LONDON (Reuters) - Thousands of British prison officers walked out of their jobs on Friday, gathering outside jails to protest against what their union called unprecedented levels of violence and the failure of the government to make prisons safe.
The state of prisons in Britain has made headlines in recent years. Inspectors warned on Thursday that inmates of Bedford jail in central England did not follow rules and were using drugs. Last month, the government took over the running of another prison for similar reasons.
Prisons Minister Rory Stewart said officers should return to their duty stations in line with their obligations to the law and the prison service. “These prison officers are putting their fellow staff and inmates at risk,” he said in a statement.
The POA said the walkout would last until its general secretary instructed them to do otherwise.
The union, which has 28,000 members, wants the government to provide safe prisons, meet its demands for improving personal protective equipment and reduce levels of violence and overcrowding in prisons.
History often has a way of repeating itself, sometimes by shaping similar personalities that seem destined to converge
The Gaza war started on October 7, 2023, following the Hamas attack on a southern Israeli border town. Some 1200 people died, while Hamas took 250 Israelis as hostages.
On his second death anniversary, we pay our deepest respect and heartfelt tribute to General Lionel Balagalle, an illustrious son of Sri Lanka, a noble soldier, and an exemplary leader whose vision, dedication, and humility have left an indelible mark on the Sri Lanka Army and our nation.
All passengers departing from Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) will be allowed to check-in 4 hours before their scheduled departure time.
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