New Curfew Triggers Rikers Island Riots

An uprising was promised. Inmates sort of delivered.

A new rule forcing Rikers Island inmates to be in bed two hours earlier was met with opposition. In turn, that opposition was met with regulatory measures. 

The new rule was implemented on Aug. 4, moving lights out up to 9 p.m. from 11 p.m. This was reportedly done to curb violence at the facility, though prisoners reportedly threatened to riot if forced to miss those two hours of late-night television. On Monday night, tensions finally boiled over: 

On Monday night, when two housing units at Rikers' George R. Vierno Center disobeyed the new curfew, the Department of Justice said they were subdued using an unnamed chemical. Although no one was seriously injured, 68 inmates were treated for exposure to the spray.

The earlier bed time remains in place. Inmates are simply going to have to deal with it.

[via Daily Intelligencer]

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