Second night of rioting at Christmas Island centre

abc.net.au

By Jeremy Thompson

15 03 2011

For the second night running rioting asylum seekers have damaged the Christmas Island detention facility.

Immigration Minister Chris Bowen says up to 200 detainees destroyed closed-circuit television cameras and lit a fire.

He says there was no direct confrontation and federal police officers were able to regain control without the use of tear gas, which was used to quell a larger riot on Sunday night.

« What we are seeing at Christmas Island is a group of up to 300 who are determined to engage in protest action, » Mr Bowen said.

« Clearly we have a difficult situation with ongoing tension – but it is being managed. I don’t underplay the seriousness of this event or the difficulties of this event. »

The riots follow a break-out of the facility last week of 170 detainees who staged a demonstration at the airport complaining of slow processing of their visa applications. Read more…

~ par Alain Bertho sur 15 mars 2011.

Publié dans émeutes, riots