Gradisca, Italy - Detention centre in ruins following the incendiary riots of recent days

cette semaine

February 28, 2011 - After one month of riots, burned mattresses, sabotage and property damage, those detained in the CIE (Centre for Identification and Deportation) of Gradisca (Gorizia) have literally come to demolish their cages. The centre had already been rendered unusable by many riots since it opened five years ago, to the point that less than half of the facility was actually operational. The arrival of young people who have experienced recent revolutions in the Maghreb detonated the powder keg.
During the past week, fires had become a daily aspect of the revolt. February 27, loomed the fifth fire in less than 30 days: the first was on January 28, the second on 14 February with the arrival of 50 Tunisians at Lampedusa (three cells burned), and the last began Tuesday, February 22 (seven cells burned Feb. 24, four more the next day). Brick by brick, wall by wall, undocumented migrants have thus gradually destroyed all the cells (16 in all). Police tried several times to control the situation, five immigrants were detained, but after a while the situation became unmanageable. Spr, cops' union said of the situation: "The detention centre is no longer available. Over five years all the security systems, the refectory, monitoring devices, have been destroyed and never repaired. This week the job was completed with the successive destruction of the rooms." He said the situation became unmanageable when 50 Tunisians were transferred from Lampedusa. Since then there has been an escalation of fires "routine, almost studied: migrants knew exactly what the flaws in the detention centre were."
Yesterday, there was only one cell with 8 beds for more than 105 detainees, immigrants had to arrange to sleep in common areas. The centre no longer exists.
And, although the state is trying to hide it, the destruction of the structure is bearing fruit! Yesterday, thirty-two illegal immigrants were released, the Interior Ministry in extremis has blocked the release of another twenty selected, but this morning it was announced that seven of them are for immediate release (with an obligation to leave the country). As for transfers to other Italian centres, there is no question for now, as they are already full up themselves, especially given the reduced capacity following the revolts over the past two years that destroyed the space available ...
Info taken from macerie @ Febbraio 28, 2011