French prison staff report surge in violence and security failures

The UFAP UNSa Justice union has reported a series of violent incidents and security failures across several French correctional facilities.

In Rémire-Montjoly, staff reported an escalation of violence at the Centre Pénitentiaire de Guyane. This included an inmate threatening officers with homemade weapons and physically assaulting an agent. Additionally, an inmate intentionally set fire to a cell, during which staff discovered that the facility's fire hose system was non-functional, forcing them to fight the blaze using buckets of water.

Other reported incidents include a group of inmates overwhelming and pushing staff members during a movement at CPOS, and an intentional fire set in an activity room at the Saint-Maur facility. The union is calling for immediate improvements to security measures, staffing levels, and the maintenance of essential safety equipment to protect correctional officers.