Well, well, well.
What do we have here then?
I argued early in this fiasco that Corrections had used a claim that the protestors were armed and on drugs to justify bringing in the Armed Offenders Squad to then shoot at the prisoners.
This point was buried in the news avalanche, but we have now discovered, that this is exactly what happened…
Police fired rubber bullets at men during Waikeria Prison standoff
Officers fired rubber bullets – also known as sponge rounds – at the men on the roof of the burning high-security building during the standoff at Waikeria Prison, police have confirmed to RNZ.
The remaining 16 inmates protesting over dilapidated conditions and Corrections’ strategy for Māori, surrendered to the authorities on Sunday after six tense days.
Corrections has launched two reviews into what happened.
…right.
So Corrections cover up how bad conditions had become during Covid.
Numerous reports show the prison fails UN human rights obligations.
Numerous reports show Prisoners don’t believe in the complaints process.
Corrections claim prisoners have weapons and are on drugs to trigger in the Armed Offenders Squad who actually shoot at prisoners.
Kelvin refuses to show any leadership and only turns up to defend Corrections and claim the prisoners are gang members.
Labour are fucking lucky this didn’t start a prison revolt in every prison throughout the country.
The inquiry will be a whitewash and now we know the cops opened fire on prisoners, we urgently need an independent review.
This is fucking atrocious.
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“I think what you have to understand, Martyn, is that if I spend my life destroying other people so I can afford a mansion in whatever fashionable locations I choose that matches my innate magnificence, and someone breaks into my sterile castle to steal my Allanis Morrisette CD gold edition, that scumbag should be tourtured half to death, or in the very least, shot at. On released, they will likely commit greater crimes against you and everyone else, but I don’t care about you or anyone else, I just want meh CD back!”
Think how many posts I saved with that. I was also thinking yesterday about what kind of person would be a good CEO of Corrections. NZ has an abundance of sadists, but sadist are just bullies who’ve turned psychotic, so very poor for leadership roles. They can’t comprehend true control, and misuse their power. Could we find a functional sociopath that was convinced of classical Republicanism? Would NZ have tunred out one of those yet? They would follow the law to the utmost degree, with a wide view of the consequences of actions taken (or not taken) in prison, on the wider society. No one could roll up complaining about stolen CD’s and influence their choices, and most usefully for incompetent ministers, you never have to intervene if the law was well written.
Why is it the functioning sadist who is as u say phychotic, the sociopath and the Narcissist all do so well in our little country. In other countries they would be identified and kicked for touch. What makes us such a target for these types to get into power?
Yes, I previously questioned that Martyn saying didn’t think that happened. So you were correct.
And these guys were in fact burning the house down, endangering lives.
What are the authorities to do with rioting prisoners who continue to light fires and have destroyed a good part of the prison? Offer them a cup of tea?
Just a reminder that the govt is building a new fit for purpose prison with a mental health unit. That youth offending has significantly reduced over the last ten years which has been attributed to excellent work by the youth Aid section of the police.
Anker: You are defending the indefensible abuses of human rights. Please refer to my lengthy response to your earlier comment on: https://thedailyblog.co.nz/2021/01/05/corrections-are-lying-about-waikeria-prison-riot/#comment-539871.
Yep thanks Aom. Hear your points.
What were the human rights being abused in the protest? The protesters were offered access to food and water, they had to surrender to get it.
I would always prioritise safety of people over property. It appears no one is in hospital as a result of any injuries. Who do you think that is down to.
Do you have any evidence that any of these men were abused in State care?
But I have to concede that prison would be a ghastly place.
I acknowledge that there is a new prison unit being built with a significant mental health unit. And there is a significant decrease in youth offending that is being put down in part to the work of youth aid. I celebrate these improvements.
I feel very sorry for the guys on the ground working in the prisons. They do a really shit job. And some people do need to be locked away. Think Jesse Kempson, Clayton weatherton, Malcolm Rewa, Joseph Stevenson.
I notice Jacinda did not claim this term was going to be the most honest and open government ever . So far we have had the attempted cover up from Mallard the lies from Kelvin turning their back on the those in poverty and renters in an effort to keep the houses prices high . We are still doing well against covid but even that looks like it could blow up in our face and what is the roll out plan for vaccines.
They need a comprehensive independent review
We can expect nothing other than incompetence, cowardice and cover-ups from a government of incompetent, cowardly neoliberals.
But good on you for highlighting the incompetence, cowardice and cover-ups, Martyn.
The fuse is burning. Has been for quite a long time. The explosion is coming. But we just don’t know how long the fuse is.
Ignorance and apathy still reign supreme in NZ. For the moment.
And consumerism, of course.
As Martyn has said before NZ has the maturity of a can of coke that sums up your statement well.
This is the predictable reality, considering that the timeline. NZ police, as a result of importing Officers from outside NZ, have, become “weaponised” to the point of being nothing more than the strong arm of the ruling elite… The last period of government has allowed this process to be accelerated, as a result of the realisation by those in charge of this process that the new government had either too much on it’s plate, or not the political will to attack this growing problem…
It is reasonable to be disgusted and sorely disappointed by the cowardice/compliance of the government now… It has been well earned… But let us not lose sight of when this started becoming a problem in the first place…. And why it was that the militarising of police, as a bulwark against the anticipated, inevitable backlash once the pressure became to much to bear for too many people, was accelerated in the first place…
and this: https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/in-depth/432589/prisoner-sues-to-stop-pepper-spray-bombs-that-make-grown-men-cry
‘Davis said although he was aware of the court action, he would not declare a moratorium on Cell Buster as it was an operational matter for his department and he would not intervene.’
If he won’t intervene, why is he Minister of Corrections?
The bigger question is : Why is booboo the minster of anything at all.
Ok all you moaners about the handling of the , riot what would you lot have done ??. Human rights are for everyone not just the select few. Your comments show a mentality that it is ok to burn places down if you can’t get your own way. Also many of your comments are borderline offensive and half the time they don’t even make sense. By the way Trevor Sennitt you have a nice day
Yes, “Human rights are for everyone not just the select few.” It is strange that you make that statement then carry on with an almost incomprehensible and disingenuous diatribe that seems to deny the rights of some. It is doubtful that any commenter on this site condoned the incineration of the prison facilities. That is wildly different from attempting to understanding the not too complicated drivers of the perpetrators. That appears to be beyond your level of comprehension.
Please be specific, provide just one example of a borderline offensive comment or one that doesn’t make any sense. There are plenty of rational commenters on this site that would be willing to engage in a constructive debate of the issues with you.
As for your opening gambit – Rawiri Waititi MP demonstrated what could be done and was prepared to engage at the outset but Corrections had a different agenda and approach. It seems power, control and subjugation are the only strategies understood by the Prisons administration and the ‘law and order’ brigade.
Now that the NZ media have moved on from the Waikeria debacle, the Guardian is carrying two reports that demonstrate what good journalism that informs public debate should look like.
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jan/08/forms-of-structural-violence-waikeria-highlights-injustice-of-new-zealands-prisons
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/jan/07/the-waikeria-protests-show-that-the-problem-isnt-bad-prisons-its-that-we-have-them-at-all
Neither Morgan Godfey nor Charles Anderson appear to have had there reports published in the mainstream media in NZ. It would be heartening to be proved wrong.
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