Riot erupts in Belgian prison

In a prison in the Belgian town of Merksplas, in Antwerp province, on Saturday about 200 inmates occupied the courtyard, igniting fires and throwing stones, report various Belgian media.

According to Merksplas mayor Frank Wilrycx, the prisoners caused a great deal of damage. “In some blocks, the cells are completely destroyed," he told the VRT.

The rioting inmates are demanding more say in how the prison is run, and a management that listens to them.

With the help of the fire brigade, all prisoners were returned to their cells by Sunday morning, while some inmates were transferred to other prisons. One prisoner took advantage of the chaos by trying to escape, but was later arrested.