Waikeria uprising: families urge inmates to surrender, but ‘they are willing to die there’

Desperate relatives urge inmates at the Waikeria prison in disturbances to surrender, but warn that their loved ones are “willing to die” if their demands for basic needs are not met.

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

One woman, who asked not to be identified, told the Herald that the inmates had been making brief phone calls to relatives to update them on the ongoing situation.

She said a family member had received a call from a cousin within Waikeria around 10:30 pm yesterday.

But her cousin’s call is the last time anyone has heard from those inside, she said.

“I haven’t slept. Everybody says [to them] quit now. “

But they were convinced their calls for basic needs would be heard, he said.

“If there is no change, they will not come back. They will come out in body bags.

“They are willing to die there.”

He called the prison conditions inhumane and said they had been unacceptable to generations of inmates.

“This is the generation to stop that.”

The woman confirmed that the authorities had not given the men food or water.

The day before, protesting prisoners had found a towel and hose that had been providing them with water to drink. They had also been praying for rain, he said.

The Waikato Regional MetService forecast is for showers today with potential thunderstorms and localized showers, which will subside tonight.

A MetService spokesperson confirmed that light rain fell on Waikeria in the last hour or so.

A rain gauge at the corner of Bartons, halfway between Te Awamutu and Otorohanga, registered 7mm in the four hours before 3pm.

A former Waikeria prison guard told RNZ that conditions inside the prison are poor and there is a toxic culture.

The former guard described the quality of the water as in a terrible state.

Six prison vans pulled off the grounds this morning as several Fire and Emergency vehicles entered the prison grounds.

Meanwhile, National Party leader Judith Collins posted on Facebook a call for Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis to confront him.

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

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

“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.

This morning, Incident Controller Jeanette Burns said 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, tactical equipment, including shields and bulletproof vests, and built improvised weapons to use against Corrections personnel.

The protesting inmates had also accessed a medical dispensary where controlled drugs are stored and now there are concerns for the structural integrity of the badly damaged prison building.