For the second time this year, inmates at a jail in downtown St. Louis broke into a small riot.
On Sunday, videos and other pictures shared on social media showed inmates of the St. Louis Justice Center hanging outside of the broken windows of their cells. The men threw chairs and other objects to onlookers down below as they chanted, “We want court dates!”
Social media posts from local reporters on the scene show the inmates setting a fire on the third floor of the building, according to KMOV4 in St. Louis.
Jacob Long, spokesperson for Mayor Lyda Krewson’s office said “two violent and dangerous disturbances” originated from two units on the third floor beginning at approximately 8:30 p.m.
Detainees covered security cameras, smashed windows, and destroyed property, Long said.
Officials for the St. Louis Police Department and the St. Louis Justice Center didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
BREAKING: Inmates at the City Justice Center have once again broken windows.
From a city spokesperson: We are aware of the disturbance on the third floor of the CJC and that authorities are responding accordingly. @KMOV pic.twitter.com/H1NxEU9SwY
— Alexis Zotos (@alexiszotos) April 5, 2021
Inmates of the same jail caused a similar disturbance in February, according to local reports. It took law enforcement then hours to calm the riot. During that outbreak, detainees were able to manipulate their cells’ locks and walk around the jail.
