POLICE YESTERDAY fired teargas to quell a disturbance by more than 100 prisoners at the Kingston Central police station lock-ups, East Queen Street. The prisoners were protesting the authorities' refusal to allow their families and friends to take food and clothing to them.
A policeman suffered an eye injury during the disturbance and was taken to hospital.
The protest erupted after Inspector Jack Smith told the visitors they would no longer be able to take to prisoners large blocks of ice, cigarettes, money, and frozen foods during visiting hours, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursdays and Sundays.
Deputy Supt. Roy Blake of the Kingston Central Division, said regulations at the lock-up were breached prior to Inspector Smith's assignment there in the wake of last week's jailbreak.
"It's against the rule to bring in cigarettes," he said. "Many things like hacksaw blades and knives are found in blocks of ice. They (visitors) do some creative things to send these implements to them (prisoners).
The Constabulary Communication Network told The Gleaner that about 12:15 p.m., several prisoners at the lock-up damaged fixtures and lit newspapers in protest. He said that during the disturbance, a prisoner hit the policeman near the eye.
The police fired teargas to quell the protest, but some two hours later the prisoners' visitors were allowed to take food and clothing to them.
