URGENT UPDATE: A violent riot has just erupted at the Banksia Hill Juvenile Detention Centre in Canning Vale, near Perth, with armed teenagers climbing onto the facility’s roof and launching projectiles at authorities below. The incident, involving approximately six detainees, is currently unfolding, prompting a swift response from Corrective Services officers.
Video footage circulating on social media captures the chaos, showing detainees tearing off tin roofing and hurling various objects, including a fire extinguisher. A spokesperson for the Department of Justice confirmed that officers are actively working to resolve the situation safely.
Corrective Services Minister Paul Papalia condemned the riot, labeling the violent and disruptive behavior as unacceptable. “It shows the challenging task confronted by our youth custodial officers and reaffirms the need for a purpose-designed facility to house the state’s most high-risk youth,” he stated, referencing a plan announced just last week to allocate $147 million for a new youth detention facility in Perth. This facility will replace Unit 18, which currently houses juvenile detainees at the adult maximum security Casuarina Prison.
The Western Australia government has faced criticism over the repeated riots at Banksia Hill, which have occurred since 2013 and have resulted in millions of dollars in damages. The latest unrest has sparked outrage from opposition leaders, including Basil Zempilas, who accused the government of chronic mismanagement in handling youth detention. “They’ve failed those children. They failed those inmates and they’ve failed the men and women that need to take care of them,” Zempilas told ABC Perth. He emphasized the alarming delay in addressing these issues, noting that it could take over half a decade for the new facility to be completed.
As authorities work diligently to control the situation at Banksia Hill, the community remains on edge. This unfolding crisis underscores the urgent need for reform in the state’s juvenile detention system, highlighting the vulnerability of both detainees and staff within these facilities.
Stay tuned for further updates as this situation develops, with potential implications for the future of youth detention in Western Australia.
