Waikeria Uprising: Eyewitness Reports New Prison Fire As Protests Continue

A new fire broke out at the Waikeria prison tonight, according to a witness, after days of rioting at the facility.

A group of 16 inmates continues to evade capture on the roof of the jail after starting a riot and lighting damaging fires in the prison yard Tuesday afternoon.

Adrian Disher, who lives about 3 km from the prison, said a new fire started tonight and saw emergency services heading to the scene around 7 p.m.

“It was quite big, over the treetops.”

“This is definitely a new one,” he said.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand directed requests about the reported fire to Corrections.

Meanwhile, a former hostage negotiator said today that it was “unthinkable” that the confrontation would have continued for so long.

Corrections says the men gained access to tactical equipment, including shields and bulletproof vests, and built homemade weapons to use against prison staff.

With 13 years of experience dealing with crisis negotiations under his belt, Lance Burdett knows the importance of trying to limit a situation to two or three days.

“The longer it lasts, the greater the chance that it won’t end well,” he said.

“People become resolute, they won’t give an inch.”

Burdett, who runs the consultancy Warn International, has studied events around the world and said history books show how sieges are getting worse.

His golden rules for negotiating emphasized that the other person should speak and listen.

“Don’t be afraid to give something up,” Burdett added.

He acknowledged that it contradicted tradition, but said that being the first to offer something created goodwill.

“It works in human nature. If I buy you a drink, the first thing you want to do, besides drink it, is buy me one back.”

He also said it was important that the arrangements made were “honest and honorable.”

“Never lie, once you tell a lie, you have lost all credibility.”

He commended Corrections for allowing the prisoners to speak with a kaumātua and with the leader of the Maori Party, Rawiri Waititi.

“Both are very good options and I applaud them for doing it.”

However, he said old-school tactics, like trying to starve rioters, are unlikely to pay off.

“You’re just adding fuel to the fire.”

Something had to happen to break a deadlock.

“Now Corrections are in a position where the jail is basically being held by a group of individuals for ransom. They will have to make a move at some point.

“This is not the only prison in New Zealand. There are other prisons and they will be looking at this and seeing what the answer is.”

Corrections confirmed tonight that inmates had deliberately activated sprinklers in cells on three occasions today: two at Mt Eden Detention Prison and one at Rimutaka Prison.

Firefighters and Emergencies responded and the prisoners were secured in new cells.

The Herald asked Corrections if it was concerned about copycat behavior among inmates after the Waikeria prison riots and what precautions the department was taking to monitor and clamp down on such behavior.

Corrections said it could not respond tonight, but added that “there have been no incidents of copycat behavior.”

Tonight Waititi said he had been contacted by whānau of the prisoners, who said the men were only willing to surrender if he was present.

“They do not trust the authorities and believe that they will be harmed if they surrender,” he said.

“They have said they will come out in body bags if I am not there to escort them and ensure their safety.

“This is a protest, not a riot.”

Waititi said he had tried to contact Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis but was being prevented from entering the prison a second time.

“The law allows the right of any member of parliament to visit prisons and communicate with inmates regarding their treatment in prison or a complaint about treatment,” Waititi said.

“The purpose of my first visit was never to negotiate surrender. I went to listen.”

The purpose of a second visit would be to ensure the safety of the 16 men when they surrendered, he said.

“If this situation turns into custard and if there are victims, that is the responsibility of the Government.”

Opposition MPs are demanding government intervention to end the crisis, with
Judith Collins, leader of the National Party, asks Davis to take the lead.

On Twitter, he admonished Davis for failing to make a public statement of support for Corrections staff “dealing with the violent prisoner riots” in Waikeria.

“Let’s be clear. The taxpayer-funded mass destruction of property, assaulting Corrections personnel and stockpiling weapons is not a ‘peaceful protest,'” he also wrote.

Davis needed to explain how the loss of control happened and what he was going to do to fix it, Collins said.

“He was perfectly happy to show off the opposition prisons, but now that he’s in charge, he’s nowhere to be seen.”

A Davis spokesman has said he will not comment or visit the prison until the situation is resolved.

Maori Council Executive Director Matthew Tukaki called for calm amid mounting tensions.

He called on politicians to step back and allow mana whenua to work with Corrections, the prisoners and whanau to resolve the situation quickly.

“The issues that are being discussed are complex and in the interest of the safety of all those involved we must put an end to the situation and in a timely manner.

“The risks to the health and safety of workers and prisoners must be addressed, as must the broader concerns of everyone involved.

“The reality is that the prison has probably reached its expiration date and it is timely to have a discussion about its future, but that can only happen in the context of a rapid resolution of the current confrontation.”

The incident’s controller, Jeanette Burns, said this morning that the 16 prisoners had continued to light major fires overnight.

“We are absolutely committed to ensuring this is resolved safely,” he said.

“There are multiple risks involved, including the structural integrity of fire-damaged buildings, weapons and equipment available to prisoners, the toxicity of burned building materials, and the violence offered by prisoners.”

Negotiations with the group are ongoing, he said.

Yesterday Corrections confirmed that inmates in riot had gained access to power tools and tactical equipment, as well as making improvised weapons.

The protesting inmates had also accessed a medical dispensary where controlled drugs are stored.