FRFI 162 August / September 2001
Since opening its gates for the first time, London’s Belmarsh prison has routinely been paraded by the Prison Service as its silver trophy. Finally, an establishment that had caused them no major embarrassment – yet!
From the outset, security was an obsession and after the Whitemoor escape that obsession took on a whole new meaning, with the prison determined to keep a clean slate at all costs. Achieving this involved leaving those unfortunate enough to be confined within its walls stripped of their privileges, entitlements and basic human rights.
Since then, the management has continued to chip away at what rights remained, and up until now has experienced little resistance from inmates, as it has pressed forward and bulldozed its way through an already harsh regime, causing unrest, uncertainty and a breakdown in communication.
Although Belmarsh falls within the high security estate, it is still largely a local prison which is partly the reason why the authorities have been able to pursue their quest with little, if no hindrance. Local prisons, by their very nature, are places that seldom see major disturbances and shows of solidarity, but in the last few months there has been a noticeable increase in serious incidents, with staff leaving in droves. There has been a sharp rise in assaults on staff as inmates are literally having to fight for their rights. A number of sit-down protests and dirty protests have been staged and on 5 July Belmarsh experienced its first roof-top protest, an incident that Prison Service HQ has done very well to keep quiet until now.
Prisoners can and will only be pushed so far. The tide is turning and the superstructure of Belmarsh is finally starting to show signs of cracks.
Belmarsh was destined to sink the moment the first brick was laid, having been built on southeast London marshland. The speed at which it sinks depends entirely on the authorities.
John Shelley
