BELFAST GAOL RIOT
Political Prisoners’ Escape Foiled (N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 7 p.m.) BELFAST, March 16.
• Political prisoners broke up tables and chairs for weapons and battered warders in a prison riot after the discovery this week of an escape tunnel at the Belfast Gaol.
The battle was on Wednesday, but news of the incident was released only yesterday by the Northern Ireland Ministry of Home Affairs. The statement said that after the discovery of the tunnel the prison authorities decided that, a thorough search of the gaol should be made.
About 140 men are interned in the prison under the Special Powers Act following recent incidents in Northern Ireland. While the search was progressing a number of prisoners armed themselves with broken furniture to which nails and pieces of iron were still attached and resisted the search. Steel-helmeted Police Reserve Force units were then called in, and after a baton charge and a 15-minute battle, quelled the riot. All privileges have been withdrawn from the internees and an official inquiry into the riot and attempted break-out has been ordered.
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19580319.2.65
Bibliographic details
Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28539, 19 March 1958, Page 10
Word Count
180BELFAST GAOL RIOT Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28539, 19 March 1958, Page 10
Using This Item
Stuff Ltd is the copyright owner for the Press. You can reproduce in-copyright material from this newspaper for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 3.0 New Zealand licence. This newspaper is not available for commercial use without the consent of Stuff Ltd. For advice on reproduction of out-of-copyright material from this newspaper, please refer to the Copyright guide.
Acknowledgements
This newspaper was digitised in partnership with Christchurch City Libraries.