Gang members used pieces of steel from their prison cells to make weapons in two attacks inside New Zealand's toughest prison over the weekend.
Two inmates at Auckland Prison at Paremoremo were assaulted with makeshift weapons on two separate occasions over the weekend.
Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis told 1 NEWS the age and condition of the prison makes it dangerous for both prisoners and guards.
"Because it's coming to the end of its life it's quite easy to break off parts of the prison building and shape them into weapons," Mr Davis said.
The Corrections Association, which represents prison guards, says prisoners ripped bits of steel from their cells.
"The prisoners have been able to fabricate some things in their cell into a weapon," said Alan Whitley, the association president.
“They only had their hands to deal with it
The prison director refused to be interviewed on camera, but in a statement said his staff acted bravely and professionally to bring the attacks under control quickly. Police are now investigating.
The Auckland Prison in Paremoremo was built in 1968 and will be replaced next year by a new prison being built next door.
The Corrections Association is hoping the new facility will be safer.
"The concern we have with Paremoremo is the staff who responded to that incident still don't have pepper spray. So they responded, yes they've got vests, but they only had their hands to deal with it, they didn't have anything else," Mr Whitley said.
Both the victims and the attackers are maximum security prisoners. The victims are now in hospital.
Asked is it acceptable that makeshift weapons were used in what was effectively a gang fight, Mr Davis said: "No of course it isn't. So there were two incidents in Auckland Prison over the weekend. Both were gang related. There is a gang strategy in prisons that we need to review and see if it's actually being effective."
His new job is to try and prevent more attacks like this in the future.
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