"Beat that Murphy" Topic

I've come home for lunch due to the riot at work. Going to pop back to see if the police have got it under control- otherwise looks like I've got the afternoon off.

Let see, I've had work cancelled because of floods, snow, excessive cold, excessive heat, sewer gas, and an overflowing toilet, but no riots.

I cannot compete with you.

You have a riot at work?
Where the hell you work?

Riot at work? Wow, that's a new one.

Are you in Greece?

I once couldnt get into work at a place I was contracting, because the place was surrounded with irate unpaid construction workers – some mistake resulted in a load of sub-contractors payments being missed.

Do you work at Stanstead airport?

Hee Hee

Keep Guessing. Had the Afternoon off as the OSGs (clue!) said people were going home (I live within a walk of my Establishment, so popped back after lunch). No answer at the switch board or in the offices I work in.

I assume that OSG is Operational Support Group…? I'll take a wild stab and guess at HMP Aylesbury on that basis….

Was bored enough to Google – looks like I win a cookie: link

"concerted indiscipline" Loverly euphemism for riot.

My wife used to work as a sports motivator for a District Council. Once they were doing some fitness work with the local prison warders. Got there, no-one met them to take them to the specific area. Then someone they knew saw them, said 'What are you doing here? We've got to get you out.' They were taken to the canteen where all the warders were in full riot gear. Guard doge trying to get them with the handlers saying,'No, not them. They're with us.' Finally escorted out of the prison and the sessions were canceled. That was a pretty major riot.

OSG means in this context Operational Support Grade. They are not 'full' prison officers- they do not carry a baton, and do many of the security related jobs- manning the gate, searching incoming vehicles, censoring post etc.

"No reports of injuries"- then at the time of that statement they haven't captured enough of them to check. I think all the officers are ok (as of me leaving).

Being civvies with out radios we had little knowledge of what was happening, we had to grab the few staff who came our way. The prisoners had even less knowledge- they were banged up to release as many staff as possible. At one point those on the wing my office is on (which houses indeterminate and 'lifers'- i.e. dangerous kids) started that classic film thing of banging their doors in rhythym. Only lasted about a minute (They may have been hungry as well as annoyed, given lunch was 'delayed') but it is quite frightening when you hear it for real. And they were the ones who weren't being 'indisciplined'.

Goth Chicks are still hot!!!!

Well, thanks for the update, but unless you tell the whole sordid story then Murph and Alex both top you every time! Making it a guessing game is simply not good storytelling. 8)=

Hooligans!

*pfft*

I've had riots at work before, been right in the middle of 'em, too.

They're quite fun and exciting, as memories. Not so much at the time, though…

Why was "intervened" put in quotes?

At a guess (and this is pure supposition on my part) maybe they let them get tired and worn out, then went in mobhanded.

Update (for nazrat), and partially to correct media spin.

There have been a number of "Muslims riot at religeous festival" stories. This would be akin to titling a story about two mobsters squaring off at midnight Mass as "Catholics riot at Christmas gathering"

At the Eid celebration approximately 80 muslims were attending at the Mosque. Two started fighting, and when staff tried to intervene, the disruption spread, forcing staff withdrawl. The original fight is unlikely to be due to religeon- though there are a number of reports in the newspapers which appear to insinuate that those muslims can't be trusted, and at least 'Little England' Website that seems to be using it as another example.

More likely it was some debt or insult- an argument about a mobile phone for example (highly prized contraband- NO-ONE is allowed a mobile within the walls of UK jails). The problem is that 80 young criminals were in a small area, and many of them are not the greatest of forward thinkers (we do courses that can be summerized as "Even if he is looking at you, which he isn't, you don't have to thump him."). Apparently some of them wanted to surrender, but it was unsafe for both them and the staff, others are just letting the testosterone taking over- remember that we deal with 18-21 year olds, men evolved to be in the prime of life. (during a fire alarm I asked what happens if this isn't a false alarm? The answer is move the 60 in the wing into the exercise yard, and try and stop fights breaking out- independent of religeon)

Once they armed themselves with knives from the kitchens things got far more… interesting. Prison service rules call for a certain amount of staffing, so part of the wait was for enough trained staff to get into position, and allow the prisoners to knacker themselves out- adrenaline only lasts so long, and chairs are cheaper than humans.

Of course if Alex has been IN THE MIDDLE of a work riot he must give full details. I was only trying to get a better 'not at work' excuse than Murphy could. I wasn't that concerned until one of the governors came to escort civilians from the outlieing wings into the main prison block- then you start wondering how bad is it?

Oh, if you were just trying to top his "not at work" excuse then you DO win! But thanks for more info-- it was really interesting.