirmed a staff member had minor injuries after the assault.

It involved a prisoner separate to the rooftop prisoners.

“A prisoner has been separated pending a criminal charge,” the spokesman said.

“The staff member was assessed by medical staff and then remained on duty.”

Another incident at the jail yesterday started on the oval and involved prisoners from unit D1.