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Authorities did not cover up fighting at Long Bay: Rees
Monday, 30 November 2009
8:31:05 AM
NEW SOUTH WALES, November 30, 2009: Claims that authorities covered up a prison riot at Sydney's Long Bay jail are "nonsense", Premier Nathan Rees says.
Mr Rees on Sunday rejected some details of a report in The Sunday Telegraph, which said that 80 prison guards were needed to stop fighting between 40 Middle Eastern and Aboriginal prisoners at the jail last Tuesday at about 1.30pm (AEDT).
The event was not a "riot" and only a "handful of inmates" were fighting, Mr Rees told journalists at a press conference on Sunday.
He did acknowledge that guards were forced to fire shots to break up the fight.
Asked if authorities had covered up the brawl, Mr Rees said: "That's nonsense".
"At the time it was reported, as per the protocols of police.
"Corrections [The Department of Corrective Services] are currently carrying out an investigation."
Mr Rees said he knew about the event prior to Sunday but had only been briefed on the details of the brawl on Sunday morning.
"We were told this morning that there was a handful of inmates fighting with each other.
"At no stage was property or the prison officers threatened.
"As I understand it, three shots were fired into the ground to disperse some of the inmates."
"No one from Corrections suggested it was anything like a riot." - AAP
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